Dr Udayakumar was awarded a Small Study and Research Grant (India) 2012-13, when Research Scholar undertaking a PhD at Deccan College, Pune, for a study of traditional wisdom and current practices of bronze technology in Thanjavur District, Tamilnadu.
Dr Udayakumar is now (2025) Assistant Professor, Heritage Science and Society Programme, School of Humanities, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore. Dr Udayakumar was awarded his PhD at Deccan College, in 2016. His academic contributions include studies on ancient Indian heritage, particularly in archaeometallurgy and bronze technology. He has been involved in various excavations, has published extensively in academic journals and his work has received several national and international awards.