Nandan Nilekani, Entrepreneur and Politician
Entrepreneur and Politician

Nandan Nilekani

Born 2 June 1955 · Karnataka

Co-founding Infosys and leading its board as non-executive chairman from 2017.

Nandan Mohanrao Nilekani is an Indian entrepreneur. He co-founded Infosys and is the non-executive chairman of Infosys replacing R Seshasayee and Ravi Venkatesan, who were the co-chairs of the board, on 24 August 2017. After the exit of Vishal Sikka, Nilekani was appointed non-executive chairman of the board effective 24 August 2017. He was the chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). After a successful career at Infosys, he headed the Government of India's technology committee, TAGUP.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Nilekani speaks five languages fluently, including Konkani, Kannada, English, Marathi, and Hindi, reflecting his diverse cultural roots.

The Story

1
In 1981, Nandan Nilekani left Patni Computer Systems along with N.R. Narayana Murthy and five others to co-found Infosys in Pune, marking the birth of one of India's pioneering IT firms.
2
🌟 From March 2002 to April 2007, Nilekani served as CEO of Infosys, overseeing a sixfold revenue increase to $3 billion and expanding the company's global footprint.
3In 2009, he stepped away from Infosys to become the founding chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), where he launched Aadhaar, a biometric ID system aiming to assign a unique number to over 1.3 billion Indian residents.
4🌍 Upon returning as non-executive chairman of Infosys in August 2017, Nilekani shifted the company's power center from California back to its Bengaluru headquarters, coinciding with the exit of CEO Vishal Sikka and other board directors.

🏅 Awards & Honours

2006
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 2006, Nilekani was the youngest Indian entrepreneur to join the World Economic Forum Foundation Board, placing him among global leaders influencing economic policies.

🖼️

Through the Years

2 photographs from the archives
Nandan Nilekani receiving the Padma Bhushan Award from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in New Delhi (2006).
Nandan Nilekani receiving the Padma Bhushan Award from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in New Delhi (2006).
2006
Nandan Nilekani at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland (2007).

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Birth in Bangalore, Karnataka
Nandan Mohanrao Nilekani was born to Durga and Mohan Rao Nilekani, whose Fabian socialist beliefs influenced his early worldview.
1955
📚
Education
Graduated IIT Bombay
Completed bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, setting the stage for his entry into India's nascent IT sector.
1978
⚡
Career
Co-founded Infosys
Alongside N.R. Narayana Murthy and five others, Nilekani left Patni Computer Systems to start Infosys, a company that would transform Indian IT.
1981
⚡
Career
Became CEO of Infosys
Took charge as CEO, leading the company through rapid growth and revenue expansion to $3 billion by 2007.
2002
⚡
Career
Appointed Chairman of UIDAI
Left Infosys to lead the Unique Identification Authority of India, initiating the Aadhaar biometric ID project.
2009
⚡
Career
Returned as Infosys Chairman
After Vishal Sikka's exit, Nilekani became non-executive chairman and shifted Infosys' power center back to Bengaluru.
2017
⚡
Career
Co-chair of G20 Task Force
Appointed co-chair of the G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure, extending his influence to global digital policy.
2023
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Nilekani received the Joseph Schumpeter Prize in 2005 for innovative services in economy, economic sciences, and politics, an award usually reserved for economists and politicians.

02 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Despite his corporate success, Nilekani's father subscribed to Fabian Socialist ideals, which influenced Nilekani's later commitment to public service and inclusive governance.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Nilekani became an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019, a rare honor for an Indian entrepreneur.

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"Imagining India as a renewed nation requires rethinking the relationship between the state, markets, and citizens."

— Nandan Nilekani

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Nandan Nilekani on how Infosys succeeded: hear the inside success story from the man himself!
More from this archive
Nandan Nilekani on how Infosys succeeded: hear the inside success story from the man himself!
01
Nandan Nilekani on how Infosys succeeded: hear the inside success story from the man himself!
Walk The Talk: Nandan Nilekani
02
Walk The Talk: Nandan Nilekani
Nandan Nilekani: Creating Opportunity
03
Nandan Nilekani: Creating Opportunity
Nandan Nilekani - Living Philanthropy
04
Nandan Nilekani - Living Philanthropy
Plenary Talk by Mr. Nandan Nilekani - IIT Industry Conclave 2020
05
Plenary Talk by Mr. Nandan Nilekani - IIT Industry Conclave 2020
Nandan Nilekani: For a Better Bengaluru
06
Nandan Nilekani: For a Better Bengaluru
Nandan Nilekani: On Reservation
07
Nandan Nilekani: On Reservation
Nandan Nilekani: Addressing the Bengaluru Press Club
08
Nandan Nilekani: Addressing the Bengaluru Press Club
Nandan Nilekani: Views on Corruption
09
Nandan Nilekani: Views on Corruption
Pune International Centre: Lecture by Dr. Nandan Nilekani
10
Pune International Centre: Lecture by Dr. Nandan Nilekani

🌱 What changed because of them

Nilekani's leadership at UIDAI transformed India's identity verification system, enabling efficient delivery of subsidies and services to over a billion residents through Aadhaar. Infosys, under his stewardship, became a global IT powerhouse, influencing India's position as a key technology exporter. His push for digital public infrastructure continues to shape policy frameworks for financial inclusion and governance in India and beyond.

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