When Rakesh Khurana was appointed to lead Harvard College last week, he joined a significantand growinglist of academicians of Indian

origin to lead international universities of great repute. he last five !ears have seen a"out #$ such elevations. Kala %ija!raghavan and Rica &hattachar!!a e'plain this perfect storm
IT WAS A WAVE OF SORTS, and SP Kothari was part of it. The year was 19 !, and Kothari, ar"ed with a de#ree in $he"i$a% en#ineerin# fro" &ITS Pi%ani and a "ana#e"ent de#ree fro" II'(Ah"eda)ad, fe%t the west $a%%in#. *e did what "any other )ri#ht and )ri%%iant Indians were doin# at the ti"e for s+$h a passa#e. ,In the -.s, .s and "+$h of the 9.s, the on%y way to e"i#rate to the /S was hi#her ed+$ation,0 he says. ,'any of these st+dents, witho+t e1en 2nowin# a who%e %ot a)o+t a$ade"i$ $areers, 3oined Ph4 pro#ra""es in the /S5these pro#ra""es paid f+%% s$ho%arship.0 A #eneration or two %ater, after a$hie1in# a$ade"i$ )ri%%ian$e, after esta)%ishin# professoria% presen$e, after operatin# on the 1an#+ard of resear$h, that Indian wa1e is reapin# another 2ind of ret+rn in the past few years6 %eadership at the )est of internationa% +ni1ersities. 7ast wee2, when Ra2esh Kh+rana was appointed as dean of *ar1ard 8o%%e#e, one of the +nder#rad+ate s$hoo%s in *ar1ard /ni1ersity, it was another re"inder of how Indians are swar"in# to the top e$he%ons of hi#her %earnin#, espe$ia%%y in the /S, and to a s"a%%er de#ree in the /K and )eyond. It9s a$ross dis$ip%ines, )+t the a)+ndan$e is the "ost in "ana#e"ent s$hoo%s. ,This :pro%iferation9 of Indian(ori#in a$ade"i$s headin# top a$ade"i$ instit+tions in the /S is a 1ery new pheno"enon,0 says ; :Anand9 Ananda%in#a", $+rrent%y the dean of I"peria% 8o%%e#e &+siness S$hoo%, 7ondon. Anand re$o+nts that when, in !.. , he )e$a"e dean of the &(s$hoo% at the /ni1ersity of 'ary%and, near Washin#ton, there were two other Indian(ori#in deans in the top !< A"eri$an &(s$hoo%s6 4ipa2 =ain at Ke%%o##(>orthwestern and 'ahendra ;+pta at O%in( Washin#ton /ni1ersity in St 7o+is. The %ist has sin$e #rown6 a"on# others, >itin >ohria at *ar1ard &+siness S$hoo%, So+"itra 4+tta at 8orne%% /ni1ersity, =aishan2ar ;anesh at R+t#ers(8a"den, and Kothari is the dep+ty dean at 'IT S%oan S$hoo% of 'ana#e"ent ?See )o@6 8%ass of IndiaA. They are a%% in their "id(forties to %ate(fifties. They are a%% s+pre"e%y ta%ented and a$$o"p%ished a$ade"i$ians. Theirs is a ri$h pa%ette of e@pos+re and e@perien$e. ,E1ery top instit+tion wo+%d appoint the )est o1era%% $andidate,0 says A3it Ran#ne2ar, dean of the Indian S$hoo% of &+siness, *ydera)ad. ,A%% these peop%e were $hosen )e$a+se they deser1e to )e deans, irrespe$ti1e of their $o+ntry of ori#in.0 Law Of Numbers Bet, their $o+ntry of ori#in "attered in that India did not offer these ferti%e, i"a#inati1e "inds eno+#h to ho%d the" )a$2, espe$ia%%y in the pre(%i)era%isation de$ades. ,It was a%"ost a tradition for a$ade"i$ toppers in India to #o to /S and p+rs+e their Ph4s,0 says Ran#ne2ar. &ein# the $rC"e de %a $rC"e of the ta%ent poo% fro" India, "any of the" nat+ra%%y )e$o"e s+$$essf+%5in ind+stry and in a$ade"ia. ,O1er the past fi1e to 1. years, this

