ILLUMINATI- ALTAR OF SCIENCE

The Department of Physics, University of Kerala, is delighted to share that Mr. Nithin J. S. , Research Scholar, has successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis entitled “Photophysical Response and Substitution-Induced Spectral Tuning in Ba₂MgTeO₆-Based Multifunctional Double Perovskite Phosphors.” The Ph.D. Open Defence was held on 1 September 2026 at 11:00 AM at the K. S. Viswanathan Hall, Department of Physics, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus , in hybrid mode. Prof. K. C. James Raju , Senior Professor, CASEST, School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, served as the Chairperson of the Board of Adjudicators . Mr. Nithin presented the major findings of his doctoral research and successfully responded to the questions and discussions that followed the presentation. The doctoral research was carried out under the guidance of Dr. Subodh G. (Research Supervisor) and Dr. Sibi K. S. (Research Co-supervisor) . Link to PPT His research focused on the photophysical properties and substi...

  The Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala , celebrated National Space Day 2026 by organising a series of competitions for students to foster interest in space science and encourage their creativity. Video Link The celebrations included a Space Quiz, Story Writing Competition, Astrophotography Contest, Lunar Reel Contest and Digital Poster Making Competition . List of Winners Congratulations to all the winners of our National Space Day 2026 competitions! 🎉🚀 🏆 Space Quiz 🥇 First – Nabhas Vijay & Niranjana Bisra 🥈 Second – Adithya A & Deepak Joseph 🥉 Third – Akshay S Nair & Akshay Sunil ✍️ Story Writing Competition 🥇 First – Nandana S 🥈 Second – Deepak Joseph 🥉 Third – Hana Mohamed Haneefa 📷 Astrophotography Contest 🥇 First – Saravanan G 🥈 Second – Gopika G 🥉 Third – Adithya R 🌙 Lunar Reel Contest 🥇 First – Ayisha Beegam M S 🥈 Second – Sakthi M L 🥉 Third – Sreemanjima M S 🎨 Digital Poster Making Competition 🥇 First – Go...

Today, the Department of Physics and the Department of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology , in collaboration with the Campus Library, University of Kerala , organized a Library Orientation Programme for the newly admitted students. The session was led by Dr. Shihab I, Assistant Librarian , who introduced the freshers to the library's rich collection of print and electronic resources, digital services, online databases, and research support facilities. The interactive programme familiarized students with effective use of library resources, encouraging them to develop strong reading, learning, and research habits from the very beginning of their academic journey. We extend our sincere thanks to the Campus Library for conducting this informative and engaging orientation session and wish our freshers a rewarding academic experience ahead.

  It was a privilege to evaluate the Ph.D. thesis of Ms. Sreelekshmi N. , titled “Spectroscopic Investigations of Nonlinear Optical Donor–π–Acceptor Conjugated Structures,” submitted to Mahatma Gandhi University under the supervision of Dr. C. Ravikumar, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, CMS College, Kottayam . The thesis presents a comprehensive investigation of donor–π–acceptor organic materials through spectroscopy, nonlinear optical measurements and quantum-chemical calculations. Following the successful evaluation of the thesis, I had the honour of serving as the Chairperson of the Open Defence and Public Viva Voce . The defence involved a meaningful scientific discussion, during which the candidate presented the major findings of her work and confidently responded to questions from the examination panel and the audience. My heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Sreelekshmi N. , her research guide Dr. C. Ravikumar , and everyone who supported this academic journey. It ...

  The Department warmly welcomed the FYUG 2026 batch on July 1 with both campus-level and department-level orientation programmes. With an intake of 15 students, this new batch marks the beginning of another exciting academic journey filled with learning, exploration, and growth. The students have lovingly been named the “Atomic Navigators” , symbolising their journey into the fundamental world of physics, nanoscience, and scientific curiosity. Sharing a few Photos, we celebrate the arrival of our Atomic Navigators and wish them a bright, meaningful, and inspiring journey ahead. FYUG syllabus 2026 Version Nanoscience Presentation Physics-Major and Minor Nanoscience-Intro Video Link to Nanoscience Presentation

  The Open Defence of Mr. Akash Chandran was successfully conducted today at the Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, marking a special milestone as the first open defence hosted here after the centre attained its present status: Department status. Congratulations to the scholar and special appreciation to Dr. Janeesh P. A. for his guidance and coordination.

