Nandan Nilekani

Nandan Nilekani is a prominent Indian entrepreneur and business leader, best known as the co-founder of Infosys, one of India's largest IT services companies. He served as the Founding Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) from 2009 to 2014, where he played a crucial role in implementing Aadhaar, the world's largest biometric identification system aimed at providing unique identities to Indian residents.

Early Life and Education

Born on June 2, 1955, in Bengaluru, India, Nilekani graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in 1978. He began his career at Patni Computer Systems before co-founding Infosys in 1981 alongside N.R. Narayana Murthy and others.13

Career at Infosys

Nilekani held various leadership roles at Infosys, including serving as CEO from March 2002 to April 2007. Under his leadership, the company significantly expanded its revenue and market presence, making it one of the leading IT firms globally. After a brief hiatus from the company to lead UIDAI, he returned as Non-Executive Chairman in August 2017.23

Contributions to UIDAI and Aadhaar

As the head of UIDAI, Nilekani was instrumental in launching Aadhaar, which aimed to streamline access to services for over a billion people in India. The initiative has been recognized for its efficiency and impact on digital identity verification, enabling services like online banking and mobile connectivity through biometric authentication.45 During his tenure, Aadhaar registered over a billion users and facilitated millions of transactions daily.5

Recognition and Awards

Nilekani's contributions have earned him numerous accolades:

• Padma Bhushan (2006), one of India's highest civilian honors.
• Joseph Schumpeter Prize for innovative services in economy and politics (2005).
• Featured in TIME magazine's lists of the 100 most influential people in the world (2006, 2009) and among the top global thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine (2010).
• Received multiple awards for his leadership in technology and social innovation.123

Philanthropy and Recent Initiatives

Beyond his corporate roles, Nilekani is actively involved in philanthropic efforts through the EkStep Foundation, which focuses on improving literacy and education using technology. He has also been appointed as co-chair of the G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure for Economic Transformation.12

Nandan Nilekani continues to influence India's digital landscape while advocating for inclusive growth through technology. His vision emphasizes leveraging digital infrastructure to enhance economic opportunities across various sectors.5