Bakul Harshadrai Dholakia

Bakul Harshadrai Dholakia (born 15 July 1947) is the former Director of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (2002–2007). Prior to that, he was the Dean at Ahmedabad (1998–2001) and a professor in Economics He was also the Director General of International Management Institute, New Delhi. Prior to joining IMI New Delhi, he was the Director of Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management and Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhuj. He has 45 years of teaching experience, including 33 years at IIM Ahmedabad. He has served as a board member of the Reserve Bank of India Western Area Local Board from 1993 to 2001. He has guided 20 PhD students specialising in Economics, Finance, Business Policy and Public Systems at IIM A. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2007 for his contributions in the field of Literature and Education.

Education Bakul Dholakia had completed his PhD in economics from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in 1973 at the age of 26 years. His thesis topic was Sources of Economic Growth in India. He was subsequently awarded a University Grants Commission Fellowship. Dholakia had secured a master's degree (M.A.) in Economics with specialisation in Econometrics from Baroda University in 1969. Nachiket Mor and popular commentator Harsha Bhogle Under him, IIM-A went from having 12 partner institutions for student exchange programmes to 50 by 2006–07. Shipping Commission, Torrent Power, RNRL and Mahanagar Gas. He was also on the board of Arvind, Ashima and L&T Power.

Awards and recognitions Dholakia was awarded the Padma Shri for Literature and Education in 2007. In 2008, Dholakia was conferred the Bharat Asmita National Award by the Honorable Chief Justice of India. In 2006, he was honoured by the Association of Indian Americans in North America (AIANA) at the World Gujarati Conference in New Jersey for his Visionary Leadership and Achievements in business education. Global Associations of Business Schools have honoured Dholakia for his sterling contribution in the field of management education. The Global Foundation for Management Education (GFME), jointly formed by the Associations of American and European Business Schools, has nominated Dholakia as a Member of the Board of GFME representing Asia.

Personal life Dr. Bakul Dholakia's wife Sudha completed her master's degree in economics from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in 1974; they met for the first time in Baroda University and tied the wedding knot in 1975. Their elder daughter Jigisha after completing her post-graduation in India has settled in Canada. Their younger daughter Purvi has also moved to Canada recently and completed a Post-Graduate Management Program from University of the Fraser Valley. Currently, Purvi is working in a consultancy company in Burnaby.