Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared a new video on Instagram, delivering a straightforward message: "Thanks to the youngsters who watched," just a day after his viral midnight selfie addressing the NEET paper leak matter.


NEET row: PM Modi appoints Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani as head of new exam reforms task force

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has named Infosys co-founder Nandan Mohanrao Nilekani to lead the high-powered task force that will carve out the blueprint for using technology to make public examinations leak-proof, more transparent, and reliable. Nilekani is already credited with playing a pivotal role in building India’s digital public infrastructure.&nbsp;He will head the high-powered task force that also includes former ISRO Chairman S Somanath, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, former School Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and Higher Education Secretary Amrit Lal Meena.&nbsp;<h2>Who is Nandan Nilekani?</h2>&nbsp;Nandan Mohanrao Nilekani, born on June 2, 1955 in Bengaluru, is among India’s most influential technology leaders. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay before joining Patni Computer Systems in Mumbai in 1978.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pradhan-offered-to-resign-on-the-first-day-of-protests-reveals-senior-bjp-leader-1785061536174">Pradhan offered to resign on the first day of protests, reveals senior BJP leader</a>&nbsp;In 1981, Nilekani and NR Narayana Murthy established Infosys with five other colleagues. As Infosys became one of India’s largest IT services firms, Nilekani served in multiple leadership roles before becoming the company’s Chief Executive Officer in 2002. During his tenure, Infosys’ revenues grew six-fold to nearly $3 billion.&nbsp;Nilekani had to return to Infosys as its non-executive chairman after the departure of former CEO Vishal Sikka in 2017 to steer the company through a critical leadership transition.&nbsp;<h2>The architect of Aadhaar, India’s digital public infra</h2>&nbsp;Nilekani’s most significant contribution came in 2009 when then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited him to head the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) with cabinet rank.As UIDAI chairman, Nilekani led the creation and implementation of Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identity programme. Aadhaar gradually became the backbone of India’s digital governance ecosystem, enabling direct benefit transfers, financial inclusion, and identity verification for over a billion residents.&nbsp;The programme is cited globally as one of the most ambitious digital identity initiatives undertaken by any country.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pralhad-joshi-takes-charge-as-new-education-minister-after-dharmendra-pradhan-s-resignation-1785050987574">Pralhad Joshi takes charge as new education minister after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation</a>&nbsp;Nilekani has also played a pivotal role in shaping India's digital public infrastructure. He was instrumental in promoting the framework that eventually led to the development of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which transformed digital payments across the country and has since become one of India's most successful technology exports.&nbsp;Over the years, he has chaired government technology committees, served on the boards of leading policy institutions, advised international organisations and invested in several Indian technology startups.&nbsp;<h2>Recipient of Padma Bhushan, many other awards</h2>&nbsp;Nilekani’s experience in building digital infrastructure at a national scale is widely seen as one of the key reasons behind his appointment.&nbsp;&nbsp;In January 2023, he was appointed co-chair of the G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure for Economic Transformation, Financial Inclusion, and Development.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/high-powered-task-force-on-exam-reforms-set-up-under-nandan-nilekani-pm-modi-1785073188370#">DMK founder Karunanidhi’s granddaughter booked for slapping SBI branch manager | Video</a>&nbsp;He is a recipient of many national and international honours, including the Padma Bhushan (2006), the Joseph Schumpeter Prize (2005), the Forbes Asia Businessman of the Year award, the Business Standard Lifetime Achievement Award (2022). He was also named in TIME’s lists of the 100 Most Influential People in the World (2006, 2009) and the 100 Most Influential People in AI (2024).&nbsp;&nbsp;Nilekani is also an author. His books include Imagining India, Rebooting India: Realizing a Billion Aspirations (co-authored with Viral Shah), and The Art of Bitfulness: Keeping Calm in the Digital World (co-authored with Tanuj Bhojwani).

Nandan Nilekani’s most significant contribution came in 2009 when then-PM Manmohan Singh invited him to head the Unique Identification Authority of India. As UIDAI chief, Nilekani led the creation and implementation of Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identity programme.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has named Infosys co-founder Nandan Mohanrao Nilekani to lead the high-powered task force that will carve out the blueprint for using technology to make public examinations leak-proof, more transparent, and reliable. Nilekani is already credited with playing a pivotal role in building India’s digital public infrastructure. He will head the high-powered task force that also includes former ISRO Chairman S Somanath, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, former School Education Secretary Anita Karwal, and Higher Education Secretary Amrit Lal Meena. Who is Nandan Nilekani? Nandan Mohanrao Nilekani, born on June 2, 1955 in Bengaluru, is among India’s most influential technology leaders. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay before joining Patni Computer Systems in Mumbai in 1978. Also Read: Pradhan offered to resign on the first day of protests, reveals senior BJP leader In 1981, Nilekani and NR Narayana Murthy established Infosys with five other colleagues. As Infosys became one of India’s largest IT services firms, Nilekani served in multiple leadership roles before becoming the company’s Chief Executive Officer in 2002. During his tenure, Infosys’ revenues grew six-fold to nearly $3 billion. Nilekani had to return to Infosys as its non-executive chairman after the departure of former CEO Vishal Sikka in 2017 to steer the company through a critical leadership transition. The architect of Aadhaar, India’s digital public infra Nilekani’s most significant contribution came in 2009 when then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited him to head the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) with cabinet rank. As UIDAI chairman, Nilekani led the creation and implementation of Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identity programme. Aadhaar gradually became the backbone of India’s digital governance ecosystem, enabling direct benefit transfers, financial inclusion, and identity verification for over a billion residents. The programme is cited globally as one of the most ambitious digital identity initiatives undertaken by any country. Also Read: Pralhad Joshi takes charge as new education minister after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation Nilekani has also played a pivotal role in shaping India's digital public infrastructure. He was instrumental in promoting the framework that eventually led to the development of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which transformed digital payments across the country and has since become one of India's most successful technology exports. Over the years, he has chaired government technology committees, served on the boards of leading policy institutions, advised international organisations and invested in several Indian technology startups. Recipient of Padma Bhushan, many other awards Nilekani’s experience in building digital infrastructure at a national scale is widely seen as one of the key reasons behind his appointment. In January 2023, he was appointed co-chair of the G20 Task Force on Digital Public Infrastructure for Economic Transformation, Financial Inclusion, and Development. Also Read: DMK founder Karunanidhi’s granddaughter booked for slapping SBI branch manager | Video He is a recipient of many national and international honours, including the Padma Bhushan (2006), the Joseph Schumpeter Prize (2005), the Forbes Asia Businessman of the Year award, the Business Standard Lifetime Achievement Award (2022). He was also named in TIME’s lists of the 100 Most Influential People in the World (2006, 2009) and the 100 Most Influential People in AI (2024). Nilekani is also an author. His books include Imagining India, Rebooting India: Realizing a Billion Aspirations (co-authored with Viral Shah), and The Art of Bitfulness: Keeping Calm in the Digital World (co-authored with Tanuj Bhojwani).

Nandan Nilekani’s most significant contribution came in 2009 when then-PM Manmohan Singh invited him to head the Unique Identification Authority of India. As UIDAI chief, Nilekani led the creation and implementation of Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identity programme.

Nandan Nilekani, Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect, to lead PM’s high-powered task force

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a high-level task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms for India's examination system. The panel will submit recommendations aimed at strengthening transparency and efficiency in national exams.

Meanwhile, global tensions continue to rise. An oil tanker reportedly exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a sea mine, while Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed to have downed a Saudi drone. Lebanon accused Israel of obstructing troop deployment in the south, and the UN chief called for the immediate removal of sanctions on Syria. Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks, Romania summoned Russia's ambassador after shooting down another drone, China witnessed deadly flash floods, and Australia vowed to challenge proposed US tariffs.

