Nandan Nilekani's Aadhaar Vision Transforms India After HRD Minister Snub
Nandan Nilekani, a prominent Indian businessman, was offered the post of Human Resource Development (HRD) minister by Rahul Gandhi in 2009. However, the offer was withdrawn at the last minute, leaving Nilekani without the job.
Nilekani, who had discussed the offer with his Infosys co-founders and received their support, was then presented with an alternative role by Dr. Manmohan Singh. He was offered the position of Member of Planning Commission, but Nilekani declined this opportunity.
In July 2009, Nilekani accepted a different challenge. He agreed to lead India's Aadhaar project management, a national identification system that was already in the planning stages. Nilekani pushed for a digital, online, and cloud-based approach, which faced political opposition and legal challenges throughout its implementation. Despite these obstacles, by the time Nilekani stepped down, the project had issued an impressive 600 million Aadhaar numbers.
Nilekani's decision to lead the Aadhaar project, despite the initial setback with the HRD minister offer, has left a significant impact on India's digital infrastructure. His instinctive approach to challenges and innovative vision have contributed to the widespread adoption of the Aadhaar system.
