Ravi J. Matthai

Ravi John Matthai (1927-1984) was an Indian educator. He was the first full-time Director of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. He was later instrumental in setting up the Institute of Rural Management Anand at Anand. He was the son of John Matthai, the first Railway Minister and later Finance Minister of independent India.

Early years

Ravi was educated in Allahabad and later graduated from Oxford University with a B.A. (Hons.) in Economics. He began his career at a Calcutta based firm but later moved to the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta in 1963 as Professor of Marketing.

IIM Ahmedabad

In 1965 Matthai was invited by Vikram Sarabhai to join Indian Institute of Management as its Director. The IIMA was then relatively unknown but Matthai’s drive and vision helped transform the institute into the world class institution it is today. He stepped down from the leadership position in the institute in 1972.

Honours

The institute library of Institute of Rural Management Anand and the Centre for Educational Innovation at IIM Ahmedabad are named after him.

External links

* [http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/institute/rmvoice.htm Voice of Ravi Matthai at the IIMA Website]