Harvard Law School professor Ashish Nanda appointed IIM-A director

Harvard Law School professor to take charge of B-School on September 2

Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has announced the appointment of Harvard Law School professor Ashish Nanda as its director. The term of the previous director, Samir Barua, had ended about 10 months ago. Nanda would assume charge on September 2.

“He would be visiting the campus for a few days from August 15 to acquaint himself and meet the faculty and staff,” the institute said in a statement announcing Nanda’s appointment. Sources at IIM-A said Nanda would visit the campus till August 23, after which he would go to Harvard, only to return to IIM-A on September 1. It could not be ascertained whether Nanda had quit his post at Harvard or he would be on sabbatical for the IIM-A posting.

An alumnus of IIM-A, Nanda is Robert Braucher Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School. A gold medalist from the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi and IIM-A, he secured a master’s degree in economics, as well as a doctorate, from Harvard University. Before joining Harvard Law School in 2007, Nanda was a Harvard Business School faculty member for 13 years.

A M Naik, chairman, board of governors, IIM-A, said, “IIM-A is the premier management institute in India, with global recognition. It has great legacy, and its students, faculty and staff form the backbone of this outstanding Institute. Nanda, an alumnus with impeccable academic records and decades of experience in leading international schools, brings in a right mix of international experience and familiarity with IIM-A. With the appointment of Nanda as the director, I am sure the institute would grow from strength to strength and chart new territories.” In March, the board of governors had submitted the candidatures of Nanda and two senior IIM-A faculty members — G Raghuram and Rakesh Basant— to the Ministry of Human Resource Development for the director’s post.