Shri Ajit Balakrishnan is a 6th batch alumnus of IIM Calcutta. He is a successful entrepreneur, an able business executive, and an admirable administrator. He had started his entrepreneurial venture with Rediffusion, an advertising firm now known as Rediffusion DY&R which he co-founded with Arun Nanda and Mohammed Khan, when he was only 22. He later co-founded PSI Data Systems in mid 80's with two other partners hailing from Stanford.

Rediff.com, a hot house of creativity founded in 1995, was listed on NASDAQ in 2001 and now ranks among India's most successful Internet companies. He led Rediff.com India Limited (Nasdaq: REDF) win the prestigious 2016 CIO Choice Award for the best Enterprise Email Solution for the third consecutive year. He also received the laudable award of Elite Strategic Business Communicator given by Association of Business Communicators of India in the year 2011. He was also named as the Chairman Emeritus of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). He has served as the Chairman of the Ministry of Information Technology, Govt. of India and also chaired a Committee appointed by India's Ministry of Human Resource Development on 'Research and Faculty Enhancement at the seven IIMs'.

Ajit is a popular writer. His masterpiece, The Wave Rider: A Chronicle of the Information Age, speaks volumes of his insights into the waves of changes involving industrial and technological revolutions shaping the modern world.

Mr. Balakrishnan served as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta for two successive terms spanning over ten years. With his extra-ordinary leadership, IIM Calcutta achieved phenomenal growth and international recognition during his tenure. The institute community will remember him as one of the most significant contributors to the institute.

Ajit Balakrishnan receiving his award