PM Modi Announces Exam Reform Task Force | Iran Tanker Blast | Ukraine War | Houthi Attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the government has set up a high-powered task force on exam reforms under technology expert Nandan Nilekani. The task force constituted for NTA examination reforms also comprises former ISRO Chairman S Somnath, former IB Director Tapan Deka, IIT Chennai Director V Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and Logistics Expert Amrit Lal Meena. The task force would recommend measures to make India’s examination system more transparent, credible, and technology-driven.&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video message on social media channels to announce the developmentwhile asserting that all those allegedly involved in paper leaks are in jail for messing with the future of students.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pradhan-offered-to-resign-on-the-first-day-of-protests-reveals-senior-bjp-leader-1785061536174">Pradhan offered to resign on the first day of protests, reveals senior BJP leader</a>&nbsp;He said in the video message, “The Government of India is continuously taking various measures for the future of students. Those who tampered with the students’ future are languishing in jail. We have already established fast-track courts. We are also moving towards enacting new legislation in Parliament that incorporates stringent legal provisions.”&nbsp;The Prime Minister said that the government has already taken several steps to protect the interests of students and emphasised that the further reforms would focus on strengthening the examination system for the future.&nbsp;”However, we must look to the future. Our examination system needs to be reliable and transparent, and it must make maximum use of technology. Keeping all these factors in mind, we have decided to constitute a high-powered task force under the leadership of the world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani. This task force will focus on examination reforms, and based on its report, steps will be taken to ensure the credibility of upcoming examinations at the earliest,” the PM added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pralhad-joshi-takes-charge-as-new-education-minister-after-dharmendra-pradhan-s-resignation-1785050987574">Pralhad Joshi takes charge as new education minister after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation</a>&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HIGH POWERED TASK FORCE on examination reforms under the leadership of Shri Nandan Nilekani constituted.<a href="https://x.com/NandanNilekani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NandanNilekani</a> <a href="https://t.co/mMpmPdIEL5">pic.twitter.com/mMpmPdIEL5</a>&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2081371118188028277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;PM Modi made the announcement a day after the government accepted all the demands laid by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which led the protests over the NEET paper leak and demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and withdrawal of FIRs against protesters.&nbsp;PM Modi’s remarks came a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi was entrusted with the additional charge of the Education Ministry.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="DMK founder Karunanidhi’s granddaughter booked for slapping SBI branch manager | Video">DMK founder Karunanidhi’s granddaughter booked for slapping SBI branch manager | Video</a>&nbsp;The government will table the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The bill will strengthen the legal framework against examination-related fraud. The amendments will strengthen the 2024 law by introducing harsher punishments, ensuring time-bound investigations and trials, and creating special fast-track courts to ensure speedy justice.&nbsp;The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, will aim to improve accountability, deter organised examination-related fraud, and restore confidence in the country's public examination system.

PM Narendra Modi said the examination system in the country needs to be reliable and transparent and must make maximum use of technology. He announced the setting up of a high-powered task force under the leadership of the world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the government has set up a high-powered task force on exam reforms under technology expert Nandan Nilekani. The task force constituted for NTA examination reforms also comprises former ISRO Chairman S Somnath, former IB Director Tapan Deka, IIT Chennai Director V Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and Logistics Expert Amrit Lal Meena. The task force would recommend measures to make India’s examination system more transparent, credible, and technology-driven. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video message on social media channels to announce the development while asserting that all those allegedly involved in paper leaks are in jail for messing with the future of students. Also Read: Pradhan offered to resign on the first day of protests, reveals senior BJP leader He said in the video message, “The Government of India is continuously taking various measures for the future of students. Those who tampered with the students’ future are languishing in jail. We have already established fast-track courts. We are also moving towards enacting new legislation in Parliament that incorporates stringent legal provisions.” The Prime Minister said that the government has already taken several steps to protect the interests of students and emphasised that the further reforms would focus on strengthening the examination system for the future. ”However, we must look to the future. Our examination system needs to be reliable and transparent, and it must make maximum use of technology. Keeping all these factors in mind, we have decided to constitute a high-powered task force under the leadership of the world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani. This task force will focus on examination reforms, and based on its report, steps will be taken to ensure the credibility of upcoming examinations at the earliest,” the PM added. Also Read: Pralhad Joshi takes charge as new education minister after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation

PM Narendra Modi said the examination system in the country needs to be reliable and transparent and must make maximum use of technology. He announced the setting up of a high-powered task force under the leadership of the world-renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani.

High-powered task force on exam reforms set up under Nandan Nilekani: PM Modi

Nandan Nilekani says AI could deepen inequality, urges focus on public good. Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. However, he focused that this should not stop countries like India from using AI to solve real-life problems in healthcare, education and language accessibility.Nilekani made the remarks during an event organised by the Asia Society. He said the global AI race may lead to unequal outcomes, but added, “We can’t fight that. Forces at play are much bigger than any of us.” Instead of chasing global dominance in AI, he suggested India should focus on using the technology for local needs.&nbsp;<h2>AI should serve public needs, not just profit</h2>Nilekani, who played a key role in building India's digital public infrastructure like Aadhaar and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), believes AI must be directed towards inclusive outcomes. He said the country’s focus should not be on competing globally but on building solutions that directly improve lives.&nbsp;“Let’s use AI to improve healthcare systems, make education more accessible, and break language barriers,” he said, calling for socially meaningful applications of the technology. He pointed to India’s successful use of digital tools to solve large-scale problems as a guide for AI development.&nbsp;<h2>Not in favour of universal basic income</h2>Nilekani also pushed back against popular ideas like universal basic income (UBI), which some propose as a solution to job loss due to automation. “I don’t agree with that vision. It’s a dystopian idea,” he said. Instead, he suggested that AI should enhance human ability, allowing people to do more rather than replacing them.&nbsp;<h2>Simplicity is key to innovation</h2>Reflecting on India’s approach to digital design, Nilekani said that platforms like UPI were built with simplicity and scale in mind. “The document explaining the payments platform was just one page long,” he said, referring to work by Dilip Asbe and Pramod Verma. He highlighted this simplicity as crucial to building cost-effective, widely used platforms.&nbsp;His message was clear: while AI will create new challenges, India’s strength lies in designing public digital systems that are inclusive, efficient, and people-focused.

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani warns that AI could deepen inequality if misused. He urges India to focus on public good over global AI dominance, applying AI in healthcare, education, and local languages to solve real problems.

Nandan Nilekani says AI could deepen inequality, urges focus on public good. Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) could lead to a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. However, he focused that this should not stop countries like India from using AI to solve real-life problems in healthcare, education and language accessibility. Nilekani made the remarks during an event organised by the Asia Society. He said the global AI race may lead to unequal outcomes, but added, “We can’t fight that. Forces at play are much bigger than any of us.” Instead of chasing global dominance in AI, he suggested India should focus on using the technology for local needs. AI should serve public needs, not just profit Nilekani, who played a key role in building India's digital public infrastructure like Aadhaar and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), believes AI must be directed towards inclusive outcomes. He said the country’s focus should not be on competing globally but on building solutions that directly improve lives. “Let’s use AI to improve healthcare systems, make education more accessible, and break language barriers,” he said, calling for socially meaningful applications of the technology. He pointed to India’s successful use of digital tools to solve large-scale problems as a guide for AI development. Not in favour of universal basic income Nilekani also pushed back against popular ideas like universal basic income (UBI), which some propose as a solution to job loss due to automation. “I don’t agree with that vision. It’s a dystopian idea,” he said. Instead, he suggested that AI should enhance human ability, allowing people to do more rather than replacing them. Simplicity is key to innovation Reflecting on India’s approach to digital design, Nilekani said that platforms like UPI were built with simplicity and scale in mind. “The document explaining the payments platform was just one page long,” he said, referring to work by Dilip Asbe and Pramod Verma. He highlighted this simplicity as crucial to building cost-effective, widely used platforms. His message was clear: while AI will create new challenges, India’s strength lies in designing public digital systems that are inclusive, efficient, and people-focused.

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani warns that AI could deepen inequality if misused. He urges India to focus on public good over global AI dominance, applying AI in healthcare, education, and local languages to solve real problems.

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani says AI should solve real problems, not concentrate power

It is now widely accepted that there is a possibility of artificial intelligence (AI) replacing humans at work. Despite experts raising concerns, tech entrepreneurs have been upbeat about the potential benefits of using AI.

The CEO of Indian IT behemoth Infosys, Salil Parekh, recently said the firm has been using generative AI to service 50 of its client projects.

“We have today 50 active client projects where we are using generative AI and this is becoming an increasing part of the new world which is going to be defined on an AI-first basis,” Parekh said, according to Moneycontrol.com.

These remarks came during Infosys’ 42nd annual general meeting on Wednesday, where the use of AI was discussed prominently among shareholders.&nbsp;

During the meeting, Infosys rolled out its artificial intelligence (AI)-the first strategy with a sharp focus on generative AI.

Parekh has been the driving force behind the integration of generative AI into Infosys’ service offerings. He believes that this technology has the capability to strengthen the future of businesses worldwide.

<h2>Generative AI</h2>

Generative AI refers to AI systems that generate new content, ideas, or solutions based on existing data or patterns. It has the potential to enhance productivity, automate tasks, and drive innovation across various industries.

By leveraging generative AI, Infosys can provide its clients with advanced solutions and services that harness the power of artificial intelligence, Infosys said, according to its website.

The company further said that it was engaging with over 300 clients regarding integrating its AI services, called Infosys Topaz.

<h2>Nilekani cautious </h2>

Chairman Nandan Nilekani, however, struck a cautionary note saying that despite the progress in generative AI, complexities and unresolved issues are associated with its implementation.

