Dr.V. Sivapiriya, a proficient woman who is the Director (FAC) of the Forensic Sciences Department in Chennai, was born in Chidambaram to Venugopalan, a government officer and Vijayalakshmi, a Sangeetha bhushanam from Annamalai University. She has an elder brother and she grew up in Chennai.
She is married to R. Diwakar who served as Senior General Manager of the Hindu newspaper and has now retired. Her only daughter, Vyshnavee, studied engineering but opted to become a writer instead is married to Nikhil Sathasivam an economist. Dr. Sivapiriya’s two grandchildren- Rudra and Kalki Leela Lakshmi complete the family.
She is a gold medallist and obtained a gold medal and the first rank in B.Sc (Botany) in Madras University in the year 1985. She went on to study M.Sc Forensic Science (Forensic Biology and Serology) and here too she obtained the first rank in Madras University in 1987 and won a gold medal. She was awarded a doctorate degree- Ph.D in 2007 in (Forensic Science Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology).
Her career with the Forensic Sciences Department as Junior Scientific Officer began in 1987 and she has completed 37 years of unblemished service. With her hard work and dedication, she climbed up the ladder and rose to the present position of Director.
Forensic Science is a complex discipline that involves different fields and plays a fundamental role in the investigation of a case. The main job of a forensic scientist is to establish a link between the criminal and the crime scene by examining the evidence and materials scientifically. Forensic scientists collect, preserve and analyze scientific evidence during the course of an investigation.
Sivapiriya who has a strong aptitude for forensic science with her composure, critical thinking, problem solving, eye for detail and prociency in science is extremely proud of the fact that she has been the only woman official in the team of the Forensic Sciences Department to have deposed before the IPKF court martial that was conducted in the midst of a war zone in January 1990 in Palali, Sri Lanka.
Her expertise and experience in the five fields of Biology, Serology, Anthropology, DNA and Documents, makes her the only officer to have knowledge in all the five essential fields in the Forensic Sciences Department, Tamil Nadu.
She was part of the team that conducted an investigation into the assassination case of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.
She was also a member of the team that investigated into the sensational Sankar Raman case and the Kodanadu murder case.
In her service of 37 years, she has worked in tune with the modern methods of analysis and has also handled all the modern equipments and tools of the department in the Biology, Serology, DNA, Documents and Anthropology wings and has published many articles in International journals.
An outspoken person, she does not hesitate to speak her mind out. She loves to socialize with friends. Her hobbies include singing, dancing and listening to Carnatic music. She hits the gym once in a while to stay fit. She has a passion for travelling and snow capped mountains are among her favourite destinations.
Dr. Sivapiriya has made an impactful contribution to the branch of forensic science. Her dedication, passion and proficiency are behind the success of her endeavours.
Juliana Sridhar is a lawyer and columnist.
