Ashish Nanda resigns as IIMA director, citing personal reasons

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) director, Ashish Nanda, has resigned from his post before the end of his tenure, the business school said on Thursday.

Nanda, a former professor at Harvard Law School, was the first professor from a foreign school to head an IIM. His resignation comes as a surprise as he is leaving one year before his tenure expires. He was appointed for a period of five years, and when he relinquishes office—on 1 September—he will be completing four years. Though the real reason behind his resignation is not known immediately and it’s not clear whether the decision was prompted because of any differences with the human resources development ministry, Nanda cited personal reasons for stepping down.

IIM-A chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has accepted his resignation. “Dear Prof. Nanda, I have received your resignation dated 26/4/2017. We have had a conversation about this for the past couple of weeks, and I fully understand your need to be with family and the inconvenience that the separation is causing you. Hence, I accept your resignation, albeit with regret,” Birla said in his acceptance letter to Nanda.

Former IIM-Bangalore director Sushil Vachani had resigned three months before his tenure expired in March 2016 over alleged differences with the ministry. After Nanda, Vachani was the second professor from a foreign school to head an IIM.

In his resignation letter and a subsequent mail to IIM-A fraternity, Nanda said he enjoyed his association with IIM-A but he needs to give more time to his family. “…I couldn’t have had this extraordinary adventure without the love of my wife, who, despite the distance we have lived apart, has been a partner with me in this journey every step of the way, the blessings of my parents, and the affection of my son.”