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Research Division · Nature Research Laboratories Private Limited
Materials Discovery Group Research Division · NRL Earth
Portrait of Dr. Lahur M. Verma
Lahur M. Verma, PhD

Group Lead · Materials Discovery Group

Lahur M. Verma, PhD

Scientific Lead, NRL Earth

Research focus: Materials Chemistry & Environment

We design and develop new materials that may find application in agriculture and the environment, using a “structure-and-function” approach. Our current research focuses on increasing the nutrient use efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural systems.

Biography

I am a researcher in the field of materials chemistry and environment, and I lead the Materials Discovery Group (MDG) at NRL Earth. I have received my formal education in the natural sciences as well as engineering.

I completed my schooling in state board schools, then attended a state university (Avadh University, Ayodhya) for my BSc degree, majoring in chemistry. This prepared me for further study of chemistry at Lucknow University, which earned me a master’s degree (MSc). After a short stint at Ranbaxy Laboratories and amateur chemistry teaching, I entered IIT Delhi as a GATE fellow for advanced training in the broader areas of chemical sciences, leading to another master’s degree (MTech) in molecular engineering.

I continued at IIT Delhi for my PhD and investigated the “Green synthesis of nano metal oxides for agricultural and environmental applications”. I was supported by the University Grants Commission of India during my doctoral work.

After being awarded a PhD (2024) and an early-doc term, I worked as a research associate with IIT Delhi & CPCB, Ministry of Environment, Govt. of India. This exposed me to the industrial landscape of India and its waste treatment technologies. While finishing this term, I received a postdoctoral fellowship to work at the Volcani Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel, where I worked on nutrient use efficiency problems in agriculture.

Toward the end of my stay in Israel, I became associated with the Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, but I returned to India due to the post-US–Israel–Iran war effects and joined NRL for my research.

Education

  1. —
    BSc (Chemistry major)Avadh University, Ayodhya
  2. —
    MSc (Chemistry)Lucknow University
  3. 2018
    MTech, Molecular EngineeringIndian Institute of Technology Delhi
  4. 2024
    PhD, Materials ChemistryIndian Institute of Technology DelhiThesis research: “Green synthesis of nano metal oxides for agricultural and environmental applications”

Research appointments

  1. May–Aug 2024
    Early-doc fellowIIT Delhi
  2. 2024–2025
    Research AssociateIIT Delhi & CPCB, Ministry of Environment, Govt. of India
  3. 2025–2026
    Postdoctoral FellowVolcani Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel

Awards & honours

  • 2016–2018 GATE fellowship (AIR 303), Ministry of Education, Govt. of India
  • 2018–2020 Junior Research Fellow (JRF), University Grants Commission, New Delhi
  • 2021–2024 Senior Research Fellow (SRF), University Grants Commission, New Delhi
  • 2016–till date Certificate, Assistant Professorship (AIR 33), University Grants Commission, New Delhi
  • 2015–till date National Eligibility Test (AIR 36), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi
  • 2025–2026 Postdoctoral fellowship, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Israel

Membership

  • Member (student), Indian Chemical Society, Kolkata, India
  • Member (student), Indian Soil Science Society, New Delhi, India

Research visits

  • Fritz Haber Institute, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
  • Institute of Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Netherlands

Research interests

Classical and non-classical crystallisation pathways
Materials Design & SynthesisJ. Mater. Chem. A 13, 33365–33384 (2025).
Donor and acceptor potential energy curves against driving force
Charge (e⁻) Transfer at InterfacesJ. Mater. Chem. A 13, 33365–33384 (2025).
Schematic of plant, soil solution and rhizosphere
Nano-bio InterfaceSci. Rep. 14, 4074 (2024).

Selected publications

  1. 1

    Shape anisotropy in iron oxide nanocrystals: ligand field and photocatalytic efficiency under tropical sunlight

    Verma, L. M.; Bashir, A. U.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.

    Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2025, 13, 33365–33384. doi:10.1039/D5TA02013A ↗

  2. 2

    Green chemistry-routed sugar press mud for (2D) ZnO nanostructure fabrication, mineral fortification, and climate-resilient wheat crop productivity

    Verma, L. M.; Kumar, A.; Kumar, A.; Singh, G.; Singh, U.; Chaudhary, S.; Kumar, S.; Sanwaria, A. R.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.

    Scientific Reports 2024, 14, 4074. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-53682-0 ↗

  3. 3

    Phase-controlled green synthesis of wurtzite (P6₃mc) ZnO nanoparticles: interplay of green ligands with precursor anions, anisotropy and photocatalysis

    Verma, L. M.; Kumar, A.; Bashir, A. U.; Gangwar, U.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.

    Nanoscale Advances 2024, 6, 155–169. doi:10.1039/D3NA00596H ↗

  4. 4

    Precursor-ligand induced steric control over morphology in anisotropically consistent (α-quartz) GeO₂ nanomaterials and its photocatalytic potential under direct sunlight

    Verma, L. M.; Singh, U.; Arora, H.; Kumar, A.; Dhayal, V.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.; Sanwaria, A. R.

    Materials Chemistry and Physics 2023, 306, 128050. doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2023.128050 ↗