Chintan is taking over the charge from Ramanathan Ramanan who had been leading AIM as its first Mission Director since June 2017. Vaishnav is moving from his present assignment at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, to head AIM.

He holds a Ph.D. in technology, management, and policy from MIT. Vaishnav is an engineer trained to understand and build large-scale systems, with both human as well as technological complexities. As a teacher, innovator, and entrepreneur, he has first-hand experience of the innovation ecosystem, both in India and the US. Over the past decade, he has split his time between teaching and research at MIT and living and working with rural communities in India to build solutions that can overcome constraints fundamental to improving human conditions.

He has co-founded both commercial and non-profit organizations and advised startups, corporations, and governments on tackling challenges at the intersection of technology and systems, AIM’s mission is to create and promote a vibrant ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country. Over the past four years, since its inception, AIM’s various initiatives have achieved notable successes.