$rop of Indian i""i#rant st+dents has rea$hed an a#e that is s+ited for %eadership positions,0 adds Kothari. =aishan2ar ;anesh, dean of R+t#ers S$hoo% of &+sinessD 8a"den, p+ts it down to ,the %aw of n+")ers05"ore Indians in the a$ade"i$ poo%. 4ata is not a1ai%a)%e on the share of Indian fa$+%ty in A"eri$an +ni1ersities. &+t, a$$ordin# to ;anesh of R+t#ers, a)o+t <E of fa$+%ty in A"eri$an +ni1ersities is of Asian des$entF this n+")er trip%es in &(s$hoo%s. In spite of n+")ers t+rnin# pro#ressi1e%y fa1o+ra)%e, a$ade"i$s of Indian ori#in ha1e #one thro+#h an e1o%+tionary $+r1e of their own. ,In the pre1io+s ha%f(#eneration, they fo$+sed on )ein# e@$e%%ent s$ho%ars and tea$hers, and did not thin2 that a$ade"i$ %eadership wo+%d )e entr+sted to the",0 he says. ,O1er the past 1. years or so, they ha1e rea%ised that they are #ood at instit+tion )+i%din# and are wi%%in# to $o"pete for %eadership positions.0 For so"e of his i%2, the India $onne$tion p%ayed a part, says S+ni% K+"ar, dean at the /ni1ersity of 8hi$a#o &ooth S$hoo% of &+siness. ,For so"e of +s, the e@perien$e of #rowin# +p in India and then ha1in# an a$ade"i$ $areer o+tside India he%ps pro1ide a perspe$ti1e that ser1es +s we%% in "ana#in# o+r instit+tions, whi$h ha1e fa$+%ties and st+dent )odies fro" a$ross the #%o)e and ha1e #%o)a% i"pa$t.0 Fluency In English &ein# a dean is a "+%ti(fa$eted assi#n"ent5 inward fa$in# )+t a%so o+tward %oo2in#, "ana#in# interna% e@pe$tations whi%e for#in# e@terna% re%ationships. It is as "+$h a)o+t "ana#in# re%ationships with staff and st+dents as it is a)o+t $+%ti1atin# donors, a%+"ni, "edia and the )+siness $o""+nity. ,The ro%e of a dean is to $%ose%y %isten to fa$+%ty, st+dents and staff to he%p de1e%op a shared 1ision of o+r f+t+re, and then pro1ide the" the dire$tion, reso+r$es and s+pport needed to "a2e that 1ision a rea%ity,0 says Kh+rana, dean of *ar1ard 8o%%e#e. &esides te$hni$a% ta%ent, Indians ha1e the ad1anta#e o1er i""i#rants fro" other nationa%ities of )ein# f%+ent in En#%ish. ,A$ade"i$ ?or ind+stryA %eadership positions $a%% for a $o")ination of s2i%%s5te$hni$a%, soft, "ana#eria% and ad"inistrati1e, and $o""+ni$ation,0 says Kothari. ,En#%ish $o"es G+ite nat+ra%%y to Indians, whi$h positions the" we%% for deanships.0 A$$ordin# to >itin >ohria, dean of *ar1ard &+siness S$hoo%, Kh+rana9s se%e$tion is a testa"ent to his a)i%ity to wor2 with others, his wi%%in#ness to )e )oth a $aref+% %istener and a pro)in# G+estioner, and his passion for enhan$in# the +nder#rad+ate e@perien$e at *ar1ard. ,*e9s a pro%ifi$ s$ho%ar who is we%%respe$ted in his fie%d, a )e%o1ed tea$her in e1ery settin#, and a wonderf+%, #enero+s $o%%ea#+e and "entor,0 says >ohria. ,*e a%so "ana#es to $o")ine 1ision with pra$ti$a%ity and e@e$+tion.0 ;%o)a%isation is $han#in# the operatin# en1iron"ent for A"eri$an &(s$hoo%s. They are )e$o"in# "ore "+%ti($+%t+ra% in their st+dent, staff and sta2eho%der $onstr+$t. ,Indians fit in we%% with the #%o)a% $o""+nity they %i1e in,0 says >aina 7a% Kidwai, dire$tor, *S&8 Asia(Pa$ifi$, and the first Indian wo"an to #rad+ate fro" *ar1ard &+siness S$hoo%. ,In "any $ases, the deans are e%e$ted )y )oard "e")ers, and the attit+de and approa$h of a$ade"i$ians of Indian ori#in are "+$h %i2ed and they fit we%%.0 'any a"on# this set of Indians #rew +p in a "+%ti($+%t+ra% and "+%ti(%in#+a% en1iron"ents, and so dea%in# with di1ersity $o"es easier. They a%so $a"e fro" "odest )a$2#ro+nds, and %earnt the 1irt+es of hard wor2 and di%i#en$e at an ear%y a#e. ,Indian a$ade"i$ians )rin# a 1a%+a)%e #%o)a% and "+%ti($+%t+ra% perspe$ti1e a%on#

