Kiran Karnik describes himself as a ‘public un-intellectual’, a non-academic with a strong interest in public policy and strategy. A columnist and author, his books include eVolution: Decoding India’s Disruptive Tech Story (2018), Crooked Minds: Creating an Innovative Society (2017) and Coalition of Competitors: The Story of Nasscom and the Indian IT Industry (2012). His latest book Decisive Decade: India 2030, Gazelle or Hippo was released in June 2021. Widely recognized for his work in the IT sector, as President of NASSCOM (2001-2008), and for helping put fraud-hit Satyam Computers back on track as Chairperson of its government-appointed Board, Kiran began his career in the Department of Atomic Energy. He spent over two decades in ISRO focusing on applications of space technology, especially for education and development, including the path-breaking Indo-US Satellite Instructional TV Experiment (SITE) and the Kheda TV project. He served as Founder-Director of Consortium for Educational Communication (1991-1995), which oversaw the production and transmission of UGC’s Countrywide Classroom TV programmes. As CEO of Discovery India (1995-2001), he launched Discovery Channel and Animal Planet in India and South Asia. He was also Chairperson of Oxfam India (2004-2019); President India Habitat Centre (2006-2018) and a Director on the Board of Reserve Bank of India (2011-2015) where he chaired its IT subsidiary, Reserve Bank IT Pvt. Ltd. from its inception until September 2021. Kiran has been on many key government committees, including the Scientific Advisory Council to Prime Minister and the National Innovation Council. He is currently Chairperson of the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi and Help Age India, and is also involved with a number of other not-for-profit organizations in the fields of education and development. Kiran been conferred many awards including the Padma Shri in 2007.

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