Kumaran's work is focused on the field of complex flows of
complex fluids and he is known to have carried out theoretical and experimental researches on the
stability of flow past flexible surfaces. These researches, reported to be of significance in biological applications,
microfluidics as well as in the marine and aerospace propulsion, were the first such studies in India and assisted him to demonstrate
fluid inertia. He has documented his researches in several articles and the online article repository of the Indian Academy of Sciences has listed 48 of them. Besides, he has authored a book,
Dynamics of suspensions with significant inertial effects and has contributed chapters to books edited by others which include
Nonlinear Science and Complexity and
Rheology of Complex Fluids, both published by
Springer. Kumaran, who has guided a number of master's and doctoral scholars in their studies and hosts many of them in his research group, He was one of the keynote speakers at The XVth International Congress on Rheology of the
Society of Rheology held in August 2008 at
Monterey, California, where he presented the theme papers on
Rheology of dense sheared granular flows. His research group also hosts MicroX Labs, a start-up company, His associations with science journals include memberships in editorial boards of
Sadhana of the
Indian National Academy of Engineering, Indian Journal of Chemical Technology of
National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources and
Soft Materials of
Taylor & Francis as well as the editorial advisory board membership of
Acta Mechanica of
Springer. He has attended several seminars and conferences where he has delivered keynote or invited speeches
Chemical Engineering Colloquium of the Indian Institute of Sciences in December 2013, 2015 Annual Meeting of the
American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and
68th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics in November, 2015 feature among them. == Awards and honors ==