Harvard’s Nanda becomes the new IIM-A chief
The Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is getting a new director. What’s new is that for the first time ever an overseas academician will take over the chief mantle of any of the 13 IIMs.
The impressive bio-resume of Harvard’s Ashish Nanda states: “Nanda has a PhD in business economics (Harvard), MA in Economics (Harvard), PGDM in Management (IIM-A), and B.Tech in Electrical Engineering (IIT Delhi). Before coming to Harvard for his PhD, he worked for five years with the Tata group of companies as Tata Administrative Services officer.” Nanda has taught at Harvard Law School for 13 years.
Current IIM-A faculty members, Professor Rakesh Basant and Professor G Raghuram, were also in the final race for the director’s position.
The news emerged early on Monday morning from sources in the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Once the final approval flows in, Nanda is set to take over from Professor Samir Barua who completed his tenure in late 2012.
In 2012, keen to get someone with international experience, IIM-A had even advertised in The Economist. An IIM director currently gets a package of Rs 20 Lakh p.a. But after the green light from MHRD, the institute may hike it up to Rs 1 crore from its own coffers to be able be attract foreign talent with competitive packages. Top jobs at US-based Ivy League institutes offer packages between Rs 1.5 and Rs 3 crore.
