IIM-A should become globally recognised: Ashish Nanda

Newly-appointed Director of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Ashish Nanda today said that his deep-rooted desire is to make the institute one of the top business schools in the world.
"I have not come here with a 'laundry list' of changes to be made at the institute...It is my deep-rooted desire to see my institute (IIM-A) be considered as one of the top most institutes in the world," said Nanda, a Robert Braucher Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School in US, during his media interaction here today.
"When people talk about top management or business schools in Asia they say IIM-Ahmedabad is a hidden jewel. They know how wonderful students are, how committed faculty is, a good alumni, but IIM-A does not have same presence as some of the other management institutions have globally. And I have a wonderful opportunity to take it to a rightful place in the global stage," he said.

IIM-A, on August 13, announced the appointment of Prof Ashish Nanda, who is an alumni of the institute, as its Director. He is slated to assume charge on September 2.
When asked about his plans for the IIM-A, he affirmed that he has no prior intentions to make any changes. "But once he knows the place, the opportunities and challenges that the institute faces, he would sit with his colleagues and with the consensus, we will go forward," he said.
"I will be taking charge on September 2. At present I am trying to understand what are the strengths of the institute, what challenges it is facing and opportunities it has, by meeting students, faculty, staff etc. After that I will sit with our colleagues and discuss what's needed to change," he said.

An alumnus of 1983 batch of IIM-A, Nanda is a gold medallist both from IIT-Delhi and IIM-A. He completed his MA in Economics and PhD from Harvard University and has been teaching in Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School.
He is faculty director of Executive Education and Research Director at programme on the Legal Profession at Harvard Law School.