I would also like to thank my mentor Dr. Sundar Atre, for identifying my talent and capabilities in research and making me part of his guild, Materials Innovation Guild. As an expert himself in the field of my research, he offered me several opportunities to interact with the industry and making me part of various training programs. He always pushed me to present my research in front of an audience, be it in front of my lab mates, industry people or at a conference. His constructive critisim on my research interpretations has always lead me to work smarter and present my ideas better. My research lab, Materials Innovation Guild, is nothing less than a corporate research centre. Each individual has her/his own expertise which makes the research group more versatile and innovative. I would like to thank my collegues, especially Harish Irrinki, Subrata Debnath, Nirupama Warrier and Paramjoth Singh to name a few, who have always been kind, helpful and supportive throughout the research. I would also like to thank our v collaborators from Pohang University of Science and Technology, South Korea for their support and guidance. Researchers are sometimes told, "Get a life!", and I have one, thanks to my friends Juili, Muddasir, Sonali and many more from my circle of friends for their goodwill, support and guidance through numerous tough decisions. With ambitions soaring high, I relied on them to strike a balance between work and leisure. Last but not the least, I would like to thank my parents, Pramod A. Bandiwadekar and Pradnya P. Bandiwadekar, firstly, for bringing me into this world and instilling courage and confidence in me and secondly, for supporting my endeavors and trusting my steps towards a fulfilling career.