Breaking Conventions: Former IIT Delhi Management Studies Head Prof. M. P. Gupta Joins as Director of IIM Lucknow

Prof. M.P. Gupta, a well-known academic leader in the IIT System 
Prof. Gupta earned his B.Tech (1983) from HBTU, Kanpur, M.Tech (1985) and Ph.D. (1990) from IIT Delhi. He began his academic career at IIT Roorkee before joining IIT Delhi in 1997, where he has played a pivotal role in advancing management studies. 

Alongside his academic career, Prof. Gupta has held several key administrative roles. He was Head of the Department of Management Studies at IIT Delhi from 2016 to 2019 and served as Professor-in-charge/ Dean (Planning) in 2015–16. In 2020, he played a foundational role in establishing the School of Management & Entrepreneurship (SME) at IIT Jodhpur, serving as its first Head. Before this appointment, Prof. Gupta served as a Modi Foundation Chair Professor in the Department of Management Studies at IIT Delhi.

Prof. M.P. Gupta, a renowned E-governance Expert 
Prof. Gupta is a renowned expert in the field of e-governance in India. He has been at the forefront of developing tools, frameworks, and case materials that have significantly influenced policy and practice in the field. His research has directly contributed to national initiatives such as the Digital India and Smart City programs. Notably, he led an EU-funded project, EU-India Cooperation Platform in Future Internet and Electronic Media, which fostered international partnerships and facilitated the introduction of the ‘FIWARE’ platform in India, now being showcased in World Bank–backed smart city pilots. Prof Gupta has also actively contributed to national ICT policy through his involvement in several central and state government committees. 

Prof Gupta has extensive research output includes over 260 research papers published in national and international journals and conference proceedings. He has supervised 38 doctoral theses and led 25 global, sponsored, and consultancy projects. He has co-authored the book, Government Online, and edited the volumes Towards E-government and Promise of E-governance. 

Welcoming Prof Gupta, IIM Lucknow said, “With a rich blend of academic rigor, policy engagement, and institution-building experience, Prof. Gupta brings a future-ready perspective to IIM Lucknow. The institute looks forward to the visionary leadership of Prof. Gupta, anticipating multi-faceted growth and development under his guidance.” 

IIM Lucknow, the fourth IIM in India, faces stiff competition  
Established in 1984, IIM Lucknow is the fourth IIM in India, to be established in India after IIM Calcutta, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIM Bangalore. In 2005, IIM Lucknow expanded become the first IIM to set up a satellite campus exclusively for Executive Education at Noida in Delhi NCR region. IIM Lucknow was the first IIM to start a 2-year full time MBA program in Sustainable Management 10 years back. It also runs a successful full-time MBA program in Agri Business Management.

Today, IIM Lucknow is accredited by AACSB and AMBA while its EQUIS Accreditation is in process. In the NIRF Management Rankings 2024, IIM Lucknow is ranked 7th. This marks a slight decline from its 6th position in the previous two years. IIM Mumbai, IIM Kozhikode and a few other B-schools are completing with IIM L for getting the brightest students on campus. 

Prof. Gupta’s appointment signals a welcome break from the long standing siloed tradition in Indian management education. As he takes the helm at IIM Lucknow, stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether his cross institutional experience can restore the institute to its former glory and set new benchmarks for collaboration between the IIMs, IITs and other management schools.

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