Former TCS CEO Gopinathan takes up part-time role at IIT-Bombay

Rajesh Gopinathan has taken up a part-time role at the IIT-Bombay, the institute announced on Friday. Gopinathan, who surprised everybody with a decision to quit the country's largest IT services company earlier this year, has been appointed as the head of translational research and entrepreneurship at the premier technology institute.

In November, there were reports that Gopinathan had joined consultancy firm BCG as a senior advisor in the technology, media and telecommunications practice.

An official statement from IIT-Bombay said it has recently created a translational research centre to support the transition of intellectual property from lab to industry and Gopinathan's position has been created to further accelerate these initiatives.

Gopinathan will be a "professor of practice" at IIT-Bombay, the statement said.

An official explained that professors of practice are part-time roles, wherein special lectures and specially crafted courses are delivered by a handpicked person.

"We have a tradition of active involvement of industry leaders in shaping our plans," the institute's director Subhasis Chaudhuri said.

He said IIT-B is looking to advance its agenda of applied research and entrepreneurship, and Gopinathan will a pivotal role in taking its agenda to the next level, courtesy his global exposure and experience in scaling up at TCS.

"IIT Bombay's research infrastructure and globally-respected faculty and talent pool position it uniquely to play a leadership role in shaping the innovation agenda in India and globally," Gopinathan said.