  The Department of Physics, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, organized an invited lecture on “Introduction to Severe Space Weather” on 1 June 2026 at the Department Seminar Hall. The session was delivered by Dr. Balan Nanan , Distinguished Professor, Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (ISEE), Nagoya University, Japan. The lecture provided an engaging introduction to the science of space weather and its growing importance in the modern technological era. Dr. Nanan explained the physical processes occurring on the Sun, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and discussed how these phenomena propagate through interplanetary space to influence the Earth's near-space environment. He highlighted the effects of severe space weather on satellite operations, communication systems, navigation networks, power grids, and other critical technological infrastructures. Drawing from his extensive experience in space physics research, Dr. Nanan int...

Today, we were happy to host the Second Year M.Sc. Physics students of Mahatma Gandhi College, Thiruvananthapuram, at the Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kerala, as part of their industrial visit. The students were accompanied by their teacher, and it was also a pleasure to have Prof. Shyam, my dear friend and faculty member of the same college, joining the visit. The lab familiarization session was handled by Mr. Nithin, Technical Assistant, who introduced the students to the laboratory facilities, instruments, and basic research practices. I also fondly acknowledge Dr. V. M. Anandkumar Sir, Principal of Mahatma Gandhi College, who is an alumnus of our Department of Physics, University of Kerala. His support and encouragement made the visit more meaningful. The students showed good interest in understanding the scope of nanoscience, laboratory practices, and research facilities. Overall, it was a fruitful and pleasant academic programme.

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  One year in Nanoscience -and it still feels like a beautiful beginning. An institution grows not merely because of buildings, instruments, or titles, but because of the people who join it, strengthen it, and quietly believe in what it can become. Over this year, the Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology has begun to gather such people. Our postdoctoral team itself brings wonderful diversity in research: Dr. Aswathy P in nonlinear optics, spectroscopy, DFT, and optical limiting; Dr. Sreevalsa S in quantum dots, optoelectronics, phosphors, MOFs, and hybrid materials; and Bijimol B I in electrochemistry, hydrogen evolution, surface engineering, and advanced nanomaterials. Along with them, our students and research team have been taking the department forward through work in energy materials, nanocomposites, coatings, catalysis, and interdisciplinary nanoscience. It is especially encouraging that new interdisciplinary directions are also emerging. One such interesting li...

  The Two-Day National Seminar “Down to Earth: The Amazing Planet” , held on 25–26 March 2026 , was a memorable and meaningful academic event. It was especially significant because it was organized as part of the retirement ceremony programme of Pradeep Sir . I was happy to be part of this occasion and to present our paper titled: Mathematical Modelling of River Meandering Using Gamma Functions Authors: Parvana P, Dhanil Dev S R and Sibi K S This work brought together mathematical ideas and Earth system understanding through a model of river meandering based on Beta–Gamma functions. The presentation was a small but meaningful contribution to a very special academic gathering. The seminar was very well organized, and the paper presentation sessions were handled in a very aesthetic, gracious, and thoughtful manner. The atmosphere created by the session chairs made the student presenters feel comfortable and confident, allowing them to share the essence of their work witho...

Chairing a Session on Quantum Light: When Light Becomes Smarter Reflections on today’s lecture by Dr. Ashok Kumar, IIST Thiruvananthapuram Today, 18 March 2026 , I had the opportunity to chair a very engaging lecture by Dr. Ashok Kumar of IIST Thiruvananthapuram on the topic “Quantum Light for Technology: From Quantum Cryptography to Ultra-Sensitive Sensing.” It was one of those talks that reminds us how modern physics is no longer confined to blackboards alone; it is steadily entering the world of technology. For many people, light is simply something that helps us see. But today’s lecture showed that light can be much more than that. In quantum optics, light can be prepared in very special forms so that it behaves in a more coordinated and useful way than ordinary light. One simple way to imagine this is to think of normal light as a crowd walking in a busy street, each person moving with small random variations. Quan...

  Abstract From Raman to the Future: Women Powering India’s Technological Rise The modern journey of Indian science found its global voice when C. V. Raman discovered the Raman Effect in 1928 - a breakthrough that revealed how light interacts with matter and earned India its first Nobel Prize in science. That discovery was born from simple curiosity - a question as profound as “Why is the sea blue?” From that moment, Indian science began its ascent on the world stage. Nearly a century later, that same spirit of curiosity has evolved - from understanding light scattering to engineering metal–organic frameworks, nanomaterials, and advanced energy systems. The scale has shifted from the visible to the nanoscale, but the ambition remains the same: to explore, innovate, and transform. Today, women scientists across India are at the forefront of this transformation. Leading breakthroughs in nanoscience, battery materials, renewable energy, and sustainable technologies, they repre...