Dr Amiya Kumar Lahiri is presently a freelance consultant in materials, corrosion and inspection providing services to process industries. He has devoted himself to the cause of development and implementation of corrosion science for more than 60 years. Having graduated in Metallurgy in 1953 from Banaras Hindu University, he obtained his Ph.D from the same university. Dr Lahiri started his career at National Metallurgical Laboratory Jamshedpur, and established a strong Corrosion Group. The specific areas of specialization of Dr Lahiri include research and development in stress corrosion cracking, high temperature oxidation and acid inhibition. An all India plan on atmospheric corrosion was prepared and implemented throughout India based on which Corrosion Map of India was prepared. In recognition of his work on corrosion at the National Metallurgical Laboratory, he was awarded in 1970 “National Metallurgist Day Award” by Govt. of India, Ministry of Steel and Heavy Industry. Dr Lahiri joined Engineers India Ltd, a leading global engineering consultancy and EPC company, in 1972. During his tenure in EIL, he has to his credit completion of several assignments which included selection of material of construction and corrosion control measures in grass root refineries, petrochemicals and oil & gas processing projects; assisting operating plants in upgrading metallurgy, introducing or modifying corrosion control measures and recommending inspection and repair techniques of stationary equipment, and failure investigation. He was also team leader for the UNDP Project for development of maintenance and inspection system at Homs Refinery, Syria. He was assigned as UNIDO expert in Kuwait and Philippines to set up Corrosion Control and Monitoring Laboratory and assistance in setting up a Core Group to help industry, respectively. After retirement from EIL in 1989, Dr Lahiri has been providing consultancy to the hydrocarbon industry in India and Middle East.He has undertaken health assessment of a petrochemical plant in India and two refineries in Germany and USA against corrosion damage and review of MOC for the purposes of their relocation. Further he has worked as consultant to the World Bank aided Component Integrity Evaluation Program at National Metallurgical Laboratory. He has also been consultant to Nickel Institute. Dr. Lahiri throughout his carrier has been active in increasing awareness about metallurgy and corrosion and has organized short courses and conducted over 80 training programs on Applied Metallurgy, Corrosion, and Materials Failure Analysis in India, Middle East and Malaysia. He has published / presented over 30 technical papers in National and International Journals and Conferences. Dr Lahiri had been a member and Accredited NACE Corrosion Specialist, Fellow of Institute of Metallurgists, London and Fellow of The Institution of Corrosion Science and Technology, UK. He has also undertaken Advance Corrosion Training in UK and USA under Colombo Plan and US Aid Program respectively. In recognition of his selfless service to the industry in the field of corrosion, NACE International India Section conferred on Dr Lahiri the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the entire professional fraternity on the occasion of the 5th National Convention on Corrosion in 1999.
