Dr. Vimal Kumar Jain took over as the Director of UM-DAE Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences on 18th October 2017 (AN)`
Born on 1st August 1956; B. Sc. (1974) from Agra University; M. Sc. (Organic Chemistry) (1976) from Agra University; Ph. D. (1981) from Rajasthan University, Jaipur; Post-doc (1981-1984) at University of Guelph, Ontario (Canada), joined as Scientific Officer (SD) (1984) in Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre where elevated to Head Chemistry Division and Distinguished Scientist.
Research interests include: organometallic and metalloorganic chemistry of platinum group metals and main group elements, design and synthesis of molecular precursors for inorganic materials, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and high purity materials; author/ co-author of ~350 research papers including more than a dozen review articles published in international peer reviewed Journals; supervised the thesis work of 26 Ph.D. and 7 masters’ degree students.
Elected (1995) Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India; Young Associate of the Indian Academy of Sciences (1988-1991); National representative of IUPAC, a Fellow of IUPAC and Royal Society of Chemistry (U.K.); member of Editorial Boards of a number of scientific journals; co-edited (with Dr. K. I. Priyadarsini) a multi-author book ‘Organoselenium Compounds in Biology and Medicine’ published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK. President, Indian Chemical Society (Mumbai Branch) (2005- 2006); President: Society for Materials Chemistry (April 2016- March 2019); Convener for ISMC-2014, ISMC-2016; Member: Program Advisory Committee (PAC) (2001-2007) Inorganic Chemistry, DST; Member: Program Advisory Committee (PAC) (2005 - 2008) for International division of DST in the area of catalysis and chemical sciences, member and subject expert for numerous promotion and selection committees; executed several national and international scientific projects; Raja Ramanna Fellowship of DAE (Dec.2016- Oct-2017).
Received several awards which include: Bruker NMR Award for the Young Scientist (1989); International Scientific Exchange Award” (1993) of NSERC, Canada; Homi Bhabha Science and Technology Award (1996)” of Department of Atomic Energy; Royal Society of Chemistry Journals Grants (1999) for International Authors to visit Oxford University; Prof. S. S. Sandhu Award (1999) of the Indian Chemical Society; Chemical Research Society of India Medal (2001); Prof. Priyadaranjan Ray Memorial Award (2006) of the Indian Chemical Society; Group Achievement Awards (2009) and (2014) of Department of Atomic Energy; Prof. W. U. Malik Memorial Award (2012) of Indian Council of Chemists; Dharamsi Morarji Chemical Co. Visiting Fellowship (2013) of Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai; Vigyan Ratan Award (2017) of Gyan Sagar Science Foundation.