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N. Kalaiselvi Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

BirthplaceAmbasamudhram, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India

ProfessionResearcher

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

FamilyTwo elder brothers; parents' names not available

N. Kalaiselvi Biography

Nallathamby Kalaiselvi is an Indian electrochemical researcher who rose through CSIR-CECRI to become the first woman Director General of the Council of S**

Early life and background

Nallathamby Kalaiselvi was born and raised in Ambasamudhram in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. She received her early schooling and college education in government institutions in Tamil Nadu and completed a PhD from Annamalai University in Chidambaram. Kalaiselvi studied science in the Tamil medium and has said that learning in her mother tongue helped her grasp scientific concepts more quickly.

Career

Kalaiselvi began her research career after teaching as a college professor for about three years following her doctorate. She joined the Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI) in 1997 as an entry-level scientist and transitioned from an organic chemistry background into electrochemical science.

Over more than 25 years at CECRI, Kalaiselvi developed expertise in electrochemical power systems, with a particular focus on electrode materials and the electrochemical evaluation of in-house prepared materials for energy storage devices. Her work has emphasized lithium-ion batteries, and she is credited with inventing electrode materials intended to improve battery storage capacity. Her research interests also include supercapacitors, electrolytes for energy storage, waste-to-wealth driven electrodes and electrocatalytic applications.

Kalaiselvi held leadership roles within CSIR and CECRI. In 2012–2017 she served as the Nodal Scientist for the MULTIFUN programme, a CSIR initiative for multifunctional electrodes and electrolytes under the twelfth five-year plan. In 2019 she was named Theme Director for Renewable and Non-renewable Energy and Devices at CSIR and took on chair and committee roles within CSIR-CECRI, including responsibility for student academic committees.

On 22 February 2019 she became Director of CSIR-CECRI at Karaikudi, the first woman to occupy that post. In August 2022 she was appointed Director General of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), marking her as the first woman to lead India’s premier public-sector R&D organization. Alongside the Director General appointment, she was given additional charge as Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Research output and collaborations

By August 2022 Kalaiselvi had authored over 125 research papers and held six patents. Several of her papers received recognition: in 2011 four were selected among Elsevier’s “Highest Cited Top 25 Hottest Articles.” She has supervised doctoral scholars to completion and guided others pursuing PhDs under her mentorship.

Her international engagement includes participation in fellowship and exchange programmes: an INSA visiting fellowship early in her career, the Brain Pool Fellowship in South Korea (2003–04), a Raman Research Fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin (2009–10), and the INSA–NRF exchange visit to KERI, Changwon (2011). She also attended international conferences and exchange programmes including a CSIR–DAAD exchange in Germany (2019).

Kalaiselvi helped lead a public–private partnership between CSIR-CECRI and industry in 2022 to operate a lithium-ion cell production unit in Chennai, and she has been involved in national initiatives such as the National Mission for Electric Mobility. In January 2022 she inaugurated construction of a low-cost toilet unit based on CECRI technology, reflecting an interest in applying research outcomes to practical social needs.

Honors and service

Her awards and recognitions include multiple early-career fellowships and honors: INSA visiting fellowship, Brain Pool Fellowship, Raman Research Fellowship, the Materials Research Society of India medal, the C.V. Raman Mahila Vijnana Puraskara, and citations in compendiums recognizing leading scientists. She has served on boards of studies at several colleges and universities and participates in editorial and quality-assurance roles, including membership on the editorial board of the International Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy and involvement in CSIR academic and skills initiatives.

Public profile

Colleagues describe Kalaiselvi as a strong public speaker who has engaged in outreach through media and public speaking platforms. She has worked to popularize science in Tamil, serving as editor of a monthly science periodical published in the language for rural students. Her colleagues note a long-standing interest in electric mobility and renewable-energy integration, aims that have shaped much of her research agenda.

Latest updates

As of August 2022 Kalaiselvi holds the office of Director General of CSIR and continues to lead research and institutional initiatives related to batteries, storage devices and energy materials. She remains active in promoting collaborations between public research institutions and industry and in mentoring researchers and students within CSIR and affiliated academic bodies.
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Recent Work

Director General, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

Appointed as the first woman Director General of CSIR and given additional charge as Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in August 2022.

2022
Director, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI)

Appointed Director of CSIR-CECRI at Karaikudi, becoming the first woman to hold the position, starting 22 February 2019.

2019
Public–private partnership for lithium-ion cell production

Guided a CSIR-CECRI public–private partnership to operate a lithium-ion cell producing unit in Taramani, Chennai (announced July 2022).

2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined CSIR-CECRI as a scientist in 1997 and built a career in electrochemical power systems
  2. Appointed Director of CSIR-CECRI in 2019, first woman to hold the role
  3. Appointed Director General of CSIR in August 2022, first woman to lead the organization
  4. Over 125 research papers and six patents as of August 2022
  5. Recipient of multiple fellowships and awards including MRSI medal and C.V. Raman Mahila Vijnana Puraskara
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is N. Kalaiselvi known for?

Researcher

What is N. Kalaiselvi’s marital status?

Married