Practical considerations, ethical concerns, and intellectual property-related matters must be addressed when scaling&nbsp;AI&nbsp;in the enterprise, he said.

“The AI-first strategy we have embraced is already working for us. We have redesigned our organisation to judiciously balance people, technology, and process while also executing work by segmenting it into cognitive tasks. Today, we can bring to our global clientele the same ability to accelerate business value and amplify human potential using AI technologies with Infosys Topaz,” said Nilekani, according to Business Standard newspaper.

(With inputs from agencies)

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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

It is now widely accepted that there is a possibility of artificial intelligence (AI) replacing humans at work. Despite experts raising concerns, tech entrepreneurs have been upbeat about the potential benefits of using AI.

It is now widely accepted that there is a possibility of artificial intelligence (AI) replacing humans at work. Despite experts raising concerns, tech entrepreneurs have been upbeat about the potential benefits of using AI. The CEO of Indian IT behemoth Infosys, Salil Parekh, recently said the firm has been using generative AI to service 50 of its client projects. “We have today 50 active client projects where we are using generative AI and this is becoming an increasing part of the new world which is going to be defined on an AI-first basis,” Parekh said, according to Moneycontrol.com. These remarks came during Infosys’ 42nd annual general meeting on Wednesday, where the use of AI was discussed prominently among shareholders. During the meeting, Infosys rolled out its artificial intelligence (AI)-the first strategy with a sharp focus on generative AI. Parekh has been the driving force behind the integration of generative AI into Infosys’ service offerings. He believes that this technology has the capability to strengthen the future of businesses worldwide. Generative AI Generative AI refers to AI systems that generate new content, ideas, or solutions based on existing data or patterns. It has the potential to enhance productivity, automate tasks, and drive innovation across various industries. By leveraging generative AI, Infosys can provide its clients with advanced solutions and services that harness the power of artificial intelligence, Infosys said, according to its website. The company further said that it was engaging with over 300 clients regarding integrating its AI services, called Infosys Topaz. Nilekani cautious Chairman Nandan Nilekani, however, struck a cautionary note saying that despite the progress in generative AI, complexities and unresolved issues are associated with its implementation. Practical considerations, ethical concerns, and intellectual property-related matters must be addressed when scaling AI in the enterprise, he said. “The AI-first strategy we have embraced is already working for us. We have redesigned our organisation to judiciously balance people, technology, and process while also executing work by segmenting it into cognitive tasks. Today, we can bring to our global clientele the same ability to accelerate business value and amplify human potential using AI technologies with Infosys Topaz,” said Nilekani, according to Business Standard newspaper. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Infosys using generative AI to handle 50 client projects, says CEO Parekh

Nandan Nilekani is no stranger to both innovation and multi-billion-dollar projects. The 66-year-old is probably the most well-known for founding tech giant Infosys along with N. R. Narayana Murthy and he even played a major part in developing the Aadhar biometric ID system for the government.<o:p></o:p>

The accomplishments continue for Nilekani as also helped in the introduction of United Payment Interface (UPI) – a payment structure which is used by giant companies like Google and WhatsApp.<o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;However, the latest project for Nilekani is to save the online retail market of India from the challenge of mammoth e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart and to provide the local shops an online platform that will allow them to participate in the space of digital commerce.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/will-elon-musk-take-u-turn-from-offer-to-buy-twitter-474562" hreflang="en">Will Elon Musk take U-turn from offer to buy Twitter?</a><o:p></o:p>

The project currently known as Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will reportedly be an open network for small merchants to directly provide their products to traders as well as consumers.<o:p></o:p>

With companies like Amazon and Flipkart providing door-to-door service at breakneck speeds, the market has become skewed in their favour and this has directly impacted the smaller merchants. <o:p></o:p>

But, with the application and adoption of ONDC, the consumers will have to able to look for a number of services at the same place and it will provide a space for all traders to showcase their products. As a result, it will become a direct competition for foreign companies who currently occupy around 80 per cent of the entire e-commerce market of India, according to News18.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amid-fourth-covid-19-wave-fears-india-reports-3303-new-cases-active-cases-increase-to-16980-474564" hreflang="en">India experiences substantial growth in daily number of COVID-19 cases</a><o:p></o:p>

According to the report in Business Standard, the ONDC network will soon be rolled out with government assistance and the first five test cities will be Delhi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong. However, the plan for the government is to expand it to 100 cities within the next six months.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Nandan Nilekani is no stranger to both innovation and multi-billion-dollar projects. The 66-year-old is probably the most well-known for founding tech giant Infosys along with N.

Nandan Nilekani is no stranger to both innovation and multi-billion-dollar projects. The 66-year-old is probably the most well-known for founding tech giant Infosys along with N. R. Narayana Murthy and he even played a major part in developing the Aadhar biometric ID system for the government. The accomplishments continue for Nilekani as also helped in the introduction of United Payment Interface (UPI) – a payment structure which is used by giant companies like Google and WhatsApp. However, the latest project for Nilekani is to save the online retail market of India from the challenge of mammoth e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart and to provide the local shops an online platform that will allow them to participate in the space of digital commerce. Also read | Will Elon Musk take U-turn from offer to buy Twitter? The project currently known as Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will reportedly be an open network for small merchants to directly provide their products to traders as well as consumers. With companies like Amazon and Flipkart providing door-to-door service at breakneck speeds, the market has become skewed in their favour and this has directly impacted the smaller merchants. But, with the application and adoption of ONDC, the consumers will have to able to look for a number of services at the same place and it will provide a space for all traders to showcase their products. As a result, it will become a direct competition for foreign companies who currently occupy around 80 per cent of the entire e-commerce market of India, according to News18. Also read | India experiences substantial growth in daily number of COVID-19 cases According to the report in Business Standard, the ONDC network will soon be rolled out with government assistance and the first five test cities will be Delhi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong. However, the plan for the government is to expand it to 100 cities within the next six months. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Nandan Nilekani looking to help Indian small merchants with Open Network for Digital Commerce

IT czar and chairman of tech giant Infosys Nandan Nilekani Saturday said the company was fully aligned with its growth strategy and that he was very optimistic of things going well.

"Absolutely, stability is not a question. I think a way beyond that. The company is fully aligned. Salil Parekh, CEO and MD of the firm, has come in and articulated a great strategy," he said.

"You can see that in numbers - the company is growing very well, people are very motivated," he said in response to a question whether stability was back at the company.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 38th annual general meeting of Infosys, he said, "So I'm very optimistic, things are going well."

Nilekani was appointed as the chairman to steer the tech giant in August 2017, after months of acrimony between founders and the then management led by R Seshasayee (chairman) and Vishal Sikka (CEO and MD).

The IT major held its 38th AGM Saturday that was attended by hundreds of shareholders from the city and different parts of the country.

Responding to a question related to Panaya and Skava businesses by shareholders, Parekh during the AGM said as stated in the financial report and results, Panaya and Skava were not being held as assets for sale.

He said, We are now looking at how we are going to re-focus and repurpose activities within those businesses that will help in the areas that we are now looking to grow the company in and that's the activity that is starting."

"We have assigned the senior members of the leadership team one each for Panay and Skava, who are spending a lot of time with addition to their roles trying to see how for example we can combine these in what we are doing in terms of retail or manufacturing segment," he said.

"We hope to have better results from this focus in short and medium-term," he added.

Infosys had earlier too indicated that it has dropped plans to sell Panaya and two other subsidiaries Skava and Kallidus after it failed to find any potential buyers.

In April last, Infosys had announced its plan to sell Panaya - the Israeli firm whose acquisition became a contentious issue between the founders and the erstwhile management led by Vishal Sikka - along with Kallidus and Skava.

It expected the sale to be completed by March 2019.

A whistle-blower report in 2017 had alleged wrongdoings by Infosys and some officials in the USD 200- million acquisition of Israeli automation technology firm Panaya by the Bengaluru-based IT services firm.

An internal audit committee set up by Infosys found no evidence supporting the whistle-blowers allegations.

However, Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy had demanded that the full report by Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher on the whistleblower allegations be made public.

Later in October 2017, the Infosys board - under its new chairman Nandan Nilekani -- gave a clean chit to the controversial Panaya acquisition, saying there was no merit in the allegations of wrongdoing.

Responding to investors regarding investigation report on Panaya not being made public, Nilekani said, The investigation report is a confidential document and many statements given during the process was given by people on the assurance of expectation of confidentiality. So the board is very comfortable with the decision to keep it as it is."

Earlier in his address to the AGM, Nilekani said Infosys was embracing the Live Enterprise vision and continuously changing to prepare for the new world.

