About me
Rajendra Singh Pawar is the Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of NIIT Limited, a leading Global Talent Development Corporation, and founder of the NIIT University, established with a vision of being the role model of learning, research, innovation and sustainability for the Knowledge Society. He is also Non-executive Chairman of NIIT Learning Systems Limited.
Under his leadership, NIIT has played a key role in shaping the growth of the Indian IT sector, by creating skilled manpower to drive its momentum. Having revolutionised the IT Training industry, he is now involved in establishing an innovative model in Higher Education, the not-for-profit NIIT University.
Mr Pawar did his early schooling in Jammu. Then moved to The Scindia School, Gwalior and from there to IIT Delhi.
Acknowledging Mr Pawar’s contribution to the IT industry in India, he was awarded the country’s prestigious civilian honour, Padma Bhushan, by the President of India in 2011.
Mr Pawar was the Chairman of Nasscom and later of the Nasscom Cyber Security Task Force that was set up in response to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to see India emerge as a global hub of Cyber Security products & services. He was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Data Security Council of India from 2019 to 2023. He served as the Vice-Chairman of NCAER (National Council of Applied Economic Research). Mr Pawar was a member of the Prime Minister's National Council on Skill Development (2009-2014) and has also been a part of the Prime Minister's National Taskforce (1998), commissioned to develop India into an IT Superpower. Mr Pawar was the President of MAIT (Manufacturers Association for Information Technology) during 1990-92, where he integrated MAIT activities into those of other leading industry associations in India. MAIT played a significant role in shaping IT policies of Government of India, during his tenure. Mr Pawar has been conferred prestigious awards like the Distinguished Alumnus Award by IIT Delhi, 1995; The 'IT Man of the Year' by IT industry journal, Dataquest; 'Master Entrepreneur of the Year' by Ernst & Young, 1999; Madhav Award by The Scindia School, 1999; Honorary Doctoral Degree by the Rajiv Gandhi Technical University, 2005; Lifetime Achievement ICT Award by Dataquest, 2019; Lifetime Achievement Award by FICCI, 2022, for Education.
Mr Pawar serves on the Boards of the India School of Business (ISB) and The Scindia School. Additionally, he has served on various other Boards including IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore and founding Board of Shree Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra. He is a Fellow of the Computer Society of India and is a Distinguished Fellow of Institution of Electronics and Telecommunications Engineers. He is also a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE).