with their a$ade"i$ $redentia%s,0 says So+"itra 4+tta of 8orne%% /ni1ersity. ,This "a2es the" 1ery attra$ti1e for top /S instit+tions, whi$h are see2in# )oth a$ade"i$ e@$e%%en$e and an open %eadership "indset.0 Global Orientation They are a%so see2in# e"er#in#"ar2et +nderstandin#, a"id #rowin# $on$erns that "ana#e"ent ed+$ation is %a##in# )+siness, espe$ia%%y in the /S. In re$ent years, a $ha%%en#in# e$ono"y has %ed to a drop in de"and for '&A pro#ra""es at "any s$hoo%s. A%so, re$r+iters are de"andin# G+a%itati1e%y different standards of ta%ent. ,A%% #%o)a% instit+tions ha1e a stron# interest in e"er#in# e$ono"ies, )+t that is not a s+ffi$ient reason to appoint Indians,0 Ran#ne2ar of IS&,. This G+a%ity finds e@pression in, for e@a"p%e, $onstr+$tin# pro#ra""es. Wende%% Prit$hett, $han$e%%or of the R+t#ersD8a"den 8a"p+s and a "e")er of its se%e$tion )oard, says a #ood professiona% ed+$ation "+st pro1ide st+dents with a so%id s$ho%ar%y fo+ndation and the pra$ti$a% s2i%%s. This was a $onsideration R+t#ers "ade whi%e appointin# ;anesh. ,=ai ;anesh has an e@traordinary re$ord of s+$$ess in de1e%opin# the type of pro#ra""es that wi%% e@pand opport+nities for o+r st+dents, and opport+nities for R+t#ers to ser1e >ew =ersey9s )+siness and e$ono"i$ #rowth,0 says Prit$hett. Anand of I"peria% 8o%%e#e wo+%d %i2e to see +ni1ersities in the /K fo%%ow /S ones in e%e1atin# peop%e of other nationa%ities. ,/S instit+tions ha1e )een wi%%in# to %et "erit r+%e the day, and hire Indian ori#in a$ade"i$s to )e$o"e deans and presidents,0 he says. ,I"peria% is the first top(tier /K instit+tion that has de$ided to hire an Indian(ori#in dean of its )+siness s$hoo%. It is %i2e%y that /K instit+tions are a%so on the way to $han#e.0 At the sa"e ti"e, e@perts are $a+tio+s of this trend s+stainin#. The poo% of Indian st+dents fro" e%ite instit+tions #oin# into Ph4 pro#ra""es ha1e di"inished dra"ati$a%%y in re$ent years as #rad+ates are a)%e to o)tain we%%(payin# ind+stry 3o)s internationa%%y. ,The %+re of #oin# to the West to )etter the"se%1es off finan$ia%%y thro+#h a Ph4, as was the $ase in the 19-.s, .s and 9.s has di"inished $onsidera)%y,0 says Kothari. ,Whether this wi%% affe$t the freG+en$y with whi$h Indian(ori#in deans wi%% )e seen !., H. years fro" now.0 For now, Indian(ori#in deans are here to stay. ,We we%% 2now that we $annot ta2e anythin# for #ranted,0 says Anand. ,A$ade"i$s of Indian ori#in stri1e "+$h harder to "a2e a s+$$ess of the positions that they ha1e "ana#ed to attain.0 CLASS OF INDIA Six In ians who are currently steering the best of global !" schools

Soumitra Dutta# $% Anne an Elmer Lin seth Dean an &rofessor of 'anagement# Samuel Curtis (ohnson Gra uate School of 'anagement# Cornell )ni*ersity ED)CA+ION, &.Te$h in e%e$tri$a% en#ineerin# and $o"p+ter s$ien$e fro" IIT 4e%hi ?19 1AF 'S in )+siness ad"inistration ?19 9A and Ph4 in $o"p+ter s$ien$e ?199.A fro" /ni1ersity of 8a%ifornia &AS+ -O./, Professor and dep+ty dean at Insead, Fran$e, for o1er two de$ades )efore 3oinin# 8orne%% in !.1! A&&.OAC0, &e%ie1es $onstant and effe$ti1e $o""+ni$ation with 2ey sta2eho%ders is essentia% to $reate an ena)%in# en1iron"ent for a%%5fa$+%ty, staff, st+dents and a%+"ni5 to $ontri)+te to the )etter"ent of the instit+tion and so$iety /NO-N FO., Persona% 1a%+es, wi%%in#ness to %isten and %earn fro" others, )e%ief that ser1i$e is a 2ey part of %eadership

(aishan1ar Ganesh# 23 Dean# School of !usiness# .utgers Cam en ED)CA+ION, ;rad+ation in Physi$s fro" 7oyo%a A+tono"o+s 8o%%e#e, /ni1ersity of 'adrasF &Te$h in instr+"entation en#ineerin# fro" 'adras Instit+te of Te$hno%o#y, Anna /ni1ersityF '&A and Ph4 fro" /ni1ersity of *o+ston

&AS+ -O./, Asso$iate dean for ad"inistration and e@e$+ti1e ed+$ation, /ni1ersity of 8entra% F%orida ?/8FA 8o%%e#e of &+siness Ad"inistration. *as ta+#ht +nder#rad+ate, '&A, e@e$+ti1e '&A, and Ph4 $%asses at /8F and the /ni1ersity of *o+ston A&&.OAC0, A$ti1e%y see2s new ideas and opinions of fa$+%ty, st+dents, staff, a%+"ni, and )+siness %eaders. *e is ea#er to ana%yse, test and app%y o+t(of(the)o@ thin2in# /NO-N FO., Seen as ener#eti$, fo$+sed and $reati1e. A%so 2nown to )e an e@$eptiona% ad"inistrator and s$ho%ar

G 4Anan 5 Anan alingam# $6 Dean of Im7erial College !usiness School# Lon on ED)CA+ION, &A and 'A fro" 8a")rid#e /ni1ersityF Ph4 fro" *ar1ard /ni1ersity &AS+ -O./, Fa$+%ty "e")er at the /ni1ersity of Pennsy%1ania. >ationa% 8entre professor of reso+r$e and te$hno%o#y "ana#e"ent and a professor in )oth the en#ineerin# s$hoo% and Wharton S$hoo% A&&.OAC0, Tea$h st+dents we%% to "a2e the" do #reat thin#s, pro"ote e@$e%%en$e in resear$h and for#e stron# e@terna% en#a#e"ents. 8reate staff $onsens+s aro+nd a $o""on set of #oa%s, )y $ontin+o+s%y $o""+ni$atin# the &(s$hoo%9s strate#i$ dire$tion and 1ision /NO-N FO., &rin#in# a #%o)a% perspe$ti1e, and de1e%opin# stron# re%ationships with donors and ind+stria% partners

