He is one of the foremost authority on scholarship of Dravidian movement.Prof. Pandian’s book, “The Image Trap - M G Ramachandran in Films and Politics,” on the Tamilian superstar and his tryst with politics is also considered one of leading authorities on this subject.He was earlier an Associate Professor in the Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai.His publications in the best reputed academic publications were many and his research interests were Nationalism, Caste, Tamil cinema and Popular Culture, among others. He completed his Ph.D in Madras University in 1987.

Prof. Pandian has been writing for national newspapers and the 'Economic and Political Weekly' for several years and known for his incisive articles on Tamil Nadu and Dravidian politics in particular. until his sudden death , he was serving in the School of Social Sciences’ Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi