Nallathamby Kalaiselvi has been appointed as the “first woman director general of CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research). She is the senior electrochemical scientist and has been appointed for two years.

• Kalaiselvi will succeed Shekhar Mande, who retired in April 2022.
• On Shekar Mande’s retirement, Rajesh Gokhale, secretary to Department of Biotechnology was provided with the additional charge of CSIR.
• Kalaiselvi is famous for her work in lithium-ion batteries.
• She is currently holding the office of director of CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute in Tamil Nadu.
• Apart from the director general of CSIR, she will also hold the charge as secretary to Department of Scientific & Industrial Research.
• In February 2019, she became the first woman scientist to head the Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI).
• She is currently developing the practically viable Sodium-ion or Lithium-sulphur batteries and supercapacitors.
• As of now, she has published over 125 research papers and holds 6 patents.