Nitin Nohria# $8 Dean# 0ar*ar !usiness School ED)CA+ION, &.Te$h in $he"i$a% en#ineerin# fro" IIT &o")ay and Ph4 in "ana#e"ent fro" S%oan S$hoo% of 'ana#e"ent, 'IT &AS+ -O./, Pre1io+s%y, in *ar1ard, he was the $o($hair of the %eadership initiati1e, senior asso$iate dean of fa$+%ty de1e%op"ent, and head of the or#anisationa% )eha1io+r +nit. *as $o(a+thored or $o(edited 1I )oo2s. Sits on the )oard of dire$tors of Tata Sons, and has ad1ised se1era% %ar#e and s"a%% $o"panies a$ross the wor%d A&&.OAC0, &+i%din# on inp+t fro" fa$+%ty, st+dents, staff and a%+"ni, he has identified fi1e priorities for *&S6 inno1ation in ed+$ationa% pro#ra""esF inte%%e$t+a% a")ition that ad1an$es ideas with i"pa$t in pra$ti$eF $ontin+ed internationa%isationF $+%t+re of in$%+sionF and fosterin# a $+%t+re of inte#ration within *&S and a$ross *ar1ard /ni1ersity that en$o+ra#es entreprene+rship /NO-N FO., O1erha+%in# the s$hoo%9s wor%d($%ass '&A pro#ra""e. *is inte%%e$t+a% interests in$%+de h+"an "oti1ation, %eadership, $orporate transfor"ation and a$$o+nta)i%ity, and s+staina)%e e$ono"i$ and h+"an perfor"an$e

S& /othari# $$ De7uty Dean# Gor on 9 !illar &rofessor of 'anagement# 'I+ Sloan School of 'anagement ED)CA+ION, &E in $he"i$a% en#ineerin# fro" &ITS Pi%aniF '&A fro" II' Ah"eda)adF and Ph4 fro" /ni1ersity of Iowa &AS+ -O./, ;%o)a% head of eG+ity resear$h at &ar$%ays ;%o)a% In1estors. Pre1io+s a$ade"i$ stints in$%+de headin# the depart"ent of e$ono"i$s, finan$e, and a$$o+ntin# at 'IT S%oan, and tea$hin# at *ar1ard &+siness S$hoo%. A%so wor2s with se1era% %aw fir"s as an e@pert in %iti#ation "atters and ad1ises start(+ps in the /S J India A&&.OAC0, Sti%% a$ti1e in tea$hin# and en#a#in# in resear$h $o%%a)orations with $o%%ea#+es and st+dents. *is "+$h($ited resear$h fo$+ses on finan$ia% reportin# and 1a%+ation, asset a%%o$ation, di1ersity in internationa% a$$o+ntin# pra$ti$es, +se of e"p%oyee sto$2 options for $o"pensatin# e@e$+ti1es, a"on# other areas /NO-N FO., Pro"otin# "ana#e"ent ed+$ation a$ross the wor%d and +nderstandin# of Indian e$ono"i$ po%i$y iss+es

Sunil /umar# 2$ Dean an George &ratt Shult: &rofessor of O7erations 'anagement# Chicago !ooth ED)CA+ION, &E fro" 'an#a%ore /ni1ersity in S+rath2a%F 'E in $o"p+ter s$ien$e and a+to"ation fro" the Indian Instit+te of S$ien$e in &an#a%oreF Ph4 in e%e$tri$a%

en#ineerin# fro" the /ni1ersity of I%%inois at /r)ana(8ha"pai#n &AS+ -O./, Fa$+%ty at Stanford /ni1ersity ;rad+ate S$hoo% of &+siness. A%so ser1ed as senior asso$iate dean for a$ade"i$ affairs A&&.OAC0, &roaden and stren#then the s$hoo%9s inte%%e$t+a% footprint. This in$%+des hirin# "ore fa$+%ty, s+pportin# in$reasin#%y di1erse st+dent aspirations, e@pandin# the rea$h of the s$hoo%9s pro#ra""es #%o)a%%y /NO-N FO., 8o(de1e%oped a wide%y(+sed fa$tory si"+%ator for tea$hin# operations "ana#e"ent. The si"+%ator, :7itt%efie%d Te$hno%o#ies9, has )een +sed in $%asses at "ore than <. )+siness and en#ineerin# s$hoo%s. *e has a%so )een an operations $ons+%tant to se1era% $o"panies