Discovery of the superconductivity, magneto-resistive and magneto-electric effects has geared renewed interest in understanding of the strongly correlated electron systems. The interest of the candidate lies in exploiting the structural (local and average), electrical, dielectric and magnetic properties of the advanced functional oxide materials.  The experimental techniques utilized are the laboratory and high resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction for the refinement of average geometric structure; X-ray Absorption spectroscopy in the Near Edge (XANES) and Extended Edge (EXAFS) regions for the determination of local electronic and geometric structure, respectively; M?ssbauer Spectroscopy and DC magnetic measurements to exploit the nature of magnetic ordering and degree of covalence; and Impedance Spectroscopy to exploit the origin of colossal dielectric response, dynamics of the mobile and bound charges at different micro structural heterogeneities, characterization of the grain boundaries, nature of the charge carriers, and conduction and relaxation phenomena.