Will India Become an Innovation Powerhouse?

CASI Seminar

Fall 2008 CASI Visiting Scholar

Rishikesha T. Krishnan
Professor, Corporate Strategy & Policy at the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIMB)
Room 245, Jon M. Huntsman Hall, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Developments such as the rapid growth of the Indian economy, the movement of technology jobs to India, the emergence of a strong Indian software industry and the announcement of the development of the world’s cheapest car have raised concerns here about whether India could emerge as a serious rival on technological innovation to the United States. In this talk, Professor Krishnan will give you his assessment of the likelihood of this happening drawing on data collected for a book that he is writing on this subject.

RISHIKESHA T. KRISHNAN is a Professor of Corporate Strategy & Policy at the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIMB). His research interests are in strategy, innovation, and competitiveness. He has done studies at the firm, industry, and national levels related to innovation.

Prof. Krishnan has been a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) National Panel on Intellectual Property, R&D Technology and Innovation, the Advisory Council of CII’s National Innovation Mission and on the jury of Nasscom’s innovation awards. He has been a member of government committees to review the performance of the National Innovation Foundation, and to study “The Future of Aviation and Aeronautics in India.” He has just completed an external review of the plan schemes of India’s Department of Scientific & Industrial Research.

Prof. Krishnan is an independent director on the boards of D-Link (India) Ltd., Sundaram BNP Paribas Asset Management Company Ltd., and Halbit Avionics Pvt. Ltd (a JV between HAL and Elbit Systems). He is on the Indian advisory board of CIO Magazine and the Foundation for Excellence Trust (www.ffe.org), and a member of the Governing Board of the Indian Institute for Health Management Research, Jaipur. Prof. Krishndegrees from IIT Kanpur, Stanford University, and IIM Ahmedabad.

Co-sponsored by Wharton India Club

The Nand & Jeet Khemka Distinguished Lecture Series is an endowed public program of the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI). Launched in the 2007-08 academic year, and made possible through the generous support of the Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation, the series brings renowned India specialists to the Penn community and serves as a critical forum for analyzing and understanding the complex economic, political, social, and cultural changes that the world’s largest democracy is experiencing, as well as the challenges that lie ahead.
The Saluja Global Fellows Program has been made possible by the generous gift from Vishal Saluja ENG’89 W’89. CASI was excited to launch the program during the 2022–23 academic year, coinciding with the Center’s 30th Anniversary. This new program enables CASI to invite eminent leaders and rising experts on contemporary India preferably from the fields of media, culture, law, and contemporary history to be in residence for one to two weeks at CASI.