"In fact, in the past year, we have done much to progress on this path. We've been working relentlessly to rebuild our 2,00,000-plus people organisation to operate with the speed and flexibility of a start-up, he said.

"Guided by the strategy articulated by Salil Parekh, we focussed on increasing our relevance to clients and building greater business model resilience, Nilekani said, On behalf of the board, I want to assure you all that we will do everything we can to build on the advantages and harness the vitality of this high-energy management team that is inspiring thousands of charged Infoscions to move forward and take the world with them.

"Our aspirations are ambitious and execution plans bold. Our motivation and commitment to take it forward is founded on the generous guidance and support of our partners, clients, co-founders and governments of the several countries and states that we operate in, he added.&nbsp;

IT czar and chairman of tech giant Infosys Nandan Nilekani Saturday said the company was fully aligned with its growth strategy and that he was very optimistic of things going well.

IT czar and chairman of tech giant Infosys Nandan Nilekani Saturday said the company was fully aligned with its growth strategy and that he was very optimistic of things going well. "Absolutely, stability is not a question. I think a way beyond that. The company is fully aligned. Salil Parekh, CEO and MD of the firm, has come in and articulated a great strategy," he said. "You can see that in numbers - the company is growing very well, people are very motivated," he said in response to a question whether stability was back at the company. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 38th annual general meeting of Infosys, he said, "So I'm very optimistic, things are going well." Nilekani was appointed as the chairman to steer the tech giant in August 2017, after months of acrimony between founders and the then management led by R Seshasayee (chairman) and Vishal Sikka (CEO and MD). The IT major held its 38th AGM Saturday that was attended by hundreds of shareholders from the city and different parts of the country. Responding to a question related to Panaya and Skava businesses by shareholders, Parekh during the AGM said as stated in the financial report and results, Panaya and Skava were not being held as assets for sale. He said, We are now looking at how we are going to re-focus and repurpose activities within those businesses that will help in the areas that we are now looking to grow the company in and that's the activity that is starting." "We have assigned the senior members of the leadership team one each for Panay and Skava, who are spending a lot of time with addition to their roles trying to see how for example we can combine these in what we are doing in terms of retail or manufacturing segment," he said. "We hope to have better results from this focus in short and medium-term," he added. Infosys had earlier too indicated that it has dropped plans to sell Panaya and two other subsidiaries Skava and Kallidus after it failed to find any potential buyers. In April last, Infosys had announced its plan to sell Panaya - the Israeli firm whose acquisition became a contentious issue between the founders and the erstwhile management led by Vishal Sikka - along with Kallidus and Skava. It expected the sale to be completed by March 2019. A whistle-blower report in 2017 had alleged wrongdoings by Infosys and some officials in the USD 200- million acquisition of Israeli automation technology firm Panaya by the Bengaluru-based IT services firm. An internal audit committee set up by Infosys found no evidence supporting the whistle-blowers allegations. However, Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy had demanded that the full report by Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher on the whistleblower allegations be made public. Later in October 2017, the Infosys board - under its new chairman Nandan Nilekani -- gave a clean chit to the controversial Panaya acquisition, saying there was no merit in the allegations of wrongdoing. Responding to investors regarding investigation report on Panaya not being made public, Nilekani said, The investigation report is a confidential document and many statements given during the process was given by people on the assurance of expectation of confidentiality. So the board is very comfortable with the decision to keep it as it is." Earlier in his address to the AGM, Nilekani said Infosys was embracing the Live Enterprise vision and continuously changing to prepare for the new world. "In fact, in the past year, we have done much to progress on this path. We've been working relentlessly to rebuild our 2,00,000-plus people organisation to operate with the speed and flexibility of a start-up, he said. "Guided by the strategy articulated by Salil Parekh, we focussed on increasing our relevance to clients and building greater business model resilience, Nilekani said, On behalf of the board, I want to assure you all that we will do everything we can to build on the advantages and harness the vitality of this high-energy management team that is inspiring thousands of charged Infoscions to move forward and take the world with them. "Our aspirations are ambitious and execution plans bold. Our motivation and commitment to take it forward is founded on the generous guidance and support of our partners, clients, co-founders and governments of the several countries and states that we operate in, he added.

We are right on growth strategy path: Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, as the chairman of the committee to assess digitisation of payments in India.&nbsp;

The high-level committee under Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani will suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments in the country.

Nilekani was earlier, during the UPA regime, UIDAI chairman <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/orchestrated-campaign-to-malign-aadhaar-nilekani-29202">which oversaw the implementation of the Aadhar programme</a>.

The five-member panel on deepening of digital payments has been constituted with a view to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion through digitisation, the RBI said in a statement.

"The committee shall submit its report within a period of 90 days from the date of its first meeting," it added.

The panel has been tasked with reviewing the existing status of digitisation of payments in the country, identifying the current gaps in the ecosystem and suggesting ways to bridge them and assessing the current levels of digital payments in financial inclusion.

It will also "suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments... (and) a road map for increasing customer confidence and trust while accessing financial services through digital modes".

It has also been asked to undertake cross country analyses with a view to identifying best practices that can be adopted in our country to accelerate digitisation of the economy and financial inclusion through greater use of digital payments.

Another term of reference of the panel, the RBI said is to suggest a medium-term strategy for deepening of digital payments.

The five members of the committee are - Nandan Nilekani, HR Khan (former Deputy Governor, RBI), Kishore Sansi (former Managing Director &amp; Chief Executive Officer, Vijaya Bank), &nbsp;Aruna Sharma (former Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology and Steel) and &nbsp;Sanjay Jain (Chief Innovation Officer, Center for Innovation, Incubation &amp; Entrepreneurship (CIIE), IIM Ahmedabad).

(With inputs from PTI)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, as the chairman of the committee to assess digitisation of payments in India.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, as the chairman of the committee to assess digitisation of payments in India. The high-level committee under Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani will suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments in the country. Nilekani was earlier, during the UPA regime, UIDAI chairman which oversaw the implementation of the Aadhar programme. The five-member panel on deepening of digital payments has been constituted with a view to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion through digitisation, the RBI said in a statement. "The committee shall submit its report within a period of 90 days from the date of its first meeting," it added. The panel has been tasked with reviewing the existing status of digitisation of payments in the country, identifying the current gaps in the ecosystem and suggesting ways to bridge them and assessing the current levels of digital payments in financial inclusion. It will also "suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments... (and) a road map for increasing customer confidence and trust while accessing financial services through digital modes". It has also been asked to undertake cross country analyses with a view to identifying best practices that can be adopted in our country to accelerate digitisation of the economy and financial inclusion through greater use of digital payments. Another term of reference of the panel, the RBI said is to suggest a medium-term strategy for deepening of digital payments. The five members of the committee are - Nandan Nilekani, HR Khan (former Deputy Governor, RBI), Kishore Sansi (former Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Vijaya Bank), Aruna Sharma (former Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology and Steel) and Sanjay Jain (Chief Innovation Officer, Center for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship (CIIE), IIM Ahmedabad). (With inputs from PTI)

RBI appoints Nandan Nilekani as chairman of committee to assess digital payments

Former Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Chairman Nandan Nilekani said there was an &quot;orchestrated campaign&quot; to malign Aadhaar.

Reacting to the filing of an FIR on The Tribune newspaper report relating to Aadhaar data breach, he said &quot;there is hundred per cent an orchestrated campaign to see how Aadhaar gets maligned, yes absolutely,&quot; Nilekani told on the sidelines of the Infosys Science Foundation Award here.

Delhi Police recently filed an FIR on a complaint by a UIDAI official following the newspaper report on data breach of more than 1 billion Aadhaar cards, naming the journalist behind the story.

The police were informed by the official that the correspondent, posing as a buyer, had purchased a service being offered by anonymous sellers over WhatsApp that provided unrestricted access to details of Aadhaar numbers.

Nilekani said the issue has been blown out of proportion as Aadhaar has built far too many security layers and it is not possible to randomly pore it.

He said negative views on Aadhaar will have negative reactions and hence, it would be better for people to have a constructive view on it, he said referring to FIR filed in the Tribune case.

&quot;If you are just taking a negative view, and not a constructive view, then you also have other (negative) reactions. I think, everybody has to accept Aadhaar is here to stay,&quot; reports stated the former UIDAI chief as saying.

The Aadhaar is here to stay because as many as 119 crore people have it, 550 million have linked the numbers to their bank accounts and Rs 95,000 crore transferred into DBT accounts, he added.

Nilekani said he was very confident of the Supreme Court upholding Aadhaar under the fundamental right to privacy because it meets the test of the law being proportionate and reasonable.

He welcomed putting in place a two-layer security to reinforce privacy protection for Aadhaar ID number holders by the UIDAI.

&quot;I think this is a very significant announcement by UIDAI and in some sense it really makes the case against it go away,&quot; he said.

