Dr. Vijayamohanan K. Pillai assumed charge as Director, CSIR-CECRI on April 24, 2012. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Science, Dr. Pillai's research work of more than 20 years is primarily focussed on batteries, fuel cells, bio-electrochemistry, electrochemical sensors, chemically modified electrodes, anodization, electro-deposition, electro-organic synthesis, etc.

His research career was shaped by eminent scientists like Prof. S. Satyanarayana, Prof. S.K. Rangarajan, Prof. Amulya K.N. Reddy, Prof. A.K. Shukla, Prof. C.N.R. Rao, Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari and Dr. S. Sivaram. Dr. Pillai has more than 200 research papers and 15 patents to his credit. Under his guidance, 15 students have received Ph.D. degrees. He is a recipient of many presitigious awards including Medals of the MRSI and CRSI. He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences and Affiliate Member of the IUPAC. He is also in the editorial boards of several prestigious journals.

As the helmsman at CSIR-CECRI, Dr. Pillai strives to make the institute an internationally renowned place for electrochemistry.