Indian-American Raj Shah Receives NLGI’s Highest Individual Honor
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Indian-American scientist Raj Shah, Director of Koehler Instrument Company in Holtsville, New York, has received the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) Achievement Award, the organization’s highest individual honor.
The award was presented at NLGI’s annual meeting in Palm Springs and recognizes Dr. Shah’s decades of leadership and lasting contributions to the global lubricating grease industry, including his work in research, technical publications, education, analytical instrumentation, and international standards development.
Dr. Shah has been actively involved with NLGI for nearly 30 years, serving on its Board of Directors, technical committees, education programs, and editorial initiatives.
Accepting the award, Dr. Shah reflected on the collaborative nature of his career, saying, “Whatever I have contributed, I have learned far more from this community than I can ever give back.”
A chemical engineer, Dr. Shah has authored or co-authored more than 850 scientific publications and edited several leading reference books on fuels, lubricants, grease technology, and petroleum testing. He has also received numerous honors from organizations including ASTM International, the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE), and the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS).
Dr. Shah earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and his bachelor’s degree from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. In addition to his role at Koehler Instrument Company, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at Stony Brook University, where he mentors engineering students and promotes collaboration between academia and industry.
