The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) in Gujarat is widely regarded as one of India’s premier business schools, offering pathways to top corporate roles. For many middle-class Indians, earning an MBA from IIMA is considered a major milestone toward professional success. While its academic reputation is well-known, the story behind its founding is lesser-known and surprisingly personal.
According to Sudhir Kakar’s book, A Book of Memory: Confessions and Reflections, the establishment of India’s second IIM was closely tied to a personal chapter in the lives of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Kamla Chowdhry.
Kamla Chowdhry’s Journey
Kamla was married to Khem Chaudhary, an Indian Civil Service officer, who was tragically murdered. After his death, she moved to the United States, earning a master’s and a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan. She later returned to India when Mrinalini Sarabhai, Vikram’s wife, invited her to Ahmedabad. Around this time, Vikram Sarabhai was setting up the Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA), the city’s first textile research institute. Kamla impressed him with her expertise, and he offered her a role at ATIRA.
According to Kakar, the two entered into a relationship that lasted several years. At one point, Kamla considered taking a job in Delhi, but Vikram used all means to persuade her to stay.
The Hidden Story Behind IIMA
Vikram Sarabhai’s wish to keep Kamla in Ahmedabad reportedly played a part in the creation of IIMA. As the first director, he is said to have consulted Kamla on most major decisions. She eventually became the institute’s de facto director, managing many key responsibilities.
Mallika Sarabhai, Vikram’s daughter, has confirmed the close relationship between her father and Kamla but disagrees with the notion that IIMA was founded solely to retain her in Ahmedabad. She told The Times of India, “Yes, Papa had a long, intimate relationship with Kamla, but to suggest that his vision for creating a committed management cadre for the nation was merely to keep her here does great injustice to his dream. Psychiatrists tend to attribute sexual motives to everything in life.”
The web series Rocket Boys on Sony LIV highlights the lives of Dr. Homi Bhabha and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and also touches upon Sarabhai’s personal connection with Kamla Chowdhry.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
