IIT Bombay vs IIT Madras: Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani call his choice “small act of rebellion”

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani has revealed that his decision to choose IIT Bombay over IIT Madras was a “small act of rebellion” against his father’s wishes. During a recent interview with LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, Nilekani explained that his father, concerned about job security, encouraged him to pursue a stable career path. Despite his father’s preference for him to study chemical engineering at IIT Madras, Nilekani chose to pursue electrical engineering at IIT Bombay, a decision that ultimately shaped his journey to becoming a leader in India’s tech industry. He also reflected on his upbringing in 1950s Bengaluru, where career choices were largely limited to engineering or medicine. Nilekani explained that he leaned towards engineering as he had no interest in becoming a doctor. His father, whose job was “insecure,” had encouraged him to seek a stable profession through a strong educational foundation.