SSV Ramakumar, director of research and development and board member for Indian Oil Corporation, was given the Distinguished Alumnus Award (DAA) 2021 on Thursday by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee. Ramakumar studied chemistry and graduated from IIT Roorkee with a master’s and a PhD in the subject between 1984 and 1988. IIT Roorkee director Ajit K. Chaturvedi gave the award to the recipient.
Alumni of IIT Roorkee are given the DAA in appreciation for their contributions to academic and research excellence.
Ramakumar is credited with developing India’s home-grown, OEM-approved marine lubricant technology, which propelled Indian Oil’s SERVO lubes into the exclusive league of five MNCs. He also led the complete indigenization of Indian Oil’s flagship INDMAX technology, according to a statement from IIT Roorkee.
Ramakumar thanked everyone and added, “IIT Roorkee has awarded me the Distinguished Alumnus Award, and I am incredibly honoured and humbled by this honour. The position I have now is all due to the support I received from my alma mater. And after living 33 years away from the school, I still miss it and think back on the lessons I learned there. I want to thank the committee and the institute once more for this honour.”
In his remarks at the occasion, Chaturvedi said, “Ramakumar will get the Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2021 in the area of Excellence in Technology Innovation, which IIT Roorkee is pleased to do. The Distinguished Alumnus awards honour former students who have achieved great achievement in their chosen fields. Such alumni elevate the Institute and make us all proud of their accomplishments.”
