Dr Indu Rao, Director-ASC, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore has more than 25 years of experience in academia and industry. She is a Professor of Management and is a life member of the Indian Society for Training and Development; Indian Society for Technical Education, Ahmedabad Management Association and a Member of AoM and AIB.

Dr Rao has two PhD degrees, one from the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, and the other from the Faculty of Management Studies, MLSU, India.

She is a Post-Doctoral Fellow of IIM-A and ABD (Management and International Business) from College of Business, FlU, USA; MBA, New Delhi and BE (Electrical), MNIT, Jaipur. She has worked with many multinational firms such as Crompton Greaves Ltd, and General Electric before joining academics.

She is also the author of books and several international journals and has presented her research at international conferences.

For her pioneering research work in the organization of informal firms of Indian Diamond Industry, Dr Rao has received awards from the Surat Diamond Association, GJEPC, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India; the Department of Labour and Employment, Government of Gujarat; South Gujarat and Saurashtra Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Atmiya Group of Institutions, Rajkot and Sarvajanik Education Society.

In 2017, she received the award for the Visionary Pioneer by Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Foundation. She also received the VIWA Distinguished Woman in Management Award, the Udgam Special Achievement Award; the Bharat Excellence Award, the Best Researcher in Social Science Award, the Leading Educationist of India Award, Best National Educator and Author Award in 2019, Outstanding Senior Faculty and Life-Time Achievement Award in 2020.