IIT Taught Him to Think out of Box He Is an Exceptional Human Being
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THE TIMES OF INDIA, NEW DELHI 22 TIMES BUSINESS | DESI DEAN THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010 FAMOUS HBS ALUMNI INDIAN CONTINGENT B-School Megabrand George W Bush Meg Whitman James Wolfensohn Ajit Jain C K Prahalad P Chidambaram ounded in 1908, Harvard Business School (MBA-1973) (MBA-1979) (MBA -1959) (MBA -1978) (DBA-1975) (MBA-1968) Finnovated the case study method of research and President of United President and CEO of President of World Currently heads several Globally known Union cabinet minister teaching - now widely used by B-schools — in 1920. States (2000-2008) eBay (March 1998 to Bank (July 1995 to reinsurance businesses management for home affairs & former It's routinely ranked among the top 10 business March 2008), Republican June 2005) for Berkshire Hathaway guru, author of finance minister. Lok schools globally, but ratings don't really candidate for Governor and is likely to be bestseller “The Sabha MP for 7 terms of California in Jamie Dimon Jeffrey Immelt as Warren Fortune at the do justice to its Rahul Bajaj Ratan Tata November 2010 polls (MBA-1982) (MBA-1982) Buffet’s Bottom of the impressive brand (MBA-1964) (ADVANCED CEO and chair- Chairman and CEO of possible Pyramid: Rick Wagoner Robert S McNamara MANAGEMENT equity, which man of JPMorgan General Electric. The man successor Eradicating Chairman of (MBA-1977) (MBA-39) PROGRAMME - ensures its Chase & Co who replaced the legendary Poverty Bajaj Auto graduates get a Chairman & CEO First Jack Welch Through 1971) ‘Harvard premium’ of General president Profit Chairman, on salaries — and Motors of Ford from Lewis Paul Bremer Sir Martin Sorrell Henry M Paulson Jr (’04)” Tata Group Michael from outside the (MBA-1966) (MBA-1968) (MBA-1970) to which indirect Bloomberg 1998 family of United States’ treasury tribute was paid (MBA-1966) to 2009 Henry Ford US Administrator of CEO of WPP secretary from Anand Mahindra by the bestseller, Current Mayor (1960). US Iraq charged with Group, the July ’06 to Jan (MBA-1981) of New York Secretary overseeing the world's largest ‘What they don’t ’09. Previously City, founder of Defence from 1961 reconstruction communica- Vice-chairman and teach you at chairman & & 88% owner to 1968 & president of of the country tions managing director Harvard Business CEO of Gold- of Bloomberg the World Bank from from May 11, 2003 services of Mahindra and School’ man Sachs LP 1968 to 1981 to June 28, 2004 group Mahindra Ltd CAPTAINS SPEAK IIT taught him to think out of box He is an exceptional human being. A rare combination of a visionary and an out-of-the-box Hemali Chhapia & thinker who is incredibly humble. He has been emphasizing Amrita Ghaswalla | TNN WITH BUSINESS EDUCATION AT AN INFLECTION POINT, WE MUST How HBS selects that businesses should be socially responsible. fter spending four years STRIVE TO EQUIP FUTURE LEADERS WITH THE COMPETENCE AND its dean Amit Chandra | MANAGING DIRECTOR | BAIN CAPITAL INDIA AND BROTHER-IN-LAW OF NITIN NOHRIA on the verdant Powai CHARACTER TO ADDRESS EMERGING GLOBAL BUSINESS AND SOCIAL There is an advisory committee of campus of IIT-Bombay, CHALLENGES the business school that Drew Faust, 21-year-old Nitin Nohria I have known Nitin Nohria for several NITIN NOHRIA the Harvard University president, surely knew one thing: ‘‘I consults. The committee takes a years — both professionally and Adid not want to be a chemical engi- personally. One of the highlights of view of probable candidates who neer. That is the most important could become the dean of the my visit to Harvard has always been thing I learned in IIT.’’ But when he business school. Over several my customary chat with him. He has came to receive his distinguished months, Faust consulted the 15- a way of bringing in new perspectives alumnus award in 2007, he told the member advisory committee that into a discussion; even in our IT institute director Ashok Misra that consisted of 12 faculty members business, he would always bring out it was here that he learnt to think from the B-School itself and three nuances like the HR core competency of the industry out of the box. The year 1984 was professors from other schools when this young chemical engineer within the University. S Ramadorai | V-C | TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES walked out of his dull whitewashed They met almost every week. room, his was the time when hostel The Harvard president also sought I was a member of the HBS Board of Dean’s Advisors, for life had seen some luxurious addi- advice from other members of the over six years, and during the last leadership transition, a tions — ceiling fans had just been Business School community for number of Indian names like Srikant Datar, Krishna Palepu, installed and students were charged selecting the dean. Tarun Khanna and Nitin Nohria kept popping up as Rs 20 a