Bookinkere Kapanipathaiya Sadashiva earned his BSc and MSc from Bangalore University. After working as Research Fellow in the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, he joined Raman Research Institute (RRI), (1973) and worked for his PhD on the synthesis and characterization of some thermotropic mesogens under the guidance of S Chandrasekhar. Subsequently, he worked as Scientist at the Raman Research Institute and continued studies on liquid crystalline materials. He was Postdoctoral Fellow at the University College, Cardiff and worked on porphyrins with AH Jackson. He was also Chairman of the Liquid Crystal Laboratory at RRI for six years.

Academic and Research Achievements: Sadashiva was instrumental in setting up a well equipped chemistry laboratory at the Raman Research Institute with all the necessary facilities to completely characterize a synthesized organic compound. His main interests have been to synthesize and characterize new and novel liquid crystalline materials. One of his major contributions was the discovery of the columnar phase exhibited by compounds composed of disc-like molecules which he synthesized. The work on 'discotic liquid crystals' is an outstanding contribution which evoked worldwide interest and the paper containing this work is one of the most highly cited in the field of liquid crystals. He synthesized the first compound which exhibited reentrant nematic phase at atmospheric pressure. He prepared a number of copper containing materials which represent the first examples of paramagnetic nematic liquid crystals. A large number of other metallomesogens were also prepared including representatives of s-, p- and d-block elements. He initiated a program to synthesize new compounds exhibiting ferro-, ferri-, antiferro-electric and twist grain boundary phases. He made significant contributions to the new sub-field of liquid crystals, viz. liquid crystals of achiral banana-shaped molecules. He authored over 110 research articles, edited a book and, contributed a chapter to the Handbook of Liquid Crystals which is a standard reference text. He also guided about 10 PhD students.

Other Contributions: Sadashiva has been a member of the Editorial Board of Liquid Crystals.

Awards and Honours: Professor Sadashiva was awarded a Medal by the Materials Research Society of India for his valuable contributions to Materials Research (1991) and was the first recipient of the Professor JS Dave Memorial Award by the MS University of Baroda (2005). He was awarded the prestigious GW Gray Medal for original contributions to Liquid Crystal Science and Technology by the British Liquid Crystal Society (2009).