'In a first', IIT-D prof to be IIM-Lucknow's director

LUCKNOW: A professor at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) is likely to take charge as director of Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow. (IIM-L). It will probably be the first time that an IIT professor will head the prestigious management institute.

Although an official announcement is yet to be made, TOI has learnt that IIM-L's board of governors has approved Prof MP Gupta's appointment. An email circulated on April 14 by the secretary, board of governors (BoG), IIM-L, to the faculty and staff says: "The chairman, board of governors, IIM, Lucknow, Shri N Chandrasekaran, vide his letter dated April 11, 2025, has informed that the BoG has appointed Prof Manmohan Prasad Gupta of IIT Delhi as director of IIM Lucknow for a period of five years. Prof MP Gupta is likely to join IIM Lucknow on April 23, 2025."

If appointed, Prof Gupta will replace Prof Archana Shukla, who finished her five-year term on April 4, 2024 and was directed to continue till the appointment of a regular director. A professor of management sciences, Gupta holds the Modi Foundation chair at IIT Delhi.