Nandan Nilekani quits Infosys to head government agency

Nandan Nilekani, co-chairman and one of the founder members of Infosys Technologies Ltd, has resigned from the company's board to join the government, the company said in a release.

Nilekani will relinquish the position of co-chairman and member of the board at Infosys to head government agency `Unique Identification Authority of India' in the rank of a cabinet minister, Infosys said in a statement.

"Nandan Nilekani has been invited by Hon'ble Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to take charge as the chairperson of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), in the rank of cabinet minister," the release said.

The resignation will be effective from 9 July and the board of directors of Infosys has accepted Nelakani's resignation, the release said.

Nilekani has served Infosys in various capacities - as a co-founder, chief operating officer, chief executive officer and managing director, and as co-chairman of the board of directors.

"We are glad that an extraordinary individual like Nandan has got an opportunity to add value to India through this position. As a company that has always put the interest of the society ahead of itself, Infosys will accept his absence with a sense of duty to a larger cause, but with deep sadness at the departure of one of her most illustrious sons. We, the Infoscions, wish him the best in his new assignment," N R Narayana Murthy, chairman and chief mentor of Infosys said.