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Nilekani highlighted that being born in Bengaluru in the 1950s, he was supposed to pursue a career in engineering or medicine.
Nilekani started his career at Patni Computer Systems in Mumbai. (File Photo)
Even among the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology campuses, IIT Bombay has a stand-out reputation. Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani recently opened up about a critical decision in his early life when he chose to pursue electrical engineering at IIT Bombay over chemical engineering at IIT Madras, going against his father’s wishes, during an interview with LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky. Nilekani regarded this decision as a “small act of rebellion”. However, in the long run, it set his path to becoming a leader in India’s tech and digital revolution.
In the interview with Roslansky, Nilekani disclosed that his father encouraged him to get a good education and a steady profession because his job was “insecure.” He highlighted that being born in Bengaluru in the 1950s, he had two career options. He was either supposed to pursue a career in engineering or medicine. Nilekani chose to become an engineer since he did not want to become a doctor.
“If I wanted to do engineering, it had to be a good school, and IIT Bombay was the best school,” he said. When asked why his father disapproved of IIT Bombay, Nilekani responded “Well, you know, at 18 you are a rebel. So, my father sent me a telegram that said ‘Join IIT Madras, chemical engineering’.”
“I said, ‘I’m not going to listen to you’. I said I’ll join electrical engineering at IIT Bombay. It was a small act of rebellion,” the co-founder of Infosys recalled.
Nilekani’s career began after he graduated from IIT Bombay with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He met Narayana Murthy at Patni Computer Systems in Mumbai, who interviewed him. After this, he, Narayana Murthy and five other engineers went on to start their own company, Infosys.
Established in 1981, Infosys emerged as one of India’s most prosperous tech companies, strengthening the nation’s reputation for providing IT services internationally.
In hindsight, Nilekani’s narrative emphasises the importance of following one’s dreams and taking control over one’s life. Today, Nilekani is praised for his contributions to India’s digital infrastructure, such as the Aadhaar program, in addition to his role in founding Infosys.
Young professionals making career decisions and juggling personal objectives with family obligations can find inspiration from Nilekani’s journey.