The former UIDAI chief said it has introduced a virtual identification for ID holders so that the actual number need not be shared by the people to authenticate their identity.

Simultaneously, it has further regulated the storage of the Aadhaar number within various databases, he added.&nbsp;

Nilekani welcomed putting in place a two-layer security to reinforce privacy protection for Aadhaar ID number holders by the UIDAI.

Former Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Chairman Nandan Nilekani said there was an "orchestrated campaign" to malign Aadhaar. Reacting to the filing of an FIR on The Tribune newspaper report relating to Aadhaar data breach, he said "there is hundred per cent an orchestrated campaign to see how Aadhaar gets maligned, yes absolutely," Nilekani told on the sidelines of the Infosys Science Foundation Award here. Delhi Police recently filed an FIR on a complaint by a UIDAI official following the newspaper report on data breach of more than 1 billion Aadhaar cards, naming the journalist behind the story. The police were informed by the official that the correspondent, posing as a buyer, had purchased a service being offered by anonymous sellers over WhatsApp that provided unrestricted access to details of Aadhaar numbers. Nilekani said the issue has been blown out of proportion as Aadhaar has built far too many security layers and it is not possible to randomly pore it. He said negative views on Aadhaar will have negative reactions and hence, it would be better for people to have a constructive view on it, he said referring to FIR filed in the Tribune case. "If you are just taking a negative view, and not a constructive view, then you also have other (negative) reactions. I think, everybody has to accept Aadhaar is here to stay," reports stated the former UIDAI chief as saying. The Aadhaar is here to stay because as many as 119 crore people have it, 550 million have linked the numbers to their bank accounts and Rs 95,000 crore transferred into DBT accounts, he added. Nilekani said he was very confident of the Supreme Court upholding Aadhaar under the fundamental right to privacy because it meets the test of the law being proportionate and reasonable. He welcomed putting in place a two-layer security to reinforce privacy protection for Aadhaar ID number holders by the UIDAI. "I think this is a very significant announcement by UIDAI and in some sense it really makes the case against it go away," he said. The former UIDAI chief said it has introduced a virtual identification for ID holders so that the actual number need not be shared by the people to authenticate their identity. Simultaneously, it has further regulated the storage of the Aadhaar number within various databases, he added.

'Orchestrated' campaign to malign Aadhaar: Nilekani

Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy has defended his role in the last few months which saw him raising questions over the deteriorating governance stadards of the company.

Murthy said that his actions were taken keeping in mind the&nbsp;interest of the shareholders and not for personal gains.

Murthy was speaking at a conference call with investors.

He expressed hope that the management will support Nandan Nilekani who took over as the non-executive chairman of the company after former chief executive officer Vishal Sikka&#39;s tumultuous exit.

Sikka&#39;s exit led to a flurry of exchanges between the board of the company and Murthy.&nbsp;

The board blamed him for Sikka&#39;s exit.&nbsp;

Sikka&#39;s exit triggered panic on the street and led to a significant fall in the company&#39;s share prices.&nbsp;

However, the stock recovered some of the losses after Nilekani took over the reins of the company. 
&nbsp;

He hoped management will support Nandan Nilekani in his new role as non-executive chairman

Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy has defended his role in the last few months which saw him raising questions over the deteriorating governance stadards of the company. Murthy said that his actions were taken keeping in mind the interest of the shareholders and not for personal gains. Murthy was speaking at a conference call with investors. He expressed hope that the management will support Nandan Nilekani who took over as the non-executive chairman of the company after former chief executive officer Vishal Sikka's tumultuous exit. Sikka's exit led to a flurry of exchanges between the board of the company and Murthy. The board blamed him for Sikka's exit. Sikka's exit triggered panic on the street and led to a significant fall in the company's share prices. However, the stock recovered some of the losses after Nilekani took over the reins of the company.

'My actions always in shareholders' interest, not for personal gains': Narayana Murthy

Let&#39;s hope Lord Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles, casts his benevolent gaze on Infosys&#39; board room!

Make no mistake about it: Infosys Technologies Ltd., India&#39;s second largest software services exporter, is in deep, deep trouble. The tech giant parachuted its former Chief Executive Officer Nandan Nilekani as the Non-Executive Chairman on Thursday evening in a bid to suture a gaping corporate governance wound, assure angry investors and edgy staff that all will be well at the Bangalore-based bellwether stock.

&quot;I want to put this company on the right path&quot;, Nilekani, 62, told investors in a conference call. &quot;I plan to be here as long as necessary and work as hard as necessary&quot;,&nbsp;he added.&nbsp;

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Nilekani, widely respected across the corporate and political spectrum and known as India&#39;s tech czar, has his task cut out. Over the past two years, Infosys&#39; creative juices have been sapped by a bitter and intensely public battle between its independent board and the founder N R Narayana Murthy on several pin pricks.&nbsp;

Murthy, who started Infosys in 1981 along with 6 others, including Nilekani, accused the board of a sharp drop in corporate governance, allegedly overpaying for an acquisition and, generally, deviating from &#39;Infosys&nbsp;culture and values&#39;. Though, the board denied all allegations publicly and vociferously.&nbsp;

The public spat resulted in the Infosys stock under performing its peers, the main indices and the broader market over the past 24 months. This attrition also prompted Chief Executive Officer Vishal Sikka to resign last week, citing &#39;continuous distractions&#39; as his reason for quitting. The embattled Chairman of the board, R. Seshasayee, and two other independent directors also put in their papers.&nbsp;

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Nilekani&#39;s first task is to find a CEO for Infosys. It is a tough task in an environment when several founders together executed a coup on a competent board adorned with accomplished and seasoned professionals.

Infosys is also facing&nbsp;many&nbsp;headwinds. Its top line is near stagnant. The main market for its services, the United States, is head over heals in love with automation. All Indian software companies, including Infosys, are also battling a hostile work environment in the US, where a large section of the political class accuses them of employing low-cost Indian tech workers instead of local professionals.

Nilekani has to also alter a widely held perception that some founders, all of them above 55 at least, refuse to let go of Infosys and that they continue to engage in backseat driving at a time when the tech world is undergoing a massive shift. Cast a cursory eye across global tech companies and you will see 30-year-olds occupying the corner office. Decisions are taken at the spur of a moment, rivals are bought in seconds and business models are shed without batting an eyelid.

Now, contrast this with Infosys, where 71-year-old Murthy is alleged to have pushed the board to do his bidding under the threat of media attacks. Murthy denies all charges.

The other issue that Nilekani faces is that Infosys is no longer the market&#39;s darling. It&#39;s long reign as India&#39;s finest stock ended somewhere in the middle of the previous decade. In fact, seasoned investors have mostly ignored the boardroom tussle to an extent that 8-12 per cent drop in the stock&#39;s price refuses to attract sustained buying support.&nbsp;

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As a consequence, Infosys has had to resort to a costly buyback to retain its sheen as a bellwether stock. And, only those fund managers who are mostly obliged to purchase Infosys due to its heavy weighting in several indices wrote to the board to get Nilekani back on the saddle.

Is Nilekani up to these mountainous tasks? Can he get Infosys&#39; top customers to pay more? Can he convince investors to line up to buy the stock? Certainly, he can. The IIT-Bombay graduate ensured Infosys&nbsp;turnover grew sixfold to $3 billion during his 5-year stint as the CEO between 2002-07. Here&#39;s wishing him all the luck that Ganesha brings on this Chaturthi!

"I want to put this company on the right path", says Infosys' new Non-Executive Chairman Nandan Nilekani.

