ISB's Man Friday

Confucius from the Heart. This is the title of the book Ajit Rangnekar, 62, is busy reading these days. There is, perhaps, a good reason why the new Dean of the Indian School of Business (ISB) prefers to bank on ancient wisdom.

Rangnekar, who has formally taken over at the Hyderabadbased B-school, first took charge as interim Dean in January 2009—at a time when the institution plunged into a crisis after his predecessor, M. Rammohan Rao, resigned following the Satyam scam. Rao was an Independent Director at Satyam. Rangnekar's formal appointment is good news for the school, considering he has been with ISB during its most crucial growth years as its Deputy Dean from March 2003 to January 2009.

For the man, the task is clear. “In five years, anybody who talks of developing countries will think of ISB as the first B-school to look at in terms of research or education. The research we produce in the next few years will cement our status amongst academicians, industry and students,” says Rangnekar.