I graduated in 1975 from University of Madras, Chennai, India with a BS with concentration in Chemistry. Math and Physics were at minor level. I got my MS degree, also in Chemistry, in 1977, from Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India.

I then changed lines to study engineering and completed MS (Chemical Engineering) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India in 1980. Subsequently I worked for about one year as a Chemist at the "Centre for Rural Development" - a novel rur...