An Institute for Algal Studies to promote both academic as  well as applied research on algae was founded in 1991 by Prof V Krishnamurthy. A resolution to that effect was taken at a meeting of some phycologists at Presidency  college, Chennai on 27th July 1991. The institute was inaugurated on 21st September 1991 by Dr  M S Swaminathan.

Prof Krishnamurthy holds the responsibility of Director of the institute since inception.  A governing body  including a President, Vice President, Secretary, treasurer and at least fiveother members  administer the Institute which is registered as a  learned society under the Societies Registration  act of Tamilnadu 1975.

The governing body meets at frequent intervals to appraise the progress of the institute and formulating future programmes.

Facilities:
Library: Books more than 500 volumes, more than 5000 reprints of research papers. four phycological journals and back volumes of several journals

Herbarium:  Nearly 500 sheets of Indian marine algae,  collections from foreign countries. M D Guiry’s Collections  from the British Isles. Dr Michael Wynne’s collections from USA and South Africa. Prof Krishnamurthy’s collections of Porphyra species from the West Coast of N America

Repository:  This is a growing collection of marine algae preserved in fluid, now more than 200 algal species, both freshwater and marine
Culture facility:  illuminated culture racks and UV sterile inoculation chamber. Currently several freshwater and  marine algae are maintained
Research Facilities:  Facilities for research in the field of Taxonomy, morphology and lifecycle, cytology,chemistry. Intensive studies on biology, biochemistry and utilization of algae
ACTIVITIES
Symposia/Workshops: Training course in Phycochemistry I, 16th to 21st May, 1994 at Central Leather  Research Institute (CLRI) Chennai.  National Training course on phycochemistry held in Loyola College, Chennai from 26.12.1992 to 2.1.1993.

Workshop on Freshwater Algae, at Presidency College, Chennai on 18th and 19th December, 1993. Second workshop on Freshwater Algae on 15th and 16th May, 1994 at Government Arts College, Namakkal.
Awareness programme on Algal Potentials at Ethiraj College, Chennai on 27th February, 1994.
KIA conducted a National Level Workshop on  Gracilaria spp from Indian shores jointly with RKM Vivekananda College from 14th to 19th May 2001. 25 participants from all over India participated  in the week long workshop and worked out 35 spp of Gracilaria collected  from various coastal zones of India.

KIA conducted a National symposium on  Limnology in India in RKM Vivekananda College, Chennai, during 17th to  19th Aug, 2002. More than 150 researchers participated in the symposium  and presented papers. Limonological Society of India was formally started  with Dr V Sivasubramanian as the Founder Secretary.
KIA conducted a National Level Workshop on  Carrageenans and Carrageenophytes of India from 21st to 23rd Nov, 2002  in RKM Vivekananda College, Chennai

13th  Founding day of Krishnamurthy Institute of  Algology was celebrated on 21.09.2003 at Pachaiyappa's College,  Department of Botany, Chennai 600030, India. A seminar on algae was also
conducted.
KIA conducted a National level workshop on  Methods in Limnology during 16th to 22nd November, 2003 in  RKM Vivekananda College, Chennai
14th Founding day celebrated with symposium on 25th September, 2004.

15th Founding Day of the institute and National  Symposium on ALGAE & ENVIRONMENT was held on 24th and 25th  September 2005 at RKM Vivekananda College, Chennai. Prof ERS Talpasayi was presented with  Lifetime Achievement Award by KIA
16th Founding Day Celebrations of the institute and  National Symposium on Algal Biodiversity and its role in bioremediation  were held from 23rd to 25th September 2006 at RKM Vivekananda College,
Chennai.. Late Dr R Subrahmanyan was presented with “Life-time  achievement award in Algology” posthumously
17th Founding day : Krishnamurthy Institute of  Algology celebrated its Seventeenth Founding Day on 22nd and 23rd  September, 2007. In this connection, a national level symposium was held  in collaboration with the PG Department of Plant Biology and Plant  Biotechnology, SDNB Vaishnav College for Women (Autonomous),  Chromepet, Chennai - 600 044. Subject of Symposium: Vistas in Algal Research
18th Founding Day: 2008 - KIA celebrated its Eighteenth Founding Day on  20th September, 2008. In this connection, a two-day National Level Symposium was organized on  20th and 21stSeptember, 2008, in collaboration with the Department of Plant Biology and Plant  Biotechnology, Pachaiyappa's College, Chennai - 600 030. The focal theme of the symposium was  "Algae in Agriculture and Food Industry". Dr G Subramanian was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award of KIA

Training Programmes:  KIA has conducted and continue to conduct  training programmes for Undergraduate  and Post graduate students and research scholars from various colleges, universities and institutions.

Consultancy:  KIA provides consultancy for algae based industries,  development of curriculum for botany departments of some universities

Research Guidance and Facilitation:  KIA provides infrastructure facilities and  guidance to research students in their Ph D programme and for small research projects in microbiology and phycology

Marine algal Collection Trips:  KIA conducts regular collection trips to  variuos coastal regions to collect and evaluate marine algal vegetation. Prof V Krishnamurthy leads the team and shares his experience with young algologists

International Conference on Algal Biomass, resources and utilization: 
KIA is organizing this international conference in collaboration with In collaboration with Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Stella Maris College, Chennai, Seaweed Research and utilization Association of India Centre For Advanced Studies in Botany, University of Madras,  Centre of Advanced Study in Maine Biology,  Annamalai University at Parangipettai Vivekananda Institute of Algal Technology, Chennai and Aquaculture Foundation  of India, Chennai from 27th to 30th July 2009 in Chennai.