month for that comfort. Nohria will succeed Jay Light, candidates. So this time too, there was a sense of Déjà vu, Nohria was a popular name dur- who in December 2009 announced ing those years; he was on several stu- and an Indian becoming the Dean of HBS seemed a stretch his retirement at the end of the of imagination. Nitin’s appointment is an advertisement to dent committees, recalled Shanta 2009-10 academic year. Light served Sreeraman, a staff member who has the world about the quality of human resource and talent in as HBS dean for five years and India. Most of India may not understand how prestigious been with the institute for over three spent four decades as HBS faculty decades. Young Nohria spent time the achievement is, but for America and for most of the member. TNN mixing chemicals and his teacher Western world, Harvard is synonymous with success. Arvind Kuchadkar would watch him and tell himself that the young lad picked up while carving his niche havan, his former faculty at IIT-B, into the rational explanation of every nect between mission and everyday Anand Mahindra | V-C | MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LTD was cut out for management. ‘‘His in- in management with ethics.’’ Son of who used to see him play football, he action and reveals that there ‘‘often practice?’’ he asks in his work ‘Hand- terest was not limited to engineering. K K Nohria, former chairman of has only upped the bar for himself. lies a willingness to hurt or even de- book of Leadership Theory and Management education is at the I could see his leaning towards a va- Crompton Greaves, did go on to Nohria’s book — Master Passions — stroy others to fuel our own ambi- Practice’ As the new HBS head, he’ll crossroads today. Take a look at what riety of subjects including humani- study management at the Sloan his former teachers says, reflects a tions or quench the fires of envy’’. probably bridge those two points, has happened in the world in the last ties and management.’’ School of Business at MIT. kind of truth few human beings want A student who did not make it to and that’s why his former teacher S two years. People are questioning In fact, Kuchadkar who has been Later he went on to become the to even acknowledge. The book, co- the IIT in the first round, Nohria has L Narayanamurthy believes he’ll live management education. Nohria’s in touch with his student believes, youngest professor when he went to authored with a faculty from the not shied away from taking the tough up to the HBS’s formal mission state- strong sense of values will fashion ‘‘Nitin will bring freshness to Har- Harvard in 1988, and now, the Toronto University, gets under the road. Or for that matter, ask harsh ment: ‘‘to educate leaders who make the new management education. He vard because of all that he has youngest dean. Nohria, said K P Mad- skin of human beings — it delves questions. ‘‘Why is there a discon- a difference in the world.’’ will reinvent it in some way, which will bring long-term credibility to corporates INDIAN MANAGEMENT NIRMALYA KUMAR Ajay Piramal | CHAIRMAN | PIRAMAL HEALTHCARE Professor of marketing at London Business It’s proudest moment Nitin is taking charge at HBS at this stage when people are School, Kumar has also worked as a horse questioning the role of management eduction is a great handicapper and as a DJ which step as I am sure he will come out with very new and he finds similar to his current work. of my life: Nitin’s dad different ideas on how to make management education GURUS Formerly professor of Marketing more relevant in today’s world at International Institute for Nitin Nohria’s appointment as dean of Shubham Mukherjee | TNN and said he wanted to change Ajit Rangnekar | DEAN | INDIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Management Development, and study organisational be- Harvard Business School reflects the growing Switzerland and visiting professor Mumbai: Kewal Nohria, former haviour, to which I asked why at Harvard Business School and Nitin has done India proud. A brilliant predominance of Indian gurus in academics, chairman of Crompton Greaves and was satisfied at what he had thinker and a teacher, he epitomises Northwestern University, Kumar and father of Nitin Nohria, who to say... I’m glad it proved to be especially management and economics. the growing list of Indians who are has been the consultant, coach has been appointed as dean of the right choice,’’ Nohria gushed. putting India centre stage in the TOI presents some of the world’s best known and seminar leader to over 50 the prestigious Harvard Busi- Nitin’s preference towards field of academia and thought Indian-origin gurus Fortune 500 companies ness School, is happy that his re- teaching became apparent turn to India from the US got around 1987-88 when Nohria was leadership’ postponed due to the volcanic the chairman of Crompton BALA BALACHANDRAN K V Kamath | CHAIRMAN | ICICI eruptions in Iceland, which dis- Greaves.