Prof.Pillai is one of the foremost legal academicians in India today. He was awarded Baboo Piarelal Memorial Prize and Law Union Prize of the Delhi University for securing first position in the LL.M. examination. He was awarded a fellowship to complete his LLM and SJD at the University of Michigan, USA. He has extensively researched on Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Human Rights. He is the Founder Director of NUALS. He has been the Director of Indian Law Institute, Delhi from 2004 to 2009. He has many publications in journals and books. He has also been the  editor of CULR and JILI. He is associated with almost all Law schools of eminence in India and Former Director National Judicial Academy, Bhopal & Indian Law Institute, Delhi.