Lucknow, July 17 -- The appointment of Lucknow University vice chancellor Prof Alok Kumar Rai as the director-designate of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta despite having no first-hand experience of how an IIM works is viewed by his peers as a first of its kind appointment and a testament to his skill set. IIM Ahmedabad director Prof Bharat Bhasker said, "To the best of my limited knowledge, Prof Alok Kumar Rai is perhaps the first from a state-run university who has been appointed director. There aren't too many examples." Rai, who hails from Varanasi but has spent more than five-and-a-half years at Lucknow University, held a professorial position at the Faculty of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University, in Varanasi. He was appointed the 41st vice chancellor of University of Lucknow in December 2019 and given a second term in December 2022. He has concurrently held additional charge as the vice chancellor of several prestigious institutions, including Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra; Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi; Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University, Lucknow; and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow. The list of his assignments indicates that he enjoys the trust of the powers that be. He has also held several posts in various high-level committees and panels. "The management skills that he possesses when it comes to important meetings is something one could learn from him," said a colleague on Wednesday, a day after Rai's appointment as the IIM (C) director was announced. His confidence must have impressed all on the interview panel during the selection process, another professor said. With an academic career spanning over 25 years at the postgraduate and doctoral levels, Rai has to his credit, five Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in his research area. His research specialisations encompass customer relationship management. He knows how to get the best out of everyone from his team, said a colleague, adding, "The job on hand matters most to him." The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, which Rai has been chosen to helm, is the fifth ranked premier business school among IIMs after IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode and IIM Delhi. There are 21 IIMs in the country. The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta was founded in 1961. It was among the first IIMs to be set up. Apart from Rai, several other IIM directors have a Lucknow connection. Prior to accepting the position of IIM Ahmedabad director Prof Bharat Bhasker served as a professor of information technology and systems at IIM Lucknow. He has served as IIM Raipur director from March 2017 to March 2022. Prof Debashis Chatterjee of IIML was appointed director of IIM Kozhikode in June 2023, for a third term of five years, Prof Himanshu Rai of IIML is now heading IIM Indore for a second term of five years. He was reappointed for a second five-year term in 2023, extending his tenure to December 31, 2028. Professor Neeraj Dwivedi from IIM Lucknow was appointed the new IIM Kashipur director last week. Prof Sameer Srivastava of IIML has been appointed director of IIM Amritsar. Rai takes the helm at IIM Calcutta at a time when the central government, through the IIM (Amendment) Act, 2023, has a greater say in the appointment of IIM directors. The Act, which came into effect on August 11, 2023, designates the President of India as the "visitor" for all IIMs, granting enhanced oversight, including the requirement for prior approval from the Visitor for director appointments. This move aligns the IIMs more closely with the governance structure of central universities. Rai's appointment is among the first high-profile selections since the amended Act. The recent directorial appointments at IIMs under the new framework include Professor Manoj Kumar Tiwari's second term as director of IIM Mumbai in February 2025, Professor Manmohan Prasad Gupta from IIT Delhi as the new director of IIM Lucknow in April 2025, and professor Neeraj Dwivedi from IIM Lucknow as the new IIM Kashipur director last week. The Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta did not have a regular full-term director for nearly two years. "The President in her capacity as Visitor of IIM Calcutta, has approved appointment of Alok Kumar Rai, Vice Chancellor of Lucknow University as the Director of IIM Calcutta," the ministry of education said in a letter to IIM Calcutta Board of Governors....