Samir Shah is yet another addition to the list of Indian-origin CEOs around the world. This list is long and boasts of some of the world’s most successful companies. If one was to take a quick look, it features Sundar Pichai who heads Google and Alphabet, Satya Nadella, CEO and Chairman of Microsoft; Neal Mohan who heads YouTube; and Leena Nayar CEO of Chanel; Ajay Banga appointed President of the World Bank. These are but a few. The latest to join the list is Samir Shah who will now head the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

The next pertinent question would then be, what is it that makes Indian-origin CEOs successful? One common thread which runs among all these men and women is that they started with their education in India. Some like Banga are products of the Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) widely regarded as one of the best education institutes of India. Many others have received education and degrees in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)s ranked among the best schools in the world. Pichai earned his engineering degree from IIT Kharagpur while Nadella studied electrical engineering at Manipal. Apart from the IIMs and IITs, Leena Nayar is an example of a student who attended school and college in her home state of Maharashtra and later went on to attend another prestigious Indian school of Management, XLRI (Xavier School of Management).

So, it doesn’t take anyone much to join the dots here and reach the simple conclusion that the Indian education system has contributed immensely to the success of some of the top world CEOs today. A pattern that has emerged is that after completing bachelors, most have moved to the US to pursue higher studies. Speaking at the G20 Summit held in New Delhi earlier this year, Ajay Banga said: “I am the perfect example of Made in India”. He added that he grew up in India, studied at Indian institutes, and didn’t do a single course abroad. The Indian education system is not without its faults and there has always been a heated debate that the system relies more on rote and less on fresh thinking. But the story changes quite drastically when it comes to IIMs, IITs and admissions to Delhi University colleges like St Stephens.

A quick look at the numbers helps understand why getting into IITs is considered one of the toughest exams in the world. In 2021, about 900,000 students appeared for the JEE (Joint Entrance Examination for IITs) Mains and, out of these, just 141,699 qualified to sit the JEE Advanced. Of these, 41,862 students, or nearly 29 per cent, finally qualified for one of the 23 IITs but only 16,296, or nearly 12 per cent, were ultimately offered a place. It is one of the largest rejection rate programmes anywhere in the world, ultimately less than 2 per cent of those applying get into the IITs. It would then be fair to state that a certain rigor of discipline and merit is what an education at these institutions entail.

Other than education, it is also family pressures (in a positive sense) and a society that places a great emphasis on academic excellence that mould many of these top global leaders. This does have negative outcomes with extra-curricular activities receiving less of a priority. Another factor that plays a big role in spurring many Indians to push themselves and their kids for an admission into some of these prestigious institutions is that an entry and education in them promises social mobility and a future that is financially secure.

One also wishes to see a greater number of Indian women at the top rung, Leena Nayar notwithstanding. But it would be amiss here not to talk about Indra Nooyi, who has for years now inspired many young Indians, especially women about balancing a successful career and family. She was at the helm of PepsiCo for 12 years and is today considered as one of the world’s finest business leaders. It is no small achievement that she was also the first woman of colour and first immigrant to head a Fortune 50 company.

At the end of the day, it’s a mixture of many factors that ensures an individual’s success in life. Education, discipline, focus and the ability to balance this with a family. The Indian education system, at the top levels, does provide many with those tools. Society and the family support are the add-in advantages. Since these factors are here to stay, it would be fair to state that one can expect the list of global Indian CEOs to grow in the coming years. – The writer is Executive Editor of Nrifocus.com