Kulamani Parida was born in 1952 in Odisha, India, to Gopal Charan Parida and Netramani Parida. His career developed within Odisha's expanding network of universities and publicly funded scientific institutions, where chemistry research became increasingly connected with materials science, catalysis, energy technology, and pollution control.
He is married to Renubala Das, and they have three children.
Parida completed a Bachelor of Science with honours at Utkal University in 1973, a Master of Science in Chemistry at Berhampur University in 1976, and a Doctor of Philosophy at Utkal University in 1981. His doctoral work was concerned with the surface and bulk properties and catalytic activity of manganese oxides, placing his early research within solid-state chemistry and heterogeneous catalysis.
Utkal University, founded in 1943, is one of Odisha's principal centers of higher education and research. Berhampur University, established in 1967, became an important university in southern Odisha, with teaching and research in the sciences among its academic functions.
Parida began his professional career as a lecturer at Stewart Science College in 1976–1977. Stewart Science College is an established higher-education institution in Cuttack whose academic tradition includes undergraduate teaching in the sciences and humanities.
In 1977 he joined the Regional Research Laboratory in Bhubaneswar, an institution of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research that later became the CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology. He advanced through the scientific grades B, C, E1, and EII and worked in research concerned with solid-state chemistry, catalysis, materials, hydrometallurgy, and environmental applications. He later served as Chief Scientist and held departmental leadership responsibilities before retiring from CSIR-IMMT in 2014.
From 2015, Parida continued his academic and research career at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University in Bhubaneswar, where he became Professor in Chemistry and Director of the Centre for Nano Science and Nano Technology. SOA is a multidisciplinary deemed university whose research programs include engineering, medicine, science, and technology. His work there has emphasized nanostructured and functional materials for solar-energy conversion, hydrogen production, photocatalytic pollutant degradation, water treatment, and related energy and environmental technologies.
His research has produced more than 500 peer-reviewed papers, numerous book chapters, and more than 30 Indian patents. His documented research includes photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium, degradation of dyes and antibiotics, visible-light water splitting, hydrogen peroxide production, and the design of semiconductor heterojunctions that improve charge separation and catalytic efficiency.
Parida has developed and co-developed more than 30 Indian patents concerning photocatalysts, functional materials, pollution abatement, energy conversion, and related chemical technologies.
His research has contributed to photocatalytic processes for chromium(VI) reduction, dye and antibiotic degradation, water splitting, hydrogen production, and environmental remediation.
He has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed research articles and supervised more than 50 doctoral researchers in chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology.
(Indian patent IN298397 covering a hydrothermally fabricat...)
2018(Co-authored review and research article on photocatalytic...)
2018(Co-authored research article on layered-double-hydroxide ...)
2025(Co-authored article describing a composite photocatalyst ...)
2025(Co-authored research article examining sulfate pretreatme...)
2016Parida's scientific work reflects a research philosophy centered on using materials chemistry and photocatalysis to address energy and environmental problems. His stated research interests connect the design of nanomaterials with clean hydrogen generation, pollutant degradation, water treatment, and sustainable chemical processes.
Parida has held fellowship or professional membership in the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the Catalysis Society of India. These organizations support chemical science, chemical engineering, and catalysis through professional exchange, technical standards, conferences, and research communication.
He has also participated in the Materials Research Society of India, an organization that promotes research and cooperation across materials science and related technologies.
Parida married Renubala Das, and they have three children. His professional connections include research students and collaborators working in chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, photocatalysis, and environmental applications.