Let's hope Lord Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles, casts his benevolent gaze on Infosys' board room! Make no mistake about it: Infosys Technologies Ltd., India's second largest software services exporter, is in deep, deep trouble. The tech giant parachuted its former Chief Executive Officer Nandan Nilekani as the Non-Executive Chairman on Thursday evening in a bid to suture a gaping corporate governance wound, assure angry investors and edgy staff that all will be well at the Bangalore-based bellwether stock. "I want to put this company on the right path", Nilekani, 62, told investors in a conference call. "I plan to be here as long as necessary and work as hard as necessary", he added. Over the past two years, Infosys' creative juices have been sapped by a bitter and intensely public battle between its independent board and the founder N R Narayana Murthy on several pin pricks. × Nilekani, widely respected across the corporate and political spectrum and known as India's tech czar, has his task cut out. Over the past two years, Infosys' creative juices have been sapped by a bitter and intensely public battle between its independent board and the founder N R Narayana Murthy on several pin pricks. Murthy, who started Infosys in 1981 along with 6 others, including Nilekani, accused the board of a sharp drop in corporate governance, allegedly overpaying for an acquisition and, generally, deviating from 'Infosys culture and values'. Though, the board denied all allegations publicly and vociferously. The public spat resulted in the Infosys stock under performing its peers, the main indices and the broader market over the past 24 months. This attrition also prompted Chief Executive Officer Vishal Sikka to resign last week, citing 'continuous distractions' as his reason for quitting. The embattled Chairman of the board, R. Seshasayee, and two other independent directors also put in their papers. All Indian software companies, including Infosys, are also battling a hostile work environment in the US, where a large section of the political class accuses them of employing low-cost Indian tech workers instead of local professionals. × Nilekani's first task is to find a CEO for Infosys. It is a tough task in an environment when several founders together executed a coup on a competent board adorned with accomplished and seasoned professionals. Infosys is also facing many headwinds. Its top line is near stagnant. The main market for its services, the United States, is head over heals in love with automation. All Indian software companies, including Infosys, are also battling a hostile work environment in the US, where a large section of the political class accuses them of employing low-cost Indian tech workers instead of local professionals. Nilekani has to also alter a widely held perception that some founders, all of them above 55 at least, refuse to let go of Infosys and that they continue to engage in backseat driving at a time when the tech world is undergoing a massive shift. Cast a cursory eye across global tech companies and you will see 30-year-olds occupying the corner office. Decisions are taken at the spur of a moment, rivals are bought in seconds and business models are shed without batting an eyelid. Now, contrast this with Infosys, where 71-year-old Murthy is alleged to have pushed the board to do his bidding under the threat of media attacks. Murthy denies all charges. The other issue that Nilekani faces is that Infosys is no longer the market's darling. It's long reign as India's finest stock ended somewhere in the middle of the previous decade. In fact, seasoned investors have mostly ignored the boardroom tussle to an extent that 8-12 per cent drop in the stock's price refuses to attract sustained buying support. Those fund managers who are mostly obliged to purchase Infosys due to its heavy weighting in several indices wrote to the board to get Nilekani back on the saddle. × As a consequence, Infosys has had to resort to a costly buyback to retain its sheen as a bellwether stock. And, only those fund managers who are mostly obliged to purchase Infosys due to its heavy weighting in several indices wrote to the board to get Nilekani back on the saddle. Is Nilekani up to these mountainous tasks? Can he get Infosys' top customers to pay more? Can he convince investors to line up to buy the stock? Certainly, he can. The IIT-Bombay graduate ensured Infosys turnover grew sixfold to $3 billion during his 5-year stint as the CEO between 2002-07. Here's wishing him all the luck that Ganesha brings on this Chaturthi!

Infosys shares look up as bloody boardroom battle ends

Nandan Nilekani,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/infosys-appoints-nandan-nilekani-as-non-executive-chairman-19471"> who was appointed as non-executive chairman by Infosys</a> yesterday, clarified in his first concall with investors that his role in the IT major would be &quot;oversight, governance and functioning, and help with CEO search.&quot; He added that he&nbsp;&quot;will go when stability returns.&quot;

&quot;As Infosys Non-executive Chairman, my role will be oversight, governance and functioning, help with CEO search,&quot; said Nandan Nilekani, who was called in by Infosys founders after the resignation of former CEO Vishal Sikka.

Mr Nilekani, former CEO and also a co-founder of Infosys, said he would try to ensure a &quot;healthy relationship&quot; between the Board and co-founder Narayan Murthy.

He acknowledged that he is an &quot;admirer&quot; of Murthy, saying the &quot;iconic visionary&quot; is the father of corporate governance in India.

&quot;Many good practices (of corporate governance) including full disclosures and transparency, SEC filings... Were spearheaded by Infosys. I will ensure Infosys, Murthy and the founders have a healthy relationship,&quot; Nilekani told investors on a conference call today.

Mr Nilekani said his appointment was a &quot;unanimous&quot; board decision and Murthy too was &quot;supportive&quot; of his coming in.

He added that he would &quot;unveil more strategy details&quot; in October and instead focus on bringing stability to the company.&nbsp;

&quot;Too premature for me to comment on Infosys&#39; strategy, guidance and earnings; committed to highest standards of corporate governance,&quot; he said.

&quot;Will unveil more strategy details in October, want to bring complete stability and have no discordant voices at Infosys.&quot;

He, however, dodged a specific query on whether Infosys would withdraw its&nbsp;scathing statement, issued by the board on August 18, to the stock exchanges. The statement blamed Murthy for carrying out a &quot;misguided&quot; campaign that led to Sikka&#39;s resignation.

Instead, Nandan Nilekani promised that he will look at the entire gamut of issues and resolve them to the &quot;satisfaction of all parties&quot;.

Alluding to the difficult task cut out for him in bridging the differences, he highlighted his past roles as a &quot;consensus builder&quot;.

He was instrumental in rolling out India&#39;s biggest technology project, Aadhaar, which gives a unique identification number to every citizen.

He &nbsp;today cited the example of India&#39;s mega biometric project Aadhaar,&nbsp;&nbsp;saying the project was initiated by one government and carried forward by another.

&quot;My job has been consensus building... I assume that people will see me as a unifier. I will bring those skills I have,&quot; he said.

People close to the founders, who are also believed to have pushed Nilekani&#39;s case, said his credibility and political capital will help him act as a conduit between the management and the founders. 
 
He is also seen as someone who the co-founders, led by Murthy, would listen to and one who can restore order in the troubled company, they said.

Infosys plunged into crisis after the resignation of Vishal Sikka last week.&nbsp;The company blamed&nbsp;&quot;NR Narayana Murthy&#39;s continuous assault&quot; for Sikka&#39;s resignation.

Chairman R Seshasayee and two other directors followed suit. Ravi Venkatesan stepped down as co-chair, but will continue as an independent director on the board, Infosys said yesterday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/below-my-dignity-to-respond-to-baseless-insinuations-narayana-murthy-on-infosys-accusations-19174">Narayan Murthy had&nbsp;said he is &quot;anguished&quot; by Infosys allegations</a> against him and said &quot;the deteriorating standard of corporate governance&quot; was the reason for the concerns raised by him. 
 
Nandan Nilekani was the CEO of Infosys&nbsp;from 2002 to 2007.

 
&nbsp;

The Infosys Non-executive Chairman said he would try to ensure a 'healthy relationship' between the Infosys Board and co-founder Narayan Murthy

Nandan Nilekani, who was appointed as non-executive chairman by Infosys yesterday, clarified in his first concall with investors that his role in the IT major would be "oversight, governance and functioning, and help with CEO search." He added that he "will go when stability returns." "As Infosys Non-executive Chairman, my role will be oversight, governance and functioning, help with CEO search," said Nandan Nilekani, who was called in by Infosys founders after the resignation of former CEO Vishal Sikka. Mr Nilekani, former CEO and also a co-founder of Infosys, said he would try to ensure a "healthy relationship" between the Board and co-founder Narayan Murthy. He acknowledged that he is an "admirer" of Murthy, saying the "iconic visionary" is the father of corporate governance in India. "Many good practices (of corporate governance) including full disclosures and transparency, SEC filings... Were spearheaded by Infosys. I will ensure Infosys, Murthy and the founders have a healthy relationship," Nilekani told investors on a conference call today. Mr Nilekani said his appointment was a "unanimous" board decision and Murthy too was "supportive" of his coming in. He added that he would "unveil more strategy details" in October and instead focus on bringing stability to the company. "Too premature for me to comment on Infosys' strategy, guidance and earnings; committed to highest standards of corporate governance," he said. "Will unveil more strategy details in October, want to bring complete stability and have no discordant voices at Infosys." He, however, dodged a specific query on whether Infosys would withdraw its scathing statement, issued by the board on August 18, to the stock exchanges. The statement blamed Murthy for carrying out a "misguided" campaign that led to Sikka's resignation. Instead, Nandan Nilekani promised that he will look at the entire gamut of issues and resolve them to the "satisfaction of all parties". Alluding to the difficult task cut out for him in bridging the differences, he highlighted his past roles as a "consensus builder". He was instrumental in rolling out India's biggest technology project, Aadhaar, which gives a unique identification number to every citizen. He today cited the example of India's mega biometric project Aadhaar, saying the project was initiated by one government and carried forward by another. "My job has been consensus building... I assume that people will see me as a unifier. I will bring those skills I have," he said. People close to the founders, who are also believed to have pushed Nilekani's case, said his credibility and political capital will help him act as a conduit between the management and the founders. He is also seen as someone who the co-founders, led by Murthy, would listen to and one who can restore order in the troubled company, they said. Infosys plunged into crisis after the resignation of Vishal Sikka last week. The company blamed "NR Narayana Murthy's continuous assault" for Sikka's resignation. Chairman R Seshasayee and two other directors followed suit. Ravi Venkatesan stepped down as co-chair, but will continue as an independent director on the board, Infosys said yesterday. Narayan Murthy had said he is "anguished" by Infosys allegations against him and said "the deteriorating standard of corporate governance" was the reason for the concerns raised by him. Nandan Nilekani was the CEO of Infosys from 2002 to 2007.

