- Nandan Nilekani chose IIT Bombay over his father’s preferred IIT Madras, a decision that shaped his future.
- Despite his father’s wishes for stability, Nilekani rebelled and pursued electrical engineering at a top institution.
- This act of defiance led to Nilekani co-founding Infosys and playing a key role in India’s digital transformation.
Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, shared a powerful story from his youth about how he defied his father’s wishes to choose IIT Bombay over IIT Madras. At the time, his father insisted he join IIT Madras to study chemical engineering, believing it was the best route to job security. However, Nilekani, driven by his desire for excellence, chose electrical engineering at IIT Bombay instead.
This decision, though rebellious, was a turning point in his career. IIT Bombay represented the best in education and opportunity, and it set Nilekani on a path that would lead to him becoming a key figure in India’s IT industry. His decision to follow his instincts rather than his father’s advice showed his ability to challenge norms and chart his own course, a trait that would later help him lead transformative initiatives like Aadhaar.
Nilekani’s story is a testament to the power of independent thinking and the courage to take risks, even when it means going against tradition.
