Pakkiriswamy Chandra Sekharan, Forensic Scientist
Forensic Scientist

Pakkiriswamy Chandra Sekharan

Born 15 April 1934 · verify — Died 11 July 2017

Led forensic investigations that helped solve the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in 1991.

Pakkiriswamy Chandra Sekharan was an Indian forensic expert, writer and a former director of the Department of Forensics Sciences of the Government of Tamil Nadu. He was best known for his contributions in the investigations in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

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A detail that
surprised us

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He invented a device called the electronic skull identification device that uses video superimposition to match skulls with photographs for victim identification.

The Story

1
In 1986, at the University of Madras, Pakkiriswamy Chandra Sekharan earned a PhD in forensic science, marking a pivotal moment for Indian forensic research.
2
🌟 During the 1991 investigation of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, he invented the electronic skull identification device to identify victims using video superimposition techniques.
3In May 1991, he revealed that the assassin was a woman who acted as a human bomb, reconstructing the belt bomb’s two-switch circuitry from fragmented debris.
4🌟 As director of Tamil Nadu's Department of Forensic Sciences, he independently examined soot layers on wiring at a crime scene, proving that bodies had been burned, a detail overlooked by police.

🏅 Awards & Honours

2000
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1991, Sekharan demonstrated that the Rajiv Gandhi assassin’s bomb belt had a two-switch mechanism, one to arm and another to detonate, reconstructed from tiny electrical components found at the blast site.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Born in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu
Pakkiriswamy Chandra Sekharan was born in the coastal town of Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, on April 15, 1934.
1934
📚
Education
PhD in Forensic Science
Awarded a PhD from the University of Madras for doctoral research in forensic science.
1986
⚡
Career
Investigated Rajiv Gandhi Assassination
Led forensic investigations revealing the assassin was a human bomb, reconstructing bomb circuitry from debris.
1991
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Career
Recovered Chola Bronze Idol
Helped recover a stolen 1,500-year-old Chola bronze Nataraja idol from the UK using forensic evidence including termite soil analysis.
1991
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Career
Introduced Forensic Engineering Course
Started the first forensic engineering course in India at Anna University post-retirement.
1993
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Award
Received Padma Bhushan
Honored with India’s third highest civilian award for contributions to forensic science and society.
2000
🕊️
Death
Passed Away in Chennai
Died after a brief illness at age 83, leaving behind a legacy in forensic science.
2017
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 05
🔍LESSER KNOWN

He used termite nest soil found at the base of a stolen Chola bronze idol to prove its provenance in a British court in 1991, an unusual forensic tool in art theft cases.

02 / 05
👤PERSONAL

Sekharan obtained his PhD in forensic science at age 52 from the University of Madras in 1986, showing a late but focused specialization in the field.

03 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He introduced India’s first forensic engineering course at Anna University in 1993 after his retirement, blending engineering with crime investigation uniquely at that time.

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"The crime was committed before the whole world as there was so much media present there and so many photographs taken just before and immediately after the bomb blast. Yet nobody was able to determine just what had occurred. That's why it is necessary that every major crime scene is investigated by a trained criminalist, not a police officer. This is the system in vogue abroad."

— Pakkiriswamy Chandra Sekharan

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Documentary on my father, Prof. Dr. P. Chandra Sekharan
·YouTube
More from this archive
Documentary on my father, Prof. Dr. P. Chandra Sekharan
01
Documentary on my father, Prof. Dr. P. Chandra Sekharan
YouTube
Forensic expert P. Chandra Sekharan expired
02
Forensic expert P. Chandra Sekharan expired
YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

Chandra Sekharan’s work on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination set new standards for forensic investigation in India, emphasizing the importance of trained criminalists over traditional police inspections at crime scenes. His leadership transformed Tamil Nadu’s forensic department into a teaching and research hub, influencing forensic science education nationwide. The forensic proof he provided to recover the Chola bronze idol highlighted the application of scientific evidence in art repatriation cases.

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