We report novel method for synthesis of carbon aerogel as platinum support for PEM fuel cells applications. The sol gel polymerization has been carried out using resorcinol and furfuraldehyde in non-aqueous medium followed by gelation at high pressure. This resulted in highly conducting and mesoporous carbon aerogel under ambient drying conditions. Platinum nano-particles are impregnated in the mesoporous carbon aerogel using microwave assisted polyol process. The support material and the catalyst are characterized by different analytical techniques like surface area analyzer, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry are used to evaluate the electro catalytic activity of the Pt/carbon aerogel catalyst using rotating disk electrode technique. Well dispersed Pt nano-particles of size similar to 3 nm on carbon aerogel showed good catalytic activity with onset potential of 964 mV and half wave potential of 814 mV towards oxygen reduction reaction kinetics. A membrane electrode assembly fabricated with the prepared Pt/carbon aerogel catalyst as a cathode and anode is tested in PEMFCs (H-2-O-2) single cell, the power density of 536 mW cm(-2) at 0.6 V is obtained at 60 degrees C under atmospheric pressure. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.