Shailendra Raj Mehta

Shailendra Raj Mehta (born 9 July, 1959) is an Indian academic administrator and entrepreneur.^[1] Since 2017, he has served as President and Director of MICA (institute) in Ahmedabad,^[2] where he is also a professor of innovation and entrepreneurship.^[3] His research interests include entrepreneurship, institutional design, microeconomics, experimental economics, and strategic management.^[4][3]

Shailendra Raj Mehta
Born	(1959-07-09) 9 July 1959 (age 66) Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Education	PhD Doctor of Philosophy
Alma mater	Delhi University University of Oxford Harvard University
Occupation(s)	President and Director of MICA
Known for	Economist
Board member of	Ex. Chairman of the Board of Management at Auro University
Spouse	Neena Mehta
Children	1
Awards	Rector's Prize Delhi University INLAKS scholarship Oxford University

Mehta's previous roles in Indian higher education included serving as Chairman of the Board of Management at AURO University and as Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Ahmedabad University.^[5][6] He currently serves as a member of the Mission High-Level Committee (MHLC) of the Indian Knowledge System^[7] and as a Vice-Chairman of the Governing Body of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) in Shimla.^[5][8]

Early life and education

Mehta was born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. He completed a Bachelor of Arts at St. Stephen's College, Delhi, followed by a Master of Arts from the Delhi School of Economics. He earned an M.Phil. from Balliol College, Oxford, and holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University.^[9][10]

Career

Mehta has conducted research in the areas of Entrepreneurship, industrial organization, information economics, and experimental economics.

From 1990 to 2006, he served as a tutor at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, initially focusing on economics and later strategy. During this period, he also directed the Krannert School of Management's Entrepreneurship Initiative and the SEAS Simulation Lab. He received Purdue University's Class of 1922 Award for Teaching, Innovation, and Helping Students Learn. While at Purdue, he co‐founded Simulex Inc., a technology company based in the Purdue Research Park.

In 2006–2007, he returned to India after 16 years at Purdue University. He led the collaboration between Duke Corporate Education (Duke University's Corporate Education arm) and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, covering India, West Asia, and the Middle East. During this time, he also served as a visiting professor of Business Policy at IIM-Ahmedabad.^[11]

In 2014, he was appointed Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Ahmedabad University. In 2015, he was appointed chairman of the Board of Management at Auro University, where he also served as Acting Vice-Chancellor and Distinguished Professor of Strategy.

In 2017, he became the President & Director of MICA (institute),^[12] and was also appointed Distinguished Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Ministry of Education appointed him vice-chairman of the Governing Body of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS).^[13]

US Patents

• System and method for analyzing and structuring data records^[14]
• System and method for automated document generation^[15]
• Industry Simulation Environment^[16]

President and director of MICA

As president of MICA, Mehta facilitated partnerships between the institute and management schools in the United States, including Emory University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, and the University of Southern California^{[citation needed]}, as well as with Chinese universities.^[17] During his tenure as President, MICA received the 'Great Place to Work' certification.^[18]

After completing his term at MICA, he joined O. P. Jindal Global University in May 2024.^[19]