Tejraj M. Aminabhavi. Tejraj M. Aminabhavi is an Indian polymer scientist and academician. He served as a professor at Karnatak University and was the founder director of the Centre of Excellence in Polymer Science from 2002 to 2007 at Karnatak University. He also worked as a Scientific Advisor to Reliance Life Sciences in Mumbai from 2007 to 2012. He is the second most cited researcher in India in field of chemistry. He was included in the world top 2 percent scientist list prepared by Stanford University for consecutive five years.

Early life and education 
Aminabhavi was born on 16 January 1947 in Gadag, Karnataka, India, where he completed his initial schooling at Municipal High School. He pursued his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics at Karnatak College, Dharwad, graduating with first-class honors in 1968. He continued his education at Karnatak University, Dharwad, earning a Master of Science degree in Physical Chemistry in 1970 again with first-class honors. Aminabhavi then moved to the United States to pursue his Ph.D. in Polymer Science at the University of Texas at Austin, which he completed in 1979.

Career 
Professor Tejraj Aminabhavi is presently the Director of Research at Center for Energy and Environment, School of Advanced Sciences, KLE Technological University, Hubli. Tejraj M. Aminabhavi after completing his Ph.D. in Polymer Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 1979,  returned to India and began his academic career. He initially joined as the faculty of chemistry at Karnatak University, Dharwad, where he served as a professor and later became the Director of the Centre of Excellence in Polymer Science.

Throughout his career, he has made contributions to the field of polymer science, particularly in the areas of polymer membranes, drug delivery systems, and environmental science. He has published over 1000 scientific papers in highly reputed journals with citations more than 67,000 and Google Scholar h-index of 126 and i10 index is 741.

He is currently the executive editor of the Chemical Engineering Journal (Elsevier) and the founder editor-in-chief of Materials Science for Energy Technologies and Sensors International (KeAi).

He has been named among the top 2% of the world’s most influential scientists by Stanford University for several consecutive five years till 2024.

Currently, he continues his research activities as the Director of Research at KLE Technological University in Hubli, India.

Inventions
Ion Exchange Membrabes, Methods and Processes for production thereof and uses in specific applications, Part I, US Patent (2004)

Ion Exchange Membranes, Methods and Processes for production thereof and uses in specific applications, Part II, US Patent (2004)

PAN-grafted PVA pervaporation membranes and methods of use, US Patent 2006

Novel copolymers for controlled release delivery system, 2010

Oral insulin delivery systems for controlling diabetes, 2010

Poly(n-vinyl caprolactam-coacrylamide) microparticles for controlled release applications, 2010

Awards and accolades 

 Nikkei Asia Prize: 2013
 World’s Top 2 percent scientist by Stanford University: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
 Chemistry Leader Award: 2022, 2023, and 2024
Highly Cited Researcher (top 1%) in the field of Cross-Field - 2022
Highly Cited Researcher (top 1%) in the field of Cross-Field - 2021
Dr. Raja Ramanna State Award for Scientists, Karnataka State Council for Science & Technology, Bangalore, India (year 2020)
Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology CIPET Award for Research in Polymer Science and Technology on “Polymers in Drug Delivery and Membrane Science”, Fourth National Award (July 17th 2014), Technology Innovation, Ministry of Fertilizers, Chemicals, and Petroleum, New Delhi, India
Diamond Jubilee Professor by Department of Chemistry, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India 580 003 (2021)
Dheemanta Sanmana on Karnataka Rajyotsava for Research in Chemistry, received by Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, India, November 2023

References 

Living people
1947 births
21st-century Indian chemists
Karnatak University alumni
University of Texas alumni
People from Gadag district
People from Karnataka
Polymer scientists and engineers