Ashish Nanda

Ashish Nanda is Director of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad,

Nanda joined IIMA as Director on 2 Sept 2013. Upon taking charge, Nanda described IIMA as "a hidden jewel."

In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Professor Nanda teaches in PGP, PGPX, and Executive Education Programmes at the Institute. Before joining IIMA, Nanda was Robert Braucher Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School for seven years. Before that, he was a Harvard Business School faculty member for 13 years. He was Fellow, Harvard Business School Executive Education from 2013 to 2017 and Officiating Director, IIM Nagpur from its inception in 2015 to 2017. He is Distinguished Fellow, Harvard Law School Executive Education.

IIMA Activities

Nanda's vision for IIMA is "to educate leaders of enterprises." His strategic thrust at the Institute has been to connect proactively with various constituencies, grow the Institute in strategic areas, and nurture a high performance culture at the Institute.

Nanda led significant fund raising efforts at IIMA. He was actively involved in discussions leading to drafting of the IIM Bill, which affords IIMs strategic and operational autonomy. He has recommended that management education capacity should be expanded in India not only by opening new institutions, but also by growing existing ones.

Nanda has led an initiative for greater diversity in admissions to IIMA, leading to an increase in the proportion of women students and students with non-engineering backgrounds in IIMA. He has resigned on 27 April 2017 as a director of IIM citing personal reasons.

Education & Awards

Nanda has Ph.D. in Business Economics (Harvard), AM in Economics (Harvard), Post Graduate Diploma in Management (IIM Ahmedabad), and B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering (IIT Delhi).

He has received IIT Delhi Distinguished Alumni Award, Henry B. Arthur Fellowship, Harvard University Centre in Ethics and the Professions Fellowship, President of India Gold Medal (twice), and IIMA Director's Gold Medal. In 2016, he was conferred Distinguished Global Thinker Award by IILM.