My role will be oversight, governance, help with CEO search: Nandan Nilekani

Indian shares inched up in thin trade on Thursday with gains in IT stocks such as Infosys offsetting losses in banking shares.

IT stocks were among the top gainers with Infosys rising as much as 2.4 per cent after a group of institutional investors asked the company to bring former CEO Nandan Nilekani back on to its board to settle the feud with the founders.

Gains were however muted as investors booked profit in banking shares after a rally in the previous session following federal cabinet&#39;s approval of a mechanism to oversee consolidation in public sector banks.

Shares of state-run lenders Punjab National Bank and Allahabad Bank fell 1.5 per cent and 1.8 per cent, after gaining 3.4 per cent and 4.7 per cent in the previous session.

A stronger bank will not readily absorb a weaker one because it wouldn&#39;t want its balance sheet to weaken, said Saurabh Jain, assistant vice-president of research at SMC Global Securities.

&quot;It is a difficult and a challenging process.&quot;

The broader NSE Nifty was up 0.08 per cent at 9,860.6 as of 0546 GMT, while the benchmark BSE Sensex was 0.08 per cent higher at 31,591.98.

Pharma stocks such as Sun Pharmaceuticals and Lupin gained over 2.5 per cent each.

Shares of brewers surged after the Supreme Court clarified that the liquor ban on highways did not apply to licensed establishments falling within municipal areas. United Spirits and Globus Spirits rose between 5 per cent and 13 per cent.

IT stocks were among the top gainers with Infosys rising as much as 2.4 per cent after a group of institutional investors asked the company to bring former CEO Nandan Nilekani back on to its board to settle the feud with the founders

Indian shares inched up in thin trade on Thursday with gains in IT stocks such as Infosys offsetting losses in banking shares. IT stocks were among the top gainers with Infosys rising as much as 2.4 per cent after a group of institutional investors asked the company to bring former CEO Nandan Nilekani back on to its board to settle the feud with the founders. Gains were however muted as investors booked profit in banking shares after a rally in the previous session following federal cabinet's approval of a mechanism to oversee consolidation in public sector banks. Shares of state-run lenders Punjab National Bank and Allahabad Bank fell 1.5 per cent and 1.8 per cent, after gaining 3.4 per cent and 4.7 per cent in the previous session. A stronger bank will not readily absorb a weaker one because it wouldn't want its balance sheet to weaken, said Saurabh Jain, assistant vice-president of research at SMC Global Securities. "It is a difficult and a challenging process." The broader NSE Nifty was up 0.08 per cent at 9,860.6 as of 0546 GMT, while the benchmark BSE Sensex was 0.08 per cent higher at 31,591.98. Pharma stocks such as Sun Pharmaceuticals and Lupin gained over 2.5 per cent each. Shares of brewers surged after the Supreme Court clarified that the liquor ban on highways did not apply to licensed establishments falling within municipal areas. United Spirits and Globus Spirits rose between 5 per cent and 13 per cent.

Infosys shares up after Nandan Nilekani's comeback rumours

Infosys has appointed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/infosys-shares-up-after-nandan-nilekanis-comeback-rumours-19424">Nandan Nilekani as its non-executive chairman</a> with immediate effect.

The decision was unanimously approved by the board of Infosys.

&quot;His appointment will allow Infosys to focus on the strategic changes it needs to make in order to capitalize on the attractive opportunities in the years ahead. Under Nandan, Infosys will build a cohesive management team that will no doubt take the company to a leadership position in the industry,&quot; said outgoing chairman R. Seshasayee.

Specualations of Nilekani being appointed as the chairman were already doing the rounds. &nbsp;

Nilekani has served as the CEO of the IT major from 2002 to 2007.

He was instrumental in rolling out India&#39;s biggest technology project, Aadhaar, which gives a unique&nbsp;identification number to every citizen.

Infosys has been caught in an acrimonious exchange between its board and founders led by N R Narayana Murthy.

The board has blamed Murthy for the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/vishal-sikka-resigns-as-md-ceo-of-infosys-to-be-executive-vice-chairman-19151" target="_blank">exit of Vishal Sikka</a> who resigned as the CEO last week.

The news of Nilekani&#39;s return has brought cheers to the markets as the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/reports-of-infosys-co-founder-nilekanis-board-return-trigger-stock-rebound-19453" target="_blank">stock price surged for third straight day</a>.

(With inputs from ANI)

The decision was unanimously approved by the board of the IT major

Infosys has appointed Nandan Nilekani as its non-executive chairman with immediate effect. The decision was unanimously approved by the board of Infosys. "His appointment will allow Infosys to focus on the strategic changes it needs to make in order to capitalize on the attractive opportunities in the years ahead. Under Nandan, Infosys will build a cohesive management team that will no doubt take the company to a leadership position in the industry," said outgoing chairman R. Seshasayee. Specualations of Nilekani being appointed as the chairman were already doing the rounds. Nilekani has served as the CEO of the IT major from 2002 to 2007. He was instrumental in rolling out India's biggest technology project, Aadhaar, which gives a unique identification number to every citizen. Infosys has been caught in an acrimonious exchange between its board and founders led by N R Narayana Murthy. The board has blamed Murthy for the exit of Vishal Sikka who resigned as the CEO last week. The news of Nilekani's return has brought cheers to the markets as the stock price surged for third straight day. (With inputs from ANI)

Nandan Nilekani returns to Infosys, appointed non-executive chairman

A group of 12 major institutional investors in Infosys Ltd has asked the Indian IT services company to bring former CEO Nandan Nilekani back on to its board to try to resolve a feud with the company&#39;s founders.

Separately, local business news channel CNBC TV18 citing unnamed sources, reported on Wednesday that Nilekani was set to return to Infosys, without providing specific details.

The investors, which include HDFC Asset Management, ICICI Prudential Asset Management and Birla SunLife Asset Management, among others, stated&nbsp;that Nilekani&#39;s return would be welcomed as he enjoys the confidence of clients, shareholders and employees.

&quot;Given his credentials, we feel, that his joining the board at this stage, will restore confidence of stakeholders in the company and also facilitate resolution of the contentious issues that Infosys is facing presently,&quot; said the funds in a letter, the contents of which were reviewed by Reuters.

The group of institutions, who have signed the letter to the Infosys board, together own roughly 10 per cent of the company&#39;s shares, according to Thomson Reuters data.

The Infosys board has been locked in a public dispute since February with the founders, led by former chair Narayana Murthy, who have accused the directors of governance lapses.

The differences prompted its Chief Executive Vishal Sikka to resign on Friday, sparking a sell-off that has wiped over $4.5 billion from Infosys&#39; market capitalisation over the last four trading sessions.

&quot;The recent developments are very concerning to each one of us,&quot; the investors, comprising large mutual funds and insurance companies, said in their letter, adding Infosys should consider inviting Nilekani to the board in a &quot;suitable capacity.&quot;

Nilekani, one of the company&#39;s co-founders, who served as its CEO from 2002 to 2007, could not be reached for comment.

Shares in Infosys which had fallen nearly 15 per cent in the first two days following Sikka&#39;s exit rallied 2 per cent on Wednesday following news that Nilekani may return -- a move that could well bring the acrimonious dispute to a close.

The retired founder executives and their families together own about 12.75 per cent of Infosys&#39; shares.

On an investor call last week, Infosys repeatedly assured shareholders and analysts that it would work to end the dispute soon and ensure that its new permanent CEO, when named, would not be distracted by the issue.

