Dr K Rajan was awarded a Small Study and Research Grant (India) 1995-96, when a Senior Lecturer at Tamil University, Thanjavur, for a study of the traditional bead-making industry of Periya District of Tamilnadu.
The grant served as seed money to carry out the preliminary studies which helped subsequently to take up major work in the selected field. For instance the feasibility study helped to get major research project funding from the Indian National Science Academy.
Based on the above projects the following articles were published: “Many, Kasu and Kanam – an explanation”, in Studies in South Indian Coins, vol 10, 2000, pp.114-118; “Traditional bead making industry” in Puratattva, vol 28, pp. 59-63; “Role of natural resources in the development of Port in Tamil Nadu” in Journal of Marine Archaeology, vol. 7-8, 1998, pp. 12-17.