February Updates
Congratulations, Dr. Akhila Murali J!
Department of Physics • University of Kerala
🎓 Congratulations, Dr. Akhila Murali J!
Happy to share that Ms. Akhila Murali J has successfully completed her
PhD Open Defence at the Department of Physics, University of Kerala.
Her thesis, “Optical Response and Spectral Tuning of Folic Acid–Derived Multifunctional Carbon Dots,”
focuses on eco-friendly, low-cost carbon nanomaterials with applications in chemical sensing, bioimaging, and optoelectronics.
A memorable moment from the defence
Towards the end of the defence, a beautiful and memorable moment unfolded. Prof. N. Ponpandian, the Chairman and External Expert, asked Akhila to explain the essence of her research, especially for the PG students present, in Malayalam. Her response reflected true ownership of her work.
She explained that while there are many ways to synthesize carbon dots, tuning them to desired states requires discipline, not shortcuts. She compared her research to nurturing a plant: we don’t pray for fruits to appear; instead, we nurture the roots with the right nutrients, and the fruits naturally follow. In the same way, careful control over solvent environment, concentration, temperature, and ramp conditions, carried out consistently over years— allowed her to decide which colour carbon dots emerge in different environments.
Using the same folic acid precursor, she showed how changes in solvents (DMSO, DMF) and additives like urea or PPD could yield green, yellow, or red carbon dots, much like choosing different coloured mangoes from the same plant if you know how to nurture it. She emphasized simplicity: staying away from overly complex synthesis routes and focusing instead on truly cost-effective, scalable, and precise control. When such control is possible, why rely on complicated techniques?
Prof. Ponpandian was visibly pleased, and the room resonated with that clarity. For me, as a guide, it was a deeply satisfying moment, capturing the essence of seeing a student truly blossom. Sometimes, students grow in dimensions that even the guide is still learning to fully grasp.
Wishing Dr. Akhila Murali J continued success and many more dimensions of growth ahead. 🌱✨
Kariavattom Campus wins 1st Prize at District Level 🎉
A proud moment from the University-level round to the District-level victory — and a reminder that teamwork and timely support are what turn effort into achievement.
The journey of the Chief Minister’s Mega Quiz from the University level to a District-level First Prize has been truly inspiring for our Kariavattom Campus. After the successful conduct of the University round, the shortlisted names were forwarded to the District level, and I’m immensely happy to share that Anujith K.and Abhirami S G and Aswathy P A and Sreehari M. emerged as winners — a well-deserved recognition of their clarity, confidence, and teamwork.
In this programme too, there were last-minute challenges, and once again I was reminded how fortunate I am. For me, one such name is Subodh Sir. His calm confidence, “വാ… സിബി, നമുക്ക് ചെയ്യാം” , made a real difference at the crucial moment. As Nazeeb Sir often says, having someone like that on campus itself is a blessing. In fact, within KUTA, there are many such pillars of quiet strength , and Sir, you are certainly one among them.