Lucknow University Vice-Chancellor Prof Alok Kumar Rai Appointed Director of IIM Calcutta

First LU VC to head an IIM; appointment ends IIM Calcutta’s two-year wait for permanent leadership

In a major development, Professor Alok Kumar Rai, the current Vice-Chancellor of Lucknow University, has been appointed as the new Director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta. The appointment was approved by President Droupadi Murmu in her capacity as Visitor to the Indian Institutes of Management and was notified by the Ministry of Education this week.

Prof Rai’s selection brings an end to IIM Calcutta’s nearly two-year wait for a full-time director and marks a rare instance of a non-IIM faculty heading one of India’s premier business schools. His appointment has been welcomed by academic circles as a significant recognition of leadership emerging from state-funded institutions.

Academic leadership and reforms at LU

An alumnus and former Professor of Management at Banaras Hindu University, Prof Rai took over as Vice-Chancellor of Lucknow University in December 2019 and was reappointed for a second term in 2022. Under his leadership, Lucknow University achieved several key milestones including NAAC A++ accreditation, UGC Category I autonomy status, and a significant rise in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)—securing 32nd rank among public state universities.

Prof Rai is credited with introducing substantial reforms in academic governance at Lucknow University. His initiatives included the launch of online learning platforms, revamping examination systems, establishing new faculties, boosting international outreach, and improving administrative transparency.

This marks the first time a sitting Vice-Chancellor of Lucknow University has been appointed to lead an IIM. Prof Rai is also among a small group of academic leaders from outside the IIM system to head one of the top three IIMs in the country.

Sources said the IIM Calcutta Board of Governors has been formally notified, and Prof Rai is expected to assume charge in the coming weeks. His appointment comes at a crucial time for IIM Calcutta, which has been functioning under interim leadership for almost two years.

The Raj Bhawan in Uttar Pradesh has already initiated the process to appoint a new Vice-Chancellor for Lucknow University, with applications invited this week.