CECRI is one of the premier research laboratories under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Its establishment was a significant step towards promoting electrochemical research and development in India, with key figures like Dr. Alagappa Chettiar, Dr. Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar (the first Director General of CSIR), and Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru playing instrumental roles in its founding.