IIT (M) appoints Pawan Goenka as Chairman, Board of Governors

Pawan Goenka, Executive Director & President, Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, has been appointed the Chairman of the Board of Governors at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M). The appointment was made by the President of India in his capacity as Visitor of the Institute, for a period of three years with effect from June 9, 2014.

He is taking over as Chairman from eminent scientist M M Sharma, who was bestowed with Padma Vibhushan.

As the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Goenka will preside over all Board meetings, helping promote the policy advocacy priorities of the Institute. In this capacity, he will also advise the Board of Governors and senior IIT-M management on a wide range of issues, said an announcement by the Institute.

Speaking on the appointment, Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director, IIT-Madras said, "We are delighted to announce the appointment of Pawan Goenka as the Chairman of the Board. An alumnus of IIT Kanpur, Goenka is an internationally acknowledged scientist manager with several citations to his credit. A stalwart of the automobile industry, he has spearheaded various prestigious industry bodies and I am certain he will add tremendous value to this role as well".

Goenka stated, "It is an honour and I am humbled to have been appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Madras. I am looking forward to working with the Director of the Institute, Ramamurthi and the Board to contribute towards the Institute's goals of building Scientific & Engineering excellence, incubating innovation and encouraging entrepreneurship. Going forward, I am banking on the support from the Board and active participation from the student and alumni fraternity for adding sheen to an institute with an already outstanding pedigree and reputation."