A passionate nation-builder, innovation evangelist, and strategic leader, R. Ramanan has devoted his career to transforming India’s innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology landscape. Currently, Ramanan serves as Mission Governing Board Member - IndiaAI Mission, Chairperson-National Expert Advisory Council (NEAC), DST India, Lifetime Chair–Harvard Business School AMP 187, Chair-New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) Beacheads India, Board Member of leading Incubators & Institutions He is shaping Global Strategy & Innovation for Allied Digital Services Ltd., a global leader in AI-enabled Smart Cities & Technology Management solutions. As the Founding Mission Director of the first National Innovation Mission of India-the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Additional Secretary at NITI Aayog, Ramanan architected one of India’s largest national movements for innovation and entrepreneurship between 2017-2021. Under his leadership:
🌟 10,000 + Atal Tinkering Labs inspired 6 million students in emerging technologies (3D Printing, AI, IoT, Robotics)
🚀 75 + Atal Incubation Centers nurtured 3,000 + startups – including 650 + women-led ventures
🌍 19 Atal Community Innovation Centers empowered Tier 2 & 3 regions
🏆 56 + ANIC & ARISE Challenge winners built pioneering “Make in India” solutions
🤝 6,000 + AIM Mentors of Change network one of the largest in India and 40 + corporate/global partnerships strengthened India’s innovation ecosystem
Before his public-service tenure, Ramanan served as MD & CEO of CMC Ltd (a TCS/TATA subsidiary) enabling over 2100 % share growth, 1338% profit growth, and a successful amalgamation into TCS. Across his four-decade career (1981–2021) as Senior Vice President at TCS, he was instrumental in TCS’s transformation into a global IT giant. A Harvard Business School alumnus, Cambridge-accredited Sustainability Leader, Honorary Doctorate awardee from GLS University, Ramanan is honoured among the 100 Great Indian IITians (2024) for outstanding national service, and as an IIT Bombay Distinguished Alumnus (2023). His awards include Padmabhushan Dr R. Chidambaram Memorial Award (2025), Outstanding National Public Service Award by Conference of MSME, National Digitalist of the Year by SAP-MINT most Valuable CEO award from BusinessWorld twice, Asia Outstanding CEO Award from CMO Asia. A lifelong learner and bridge-builder between industry, academia, and government, Ramanan champions inclusive innovation, AI-driven transformations and human-centered leadership — inspiring a generation to dream, create and transform the world.