Professor Dr. Manoharan, PhD, FNA, FASc, FTWAS, FWIF was a top level scientist in India, a well known academician internationally and recognized by several awards and honors.  He was professor of chemistry and the founder of Regional Sophisticated Instrumentation Centre at Indian Institute of Technology Chennai.  A powerful academician at national level. Served as a vice chancellor to university of Madras.  Published hundreds of scientific articles.

He trained numerous research students in the areas of EPR, NMR, Optical, X-ray Photoelectron and Mössbauer spectroscopies, theoretical chemistry, and single crystal X-ray crystallography.  He used to say that his strength is his students.  They are numerous now, living all over the world.  He is praised by people for his self-discipline, sincerity, leadership, and academic excellence. 

He was born to K. P. Thangaiah and Sivabakiam in the town Tirumangalam located near Madurai. He obtained Masters degree from university of Madras, and doctorate from Columbia university at New York where his thesis advisor was Professor Harry B. Gray. After postdoctoral research with Prof. Max T. Rogers at Michigan state university in USA he became a faculty member of Indian Institute of Technology, at Kanpur, India.  Later he joined Indian Institute of Technology at Madras and established RSIC.

Professor Manoharan is survived by his wife Kanakavalli, daughter Uma, son Navin Kumar, and grandsons Vaishakhan and Vishnu.