The trend of Indian students studying abroad is hardly new
Even though much is written about it these days. Gandhi and Nehru were not the only ones who crossed the seas in search of knowledge. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and many other Indians, famous and not-so-famous, did the same.
In colonial times, the British selected Indian students for study in Britain with the aim of building up a corps of officials to help them govern “ungovernable” India. After Independence, students continued to study in the UK, and they also discovered educational opportunities in the US and Europe. Today, over 300,000 students fly not only to America and Europe, but also to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and even Asia.
Some of your Business Leaders?
The good news for Study Abroad students is the list is not limited.
Ratan Tata
Ratan Tata: During his 21-year tenure as Tata Sons’ chairman, Ratan Tata saw the group’s profits increase over 50 times, making it the nation’s leading business organization. Tata earned a Bachelor of Science degree in architecture from Cornell University in 1962, and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 1975.
Adi Godre
Adi Godrej is Chairman of the Godrej Group and Chairman of the Board of Indian School of Business. He attended MIT Sloan School of Management. Upon his return to India, he restructured the Godrej Group management and led it to great heights during the license raj.
Anil Ambani
Anil Ambani, Chairman of Reliance ADA Group, heads Reliance Capital, Reliance Power, and Reliance Infrastructure. The entertainment business is one of his major interests, which includes 44 FM stations, multiplexes, animation studios, and a nationwide DTH service. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Rahul Bajaj
Rahul Bajaj, Chairman of the Bajaj group, overcame restrictions during the 1970s and took the group to great heights. He graduated from Harvard Business School.
Azim Premji
Azim Hashim Premji is the chairman of Wipro’s parent company and has a Stanford University engineering degree. Azim Premji is a well-known Indian entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He founded Wipro Limited. Chairman Premji remains a non-executive member of the board of directors. He is considered India’s IT czar.
Kumar Mangalam Birla
Kumar Mangalam Birla (Chairman, Aditya Birla Group; MBA, London Business School); Birla is a fourth-generation member of the Birla family. He graduated from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics and H.R. College of Commerce and Economics at the University of Mumbai. The University of London awarded him a Master of Business Administration in 1992 after he had studied at London Business School. The University of London awarded him an honorary fellowship in the LBS. He is a chartered accountant fromthe Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
Anand Mahindra
Anand Mahindra is the chairman of the Mahindra Group, a Mumbai-based business conglomerate and chairman of the Harvard Business School-trained MBA. Among the group’s businesses are aerospace, agribusiness, aftermarket, automotive, components, construction equipment, defence, energy, farm equipment, finance and insurance, industrial equipment, information technology, leisure and hospitality, logistics, real estate, and retail. He graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Business School. Nanhi Kali, a non-government organization he established in 1996, promotes education for underprivileged girls in India. He is listed by Fortune Magazine among the ‘World’s 50 Greatest Leaders’. He was also named among Asia’s 25 most powerful businesspeople in 2011. Forbes (India) named Anand “Entrepreneur of the Year” for 2013. He received the Padma Bhushan Award, the third highest civilian award in India, in January 2020.
