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'''Nandan Nilekani''' ([[Konkani language|Konkani]]/[[Kannada script|Kannada]]: ನಂದನ ನಿಲೇಕಣಿ) (Born June 2, 1955) is an [[India|Indian]] [[software]] entrepreneur and businessman. |
'''Nandan Nilekani''' ([[Konkani language|Konkani]]/[[Kannada script|Kannada]]: ನಂದನ ನಿಲೇಕಣಿ) (Born June 2, 1955) is an [[India|Indian]] [[software]] entrepreneur and businessman. On 9th July 2009, he resigned as Co-Chairman of [[Infosys|Infosys Technologies Ltd]] as he has been appointed Chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Revision as of 15:21, 9 July 2009
Nandan M Nilekani | |
|---|---|
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| Born | June 2, 1955 |
| Occupation | Chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) |
Nandan Nilekani (Konkani/Kannada: ನಂದನ ನಿಲೇಕಣಿ) (Born June 2, 1955) is an Indian software entrepreneur and businessman. On 9th July 2009, he resigned as Co-Chairman of Infosys Technologies Ltd as he has been appointed Chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
Early life
Nandan M. Nilekani was born in Bangalore, Karnataka on June 2, 1955 as the younger son of Durga and Mohan Rao Nilekani. Both Nandan and his brother, Vijay, who is elder to Nandan by 8 years, spent their early childhood here. Their father worked as a manager in the Minerva Mills, and despite having made a career in the private sector, was someone who subscribed to the Fabian Socialist viewpoint , an ideology that also influenced Nandan during his early years.
Their mother, Durga Nilekani, was pretty much the anchor for the family – both kids remember her as a ‘quiet, liberal woman who brought stability to the family, and a surprisingly modernistic viewpoint.’ Durga, now 83, lives with Nandan’s family in Bangalore, while Vijay lives in Washington D.C., where he works in the Nuclear Energy Institute.[2]
He studied at Bishop Cotton Boys School, Bangalore, and attended the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay from 1973. His early years were marked by his father’s job transfers and re-locations. He spent the first twelve years at Bangalore, where he studied at the Bishop Cotton Boys School. He then moved in with his uncle’s family in Dharwad, after his father had been transferred.
“When I moved to Dharwad, I joined St Joseph’s, an SSC school. I had moved from a big city to a small town. And from living with my parents, I moved in with my uncle and his family. In fact, my upbringing has helped me open my mind towards dealing with unpredictability.”
He later got into IIT, Bombay where he graduated with a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering in 1978. [3]
The years at IIT proved to be difficult in social terms - “In those days, a very different kind of person went to the IITs. It was all the sophisticated big city guys – and at the time, I was a gawky 18-year-old from a small town – unused to and unaware of the big city life.” However, he started working on what he had quickly recognized as his core strength: his organizational ability. “I realized I was good at organizing things. So I got involved in organizing Mood Indigo and other such events. I became a quizzer and in my final year I was the general secretary of the IIT.” It was at one such quizzing event that he met his future wife, Rohini. “Nandan and I met when he came to my college, Elphinstone, as part of the IIT quiz team. We had common friends, so our relationship grew steadily,” recalls Rohini.[4]
Career
After IIT, Bombay in 1978, he did not try and find himself a job abroad; he joined Mumbai-based Patni Computer Systems where he was interviewed by N.R. Narayana Murthy.
Three years later, in 1981, Murthy walked out of Patni following a dis-agreement with one of the Patni brothers. His entire division walked out with him. The defectors decided to start their own company, Infosys.
Infosys was registered as a private limited company on July 2, 1981. Infosys co-founder N S Raghavan’s house in Matunga, northcentral Mumbai, was its registered office. It was then known as Infosys Consultants Pvt Ltd. Later, Infosys set up its first office in Pune, at the Murthys’ home, moving to Bangalore in 1983 when they acquired their first client, Data Basics Corporation, from the USA. [5]
Nilekani became the Chief Executive Officer of Infosys in March 2002, taking over from Murthy under the advice of his wife. Nilekani served as CEO and MD of the company from March 2002 to April 2007, when he relinquished his position to his colleague Kris Gopalakrishnan, becoming Co-Chairman.
Nilekani has an estimated net worth of the Indian rupee equivalent of US$1.3 billion.[6]
In 2009, Time magazine placed Nilekani in the Time 100 list of 'World's Most Influential People' [7]
Nilekani left Infosys on 9 July 2009 to serve as the chairperson of the Unique Identification Authority of India, in the rank of a cabinet minister under invitation from the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Honours and awards
In January 2006, Nandan became one of the youngest entrepreneurs to join 20 global leaders on the prestigious World Economic Forum (WEF) Foundation Board. He co-founded India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) as well as the Bangalore Chapter of The IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE). He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and is also a member of the review committee of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Nandan was the Forbes “Businessman of the Year” for Asia in 2007. He, along with Infosys founder (and currently non-executive chairman) N. R. Narayana Murthy, also received Fortune magazine’s ‘Asia’s Businessmen of the Year 2003’ award. He was named among the ‘World’s most respected business leaders’ in 2002 and 2003, according to a global survey by Financial Times and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Nandan was awarded the Corporate Citizen of the Year award at the Asia Business Leader Awards (2004) organized by CNBC. In 2005, Nandan was awarded the prestigious Joseph Schumpeter prize for innovative services in economy, economic sciences and politics.[8]
In 2006, Nandan was conferred the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honors awarded by the Government of India.
Other activities
He appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on March 18, 2009[9] to promote his book "Imagining India." appeared for seminar in prestigious TED (www.ted.com)
Bibliography
- Nandan Nilekani. Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation (March 19, 2009 ed.). Penguin Press HC. p. 528. ISBN 1594202044.
In this book, Nandan discusses topics such as the future of India, its recent history, the ideas and attitudes that evolved with the times and contributed to the country’s progress, India’s early socialist policies, its young population, Information Technology, caste politics, labour reform, infrastructure, higher education, and the English language in India.
References
- ^ "Nandan M. Nilekani Profile". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ http://imaginingindia.com/about-nandan/childhood/
- ^ Infosys Technologies Limited (2007-06-22). "About Infosys | Management Profiles | Nandan M. Nilekani". Infosys. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ "School and IIT". Imagining India. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ "Infosys, the early years". Imagining India. 1981-07-02. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ #754 Nandan Nilekani - Forbes.com
- ^ The 2009 TIME 100 - Nandan Nilekani TIME.
- ^ "The story continues". Imagining India. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
- ^ "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Official Website | Current Events & Pop Culture, Comedy & Fake News | Comedy Central". Thedailyshow.com. Retrieved 2009-06-28.