Lucknow University VC Prof Alok Kumar Rai to head IIM Calcutta

Prof Alok Kumar Rai, vice chancellor of Lucknow University, has been appointed as the new director of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C), the Ministry of Education confirmed in an official communication.

The appointment has been approved by President Droupadi Murmu, bringing an end to the institute’s nearly two-year wait for a regular full-term director.

"The President, in her capacity as Visitor of IIM Calcutta, has approved the appointment of Alok Kumar Rai, Vice Chancellor of Lucknow University, as the Director of IIM Calcutta," the ministry stated in a letter addressed to the IIM-C Board of Governors.

Rai's selection is notable not only for filling a key leadership role at one of India's top business schools but also for the precedent it sets.

This is the first time in Lucknow University's history that a sitting vice chancellor has been appointed to head a central institution like IIM. It is also a rare instance of a non-IIM faculty member being chosen to lead an IIM.

An academic of distinction, Rai previously served as a professor of management at Banaras Hindu University and has held several advisory roles on national committees and expert panels.

During his tenure at Lucknow University, Rai spearheaded transformative reforms that elevated the institution’s academic stature.

LU became the first university in Uttar Pradesh to receive an A++ grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), earned Category-I status from the University Grants Commission (UGC), and secured the 32nd position among State Public Universities in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

He oversaw the successful implementation of the National Education Policy (2020) at LU and led the university through its centennial year, organizing large-scale celebrations that highlighted its legacy and achievements.

His vision also positioned LU as a hub for international education, with the university hosting one of the largest groups of international students among Indian institutions until last year.

Rai's leadership extended to innovation in digital education. LU launched its Center for Online and Distance Education (LUCODE) and developed a digital learning platform named SLATE to support remote learning.

He was instrumental in setting up new faculties in pharmacy, management, and agriculture and laid the groundwork for a third university campus.

Significant strides were also made in infrastructure development during his term, reflecting a blend of academic excellence and institutional growth that now paves his way to one of India’s premier management institutes.