&quot;It cannot continue in this fashion. I&#39;m always an optimist, and I believe that in the coming weeks we&#39;ll have to find ways to put this decisively to bed,&quot; said Infosys Co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan on Friday&#39;s call. 
&nbsp;

A group of 12 major institutional investors in Infosys Ltd has asked the Indian IT services company to bring former CEO Nandan Nilekani back on to its board

A group of 12 major institutional investors in Infosys Ltd has asked the Indian IT services company to bring former CEO Nandan Nilekani back on to its board to try to resolve a feud with the company's founders. Separately, local business news channel CNBC TV18 citing unnamed sources, reported on Wednesday that Nilekani was set to return to Infosys, without providing specific details. The investors, which include HDFC Asset Management, ICICI Prudential Asset Management and Birla SunLife Asset Management, among others, stated that Nilekani's return would be welcomed as he enjoys the confidence of clients, shareholders and employees. "Given his credentials, we feel, that his joining the board at this stage, will restore confidence of stakeholders in the company and also facilitate resolution of the contentious issues that Infosys is facing presently," said the funds in a letter, the contents of which were reviewed by Reuters. The group of institutions, who have signed the letter to the Infosys board, together own roughly 10 per cent of the company's shares, according to Thomson Reuters data. The Infosys board has been locked in a public dispute since February with the founders, led by former chair Narayana Murthy, who have accused the directors of governance lapses. The differences prompted its Chief Executive Vishal Sikka to resign on Friday, sparking a sell-off that has wiped over $4.5 billion from Infosys' market capitalisation over the last four trading sessions. "The recent developments are very concerning to each one of us," the investors, comprising large mutual funds and insurance companies, said in their letter, adding Infosys should consider inviting Nilekani to the board in a "suitable capacity." Nilekani, one of the company's co-founders, who served as its CEO from 2002 to 2007, could not be reached for comment. Shares in Infosys which had fallen nearly 15 per cent in the first two days following Sikka's exit rallied 2 per cent on Wednesday following news that Nilekani may return -- a move that could well bring the acrimonious dispute to a close. The retired founder executives and their families together own about 12.75 per cent of Infosys' shares. On an investor call last week, Infosys repeatedly assured shareholders and analysts that it would work to end the dispute soon and ensure that its new permanent CEO, when named, would not be distracted by the issue. "It cannot continue in this fashion. I'm always an optimist, and I believe that in the coming weeks we'll have to find ways to put this decisively to bed," said Infosys Co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan on Friday's call.

Nandan Nilekani may be back on Infosys board: Report

In a move that could end the bitter acrimony witnessed after Vishal Sikka&#39;s exit, Infosys&nbsp;co-founder Nandan Nilekani is set for a return.

According to a report in The Times of India, Nilekani will come onboard as non-executive chairman to achieve a set of predetermined goals.

The Infosys board has been locked in bitter dispute with the company&#39;s founders led by N R Narayana Murthy.&nbsp;

The board has blamed Murthy for the exit of Sikka.&nbsp;

Murthy has been highlighting the falling governance standards at India&#39;s second largest IT firm.

Sikka resigned as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Infosys last week confirming speculations that all is not well within the technology giant.

Nilekani served as the CEO of Infosys from 2002 to 2007. He and his family own about 2.3 per cent of Infosys, a report in Reuters said.

The news of Nilekani&#39;s return led to a surge in stock price of Infosys for a third staraight day.

(With inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Nilekani is poised to become Infosys' non-executive chairman in the next few days, the Times of India reported on Thursday, adding he would come for a predetermined period with the aim of achieving a series of goals including hiring a new CEO

In a move that could end the bitter acrimony witnessed after Vishal Sikka's exit, Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani is set for a return. According to a report in The Times of India, Nilekani will come onboard as non-executive chairman to achieve a set of predetermined goals. The Infosys board has been locked in bitter dispute with the company's founders led by N R Narayana Murthy. The board has blamed Murthy for the exit of Sikka. Murthy has been highlighting the falling governance standards at India's second largest IT firm. Sikka resigned as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Infosys last week confirming speculations that all is not well within the technology giant. Nilekani served as the CEO of Infosys from 2002 to 2007. He and his family own about 2.3 per cent of Infosys, a report in Reuters said. The news of Nilekani's return led to a surge in stock price of Infosys for a third staraight day. (With inputs from Reuters)

Infosys shares rebound as Nilekani set to return - reports

The Infosys Ltd board does not want a war of words with the Indian software services company&#39;s former leadership to descend into the kind of damaging row seen at Tata, an Infosys boardroom source said on Friday.&nbsp;

India&#39;s second biggest IT services company, based in the southern tech hub of Bengaluru, has been in an escalating public dispute with its founders and former executives this week, who have accused the board of lapses in corporate governance.

The founders own 12.75 per cent of the company.

The boardroom tussle at Infosys comes at a time when another iconic Indian firm, Tata Sons, has been hit by allegations of corporate governance lapses following the ouster of former Chairman Cyrus Mistry. The Tata row has spilled into the courts and has tainted the reputation of one of India&#39;s most respected business houses.

&quot;For sure we don&#39;t want another Tata happening. We don&#39;t want that replay and therefore we will do what it takes to avoid that kind of situation,&quot; said the boardroom source, asking not to be named given the sensitivity of the situation.

The strain between Infosys and its founders also comes at a turbulent time for the Indian IT sector in general, which is expecting changes to visa laws in their biggest market, the United States, to raise costs and dent business.

Earlier on Friday, V Balakrishnan, a former chief financial officer at Infosys, told Reuters the company&#39;s board had become &quot;lax on corporate governance and was undermining the values on which the company was built&quot;.

Balakrishnan said founders including NR Narayana Murthy, Kris Gopalakrishnan and Nandan Nilekani had been engaging with Infosys since last year but the board had not addressed any of the concerns raised.

&quot;They have validly raised certain governance issues,&quot; Balakrishnan, who is aware of the exchanges between the founders and the board, told Reuters.

&quot;It is not about performance, or Vishal Sikka,&quot; he said declining to give further details.

Infosys Chief Executive Vishal Sikka&#39;s pay rise and large severance packages offered to two former executives were among a host of issues that have not sat well with Infosys founders, local media reported this week.

&quot;Big letdown&quot;

Infosys declined to respond to Balakrishnan&#39;s comments. The company downplayed talk of governance lapses in a lengthy statement issued on Thursday that backed Sikka&#39;s performance.

The company said: &quot;Vishal and the board, while being pleased with the company&#39;s resumption of industry leading performance on many parameters, are keen to further accelerate the progress and achieve even more shareholder value increase.&quot;

Balakrishnan said he had stopped communicating with the board some two years ago after failing to get a reply on a share buyback suggestion.

&quot;This board is a big letdown,&quot; said Balakrishnan, who also criticised the appointment of a law firm to receive and assess input from stakeholders and make recommendations to the board.&nbsp;

&quot;The board has to personally engage with the founders,&quot; he said.

The Infosys boardroom source insisted there had been no breakdown in communication breakdown with the founders. &quot;We&#39;ve been engaging directly with the founders for several months, we&#39;ll continue to do so.&quot;

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Founders and former executives, including Narayana Murthy and Nandan Nilekani have accused the board of lapses in corporate governance

The Infosys Ltd board does not want a war of words with the Indian software services company's former leadership to descend into the kind of damaging row seen at Tata, an Infosys boardroom source said on Friday. India's second biggest IT services company, based in the southern tech hub of Bengaluru, has been in an escalating public dispute with its founders and former executives this week, who have accused the board of lapses in corporate governance. The founders own 12.75 per cent of the company. The boardroom tussle at Infosys comes at a time when another iconic Indian firm, Tata Sons, has been hit by allegations of corporate governance lapses following the ouster of former Chairman Cyrus Mistry. The Tata row has spilled into the courts and has tainted the reputation of one of India's most respected business houses. "For sure we don't want another Tata happening. We don't want that replay and therefore we will do what it takes to avoid that kind of situation," said the boardroom source, asking not to be named given the sensitivity of the situation. The strain between Infosys and its founders also comes at a turbulent time for the Indian IT sector in general, which is expecting changes to visa laws in their biggest market, the United States, to raise costs and dent business. Earlier on Friday, V Balakrishnan, a former chief financial officer at Infosys, told Reuters the company's board had become "lax on corporate governance and was undermining the values on which the company was built". Balakrishnan said founders including NR Narayana Murthy, Kris Gopalakrishnan and Nandan Nilekani had been engaging with Infosys since last year but the board had not addressed any of the concerns raised. "They have validly raised certain governance issues," Balakrishnan, who is aware of the exchanges between the founders and the board, told Reuters. "It is not about performance, or Vishal Sikka," he said declining to give further details. Infosys Chief Executive Vishal Sikka's pay rise and large severance packages offered to two former executives were among a host of issues that have not sat well with Infosys founders, local media reported this week. "Big letdown" Infosys declined to respond to Balakrishnan's comments. The company downplayed talk of governance lapses in a lengthy statement issued on Thursday that backed Sikka's performance. The company said: "Vishal and the board, while being pleased with the company's resumption of industry leading performance on many parameters, are keen to further accelerate the progress and achieve even more shareholder value increase." Balakrishnan said he had stopped communicating with the board some two years ago after failing to get a reply on a share buyback suggestion. "This board is a big letdown," said Balakrishnan, who also criticised the appointment of a law firm to receive and assess input from stakeholders and make recommendations to the board. "The board has to personally engage with the founders," he said. The Infosys boardroom source insisted there had been no breakdown in communication breakdown with the founders. "We've been engaging directly with the founders for several months, we'll continue to do so." (Reuters)

Infosys board backs CEO, keen to avoid Tata-style row

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