Ashoka University appoints Professor Rishikesha T. Krishnan as next Vice-Chancellor

Ashoka University, Delhi-NCR today announced the appointment of Professor Rishikesha T. Krishnan, as its next Vice-Chancellor for an initial three-year term, with effect from August 1, 2026. He succeeds Professor Somak Raychaudhury. 

According to the official announcement, the appointment follows a rigorous search and selection process conducted by a committee constituted by the Governing Body of the university. 

Speaking on the appointment, Rudrangshu Mukherjee, Chancellor, Ashoka University, DelhiNCR, said, “Professor Krishnan’s distinguished record as a scholar and institution builder makes him ideally suited to lead Ashoka at this important moment in its journey. We are delighted to welcome him to the Ashoka family and look forward to the vision and energy he will bring to this role.”

Professor Krishnan brings a wealth of experience spanning decades of academic leadership, scholarly inquiry, and transformative institutional change. His educational journey spans Physics, with a five-year Integrated M.Sc. from IIT Kanpur; Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford University’s School of Engineering, and a doctoral programme in Management and Public Policy from IIM Ahmedabad. 

His books on innovation - From Jugaad to Systematic Innovation: The Challenge for India and 8 Steps to Innovation: Going from Jugaad to Excellence (co-authored with Vinay Dabholkar) - have received wide acclaim, with the latter winning the Best Book Award for 2013 from the Indian Society for Training and Development. 

Krishnan has helmed two Indian Institutes of Management, completing full terms at both, as Director of IIM Indore (2014-2018) and Director of IIM Bangalore (2020-2025). 

At IIM Bangalore, he established a School of Multidisciplinary Studies and led the impending launch of the undergraduate programmes in Economics and Data Science. He has served on several boards including that of the Higher Education Financing Agency (a JV between the Government of India and Canara Bank) and the Board of Management of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Professor Krishnan has also been deeply engaged with national policy, having served on committees of the Department of Science & Technology and as a member of the Justice BN Srikrishna Committee that proposed a data protection framework for India. 

On his appointment, Krishnan said, “Since its inception, Ashoka University has set high standards as a new generation, research-driven institution. It is a great privilege to lead the University as its Vice Chancellor at this critical yet exciting juncture in its evolution. I look forward to working closely with the faculty, students, staff, alumni, donors and all stakeholders to contribute to the university’s continued growth and aspirations.”