Dr. Ajay Kumar, a seasoned Indian Administrative Service officer from the 1985 batch, has been appointed as the new director on the board of Sify Technologies Limited. Prior to this, Dr. Kumar served as the Defence Secretary for the Indian government, bringing with him extensive expertise in technology and policy.
Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Kumar has led several government organizations to significant achievements, particularly in the defense and technology sectors. He played a pivotal role in developing the defense startup ecosystem through the iDEX initiative from 2017 to 2022 and was instrumental in the success of key Digital India initiatives, including Aadhaar, UPI, and Jeevan Pramaan between 2014 and 2017. His efforts also extended to supporting startups in the drone and space industries from 2020 to 2021 and improving the performance of Defense Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) from 2018 to 2022.
Dr. Kumar’s academic credentials are equally impressive. He holds a B.Tech in electrical engineering, a Master’s degree in applied economics, and a PhD in business administration from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Following his superannuation, he joined the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of Management Sciences and the Department of Economic Sciences.
Raju Vegesna, Chairman of Sify Technologies, expressed his enthusiasm for Dr. Kumar’s appointment, stating, “We are pleased to welcome Kumar on board. I am convinced that his vast experience across multiple industries will add value to both our business strategy and corporate governance.”
Dr. Kumar also shared his excitement about joining Sify Technologies, highlighting the company’s unique position with its converged ecosystem of Networks, Data Centers, and Digital tools, and its strong reputation for corporate governance.
This appointment comes as Sify bids farewell to three of its longest-serving directors, Dr. T H Chowdary, C B Mouli, and C E S Azariah, who have completed their tenure. Chairman Vegesna extended his deepest gratitude and appreciation for their invaluable contributions and mentorship over the years.