Engineering for Non-Engineers Nitin Nohria
The dean of Harvard Business School and the George F. Baker Professor of Administration, Nitin Nohria represents the best of a generation of Indians who attended Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) but did not pursue a career in technology. Instead, they went on to become successful professionals who made important contributions to other fields. Nitin Nohria received his B. Tech in chemical engineering from IIT–Bombay and his PhD in management from the MIT Sloan School of Management. In this conversation with Sharmila Sen, he discusses his IIT education and the long-term benefits of an engineering education for a non-engineer. Tell us about what made you choose to enroll in an IIT. Did you imagine pursuing a career in technology? Was it a “choice” or a predetermined path? When I was growing up in India, the two most “sensible” paths that a young person could pursue were to become a doctor or an engineer. Each provided the assurance of a comfortable life. My father was the perfect example. He had become an engineer and was the first in his family to be able to leave his village and do well for himself. I joined IIT–Bombay, because my father’s experience suggested that it was the most sensible path for me. Incidentally, my sister chose the other practical path of becoming a doctor. Broadly speaking, what was your IIT education like and do you think students who are currently enrolled in various IITs have a similar educational experience? My IIT experience—from entrance through graduation—was primarily shaped by how well I could perform on a continuous stream of demanding exams. We were always graded on a curve, all results were transparent, and how Harvard South Asia Institute 63