Prof. Janakarajan brings over two decades of interdisciplinary expertise in water, environment and governance across South India. His research spans surface and groundwater management, water rights and laws, rural-urban water markets, competing water demands and water pollution across multiple river basins. He has worked extensively on water conflict resolution through multi-stakeholder dialogues, with practical interventions in three river basins in Tamil Nadu. His work further encompasses solid and biomedical waste management, urban sewage systems and climate change adaptation in South Asia, undertaken in collaboration with institutions across India and Nepal. Currently, Prof. Janakarajan leads a Department of Science and Technology funded research project on Sustaining Ecology and Environment of Chennai.