Hirak Dutta is a veteran oil and gas industry leader with over four decades of experience across technical services, refinery operations, process and industrial safety, project management, and human resource management. During his career with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), he held several senior leadership positions across refineries, corporate offices, and the company's headquarters. Dutta served as Executive Director of the Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD), where he played a pivotal role in strengthening safety standards and their implementation across India's oil and gas industry. He also served as Head – Safety & Advisor at Nayara Energy Ltd (formerly Essar Oil Limited). Currently, Dutta serves as Expert Advisor – Technical Safety at the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), where he contributes to advancing technical safety, regulatory compliance, and industry best practices. A recognised authority on process, industrial, and behavioural safety, Dutta has authored and presented numerous technical papers at national and international conferences and published extensively in reputed professional journals. He has delivered executive sessions on 'Safety in Projects' as part of Management Development Programmes at IIM Ahmedabad and teaches 'Fire & Industrial Safety' to postgraduate diploma students at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. A Chemical Engineer by profession, Dutta has also completed a condensed MBA programme from IIM Ahmedabad. His contributions to the profession have earned him several prestigious honours, including the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Process Safety Management in India's oil and gas sector. He was also conferred the CHEMCON Sartorius India Distinguished Speaker Award 2019 by the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers at IIT Delhi in recognition of his professional excellence, leadership, and significant contribution to the field of chemical engineering.
