1969 - B.Tech - Metallurgical and Material Engineering Senior Scientist @ Energy and Nuclear Research Institute (ENRI)
Dr. Lalgudi V. Ramanathan obtained his B.Tech. in Metallurgy from IIT Madras in 1969. Later, he obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Corrosion Science and Engineering from John Cass College of Science and Engineering, London.
Dr. Ramanathan’s interests took him to Brazil where he was invited to be a part of their then-nascent nuclear program as a young scientist in the Energy and Nuclear Research Institute. Over the next three decades, he established himself as an outstanding researcher, academician, consultant and technical manager, and is now considered a global authority in the field of corrosion engineering especially for nuclear materials. Though not a native, he rose through the managerial hierarchy to head the Materials Science and Technology Center at the Energy and Nuclear Research Institute from 2005 till 2013.
Dr. Ramanathan’s research involved pioneering work in the areas of rare-earth oxide coatings to mitigate high-temperature degradation of metallic materials, coatings to protect spent fuel from research reactors during long term wet storage, and nano-structured coatings to resist high-temperature erosion-oxidation. Since 1979, he has been a voluntary and accredited postgraduate Professor at the University of Sao Paulo, and has taught a course on “Corrosion/Oxidation of Nuclear Materials and its Prevention”.
Dr. Ramanathan has won many awards and medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal from the Energy and Nuclear Research Institute in 1998 and the Brazilian Science Research Council (CNPq) Scholarship (continuously from 1989) for scientific output. He is an elected Fellow of the Institute of Materials, UK; elected Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion, UK; and Chartered Engineer, The Engineering Council, UK.
In recognition of Dr. Ramanathan’s impressive all-round contributions to technology, research and academics in the field of corrosion engineering in nuclear applications, IIT Madras and its alumni are proud to confer him this award.
