Dr. M. Karnan is working as Associate Professor Department of Physics at Pondicherry University Pudhucherry India. He did his doctorate in Vibrational Specroscopy from the Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli. He is a Fellow of the International Science Congress Association.

He started his teaching carrier as a Lecturer in the Department of Physics, National College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu in 1996 and reached to the Head, department of Physics from 2009-2023 at Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College (Autonomous) Srirangam Tirichirappalli. He was the Deputy Controller of Examinations from 2014 to 2016 and promoted as a Controller of Examinations and worked till 2018. He was appointed Chairman, Board of Studies, Examination Chief Superintendent, and Additional Camp Officer by the Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu. He was deputed as a Chief Superintendent for the examinations conducted by the Central and State Government bodies like Railways Recruitment Board, Postal Department, TNPSC, and University Grants Commision of India. He has 27 years of teaching experience.

He has involved in Students motivational and Science awareness programme such as State level science exhibitions successively for over 20 years. He acted as Judge for ATL lab and many district level science exhibitions conducted by Tamilnadu Government. He is a member, doctoral committee, board of studies and question paper setting committee for many colleges in Tamilnadu. His main research areas are quantum chemical calculations for drug designing and solar cell applications.

He has received Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Life Time Achievement National Award for Remarkable achievements in the field of Teaching, Research & Publications. He has been conferred upon the award of Excellence in Higher Education for the contribution and achievement in the discipline of Science. Similarly, he was awarded as a Outstanding Reviewer Award and Best Reviewer Award from Elsevier publishers and has published over 43 papers in peer reviewed journals. He has presented research communications in national and international meetings to many universities. He has produced 43 M.Phil. Scholars till now and 8 research scholars have registered for Ph.D. Out of which 5 has successfully completed and rest of them are pursuing under his guidance. He has authored and published 3 texts cum reference books for Physics students.