K. Ramasamy

K. Ramasamy studies the microbes that break down farm and factory waste. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of science and engineering, from Tamil Nadu ^[1].

Training

Ramasamy was born on 1 May 1948 ^[2]. He studied at Annamalai University, then took a master’s in fermentation technology and a PhD in industrial microbiology at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, in 1980 ^[2]. After postdoctoral work on gene cloning at Michigan State University, he joined Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) in Coimbatore ^[2].

Microbes at work

At TNAU he set up an anaerobic microbiology laboratory, which grew into the university’s agro-energy centre and department of renewable energy, and later a department of environmental science ^[2]. His microbial methods turned crop residues and factory waste into biogas, compost and soil inputs ^[2].

With NEERI and Australian partners, his team developed biological treatment for wastewater that, according to his citation, kept 960 tanneries and 36 sugar mills and distilleries from being shut down ^[2]. The method was later used by textile and paper mills too ^[2].

Vice-chancellor

He was TNAU’s vice-chancellor from 2012 to 2018 ^[2]. In that time students helped spray a newly found microbe on 2.47 lakh acres of paddy to protect it from drought ^[2]. He also served as a member of the Planning Commission and helped design courses in bioenergy and environmental science for the UGC and ICAR ^[2].

He is now chancellor of the Karpagam Academy of Higher Education ^[2].