Irishi N. N. Namboothiri

Irishi N. N. Namboothiri
Born	Template:Birth year and age
Citizenship	Indian
Occupations	Academic, Researcher
Title	Senior Professor
Awards	CRSI Bronze Medal FASc (2020) FNASc (2013) Excellence in Teaching Award, IIT Bombay
Academic background
Alma mater	Mangalore University (MSc, 1988) Indian Institute of Science (PhD)
Academic work
Discipline	Organic chemistry
Sub-discipline	Organic synthesis, Asymmetric catalysis, Physical organic chemistry, Reaction mechanisms, Materials chemistry
Institutions	Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Website	www.chem.iitb.ac.in/~irishi/

Irishi Narayanan Narayanan Namboothiri (born 1964) is an Indian organic chemist and Senior Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay), located in Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. His primary research interests span advanced organic synthesis, asymmetric catalysis, physical organic chemistry, reaction mechanisms, and materials chemistry.

Professor Namboothiri is an elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (2020) and a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (2013). He has co-authored over 160 publications with an h-index of 37, and is a recipient of the Chemical Research Society of India Bronze Medal and the Excellence in Teaching Award at IIT Bombay.

Early life and education

Irishi N. N. Namboothiri was born in 1964. He completed his Master of Science (MSc) degree in 1988 from Mangalore University. He subsequently earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, one of India's foremost research institutions, specialising in synthetic and physical organic chemistry.

Postdoctoral research and early career

After completing his PhD, Professor Namboothiri undertook postdoctoral research at three internationally recognised institutions:

• Bar-Ilan University, Israel
• University of North Texas, USA
• Columbia University, USA

Following his postdoctoral training, he briefly worked as a Senior Research Scientist at Sabinsa Corporation, New Jersey, USA, before returning to India for an academic career.

Academic career

Professor Namboothiri joined the Department of Chemistry at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in 2001 as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2005, and subsequently to Professor in 2009. He currently holds the position of Senior Professor at IIT Bombay, where he continues to conduct active research and mentor doctoral students.

Academic positions held

Year	Position	Institution
2001	Assistant Professor	IIT Bombay
2005	Associate Professor	IIT Bombay
2009–present	Professor / Senior Professor	IIT Bombay

Research and expertise

Professor Namboothiri's research is characterised by its depth and breadth across several core areas of organic chemistry.

Organic synthesis and asymmetric catalysis

His group focuses on the development of novel and efficient methodologies for constructing complex organic molecules. A major area of research involves asymmetric catalysis and organocatalysis, including extensive work on the Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction, the Rauhut–Currier reaction, and Hauser–Kraus annulations. His group has developed enantioselective approaches using activated substrates such as nitroalkenes and para-quinone methides (p-QMs).

Physical organic chemistry and reaction mechanisms

His expertise in physical organic chemistry involves the quantitative study of the relationship between chemical structure and reactivity. Professor Namboothiri employs kinetic and thermodynamic analyses, spectroscopic techniques, and computational methods to elucidate the step-by-step mechanisms by which chemical transformations occur — work that is fundamental to rational reaction design.

Materials chemistry and energetic materials

His group also works in materials chemistry, including the synthesis of energetic materials such as bishomocubane-based compounds and tetrazole-grafted energetic binders for solid rocket propulsion applications.

Publications, books, and patents

Professor Namboothiri has co-authored over 160 research publications in leading international peer-reviewed journals, with an h-index of 37 (Routledge, 2020). He has also co-authored two books published by CRC Press (Taylor & Francis), including Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions of Conjugated Nitroalkenes (2020), and contributed two book chapters. He is a co-inventor on 6 patents, including US patents filed in collaboration with IIT Bombay.

Awards and honours

• Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (FASc) — elected in 2020 under the Chemistry section
• Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (FNASc) — elected in 2013
• Bronze Medal, Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) — for excellence in chemical research
• Excellence in Teaching Award, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
• Honorary Faculty, Institute for Intensive Research in Basic Sciences, MG University, Kottayam, Kerala

External links

• Personal Research Group Website, IIT Bombay
• IIT Bombay Faculty Profile
• Indian Academy of Sciences – Fellowship Profile
• National Academy of Sciences India – Fellow Profile
• Google Scholar Profile
• Vidwan Profile
• Routledge & CRC Press Author Profile