Sanjeev Bikhchandani elected Chairman of IAMAI; Ajit Balakrishnan to continue as Chairman Emeritus

Mumbai: Founder and chairman of Rediff.com Ajit Balakrishnan has been named as the Chairman Emeritus of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

As Chairman Emeritus, which incidentally is a life-time appointment, Balakrishnan will be at the helm of affairs of the Council of past Chairpersons, and will give  strategic direction to the Association, as well as the internet and mobile content and services industry.

Additionally, the IAMAI's governing board has also unanimously elected Founder and CEO of Info Edge India, Sanjeev Bikhchandani as Chairman of the association for 2008-09.

Outlining the association's priorities, Bikhchandani said, that partnerships and bridges with relevant government agencies will be the top priority, followed by broadband penetration. Also on his list is pushing for better terms of business for online publishers and for the mobile content and services industry.

In a call to arms, he said that the digital industry needs ''focused collective action'' to popularise the Internet and mobile content and services while simultaneously creating an enabling environment for business. Therefore, Bikhchandani said, it is necessary that the representative association of the industry, the IAMAI is strengthened.

Amongst other members elected to various posts are Sanjay Aggarwal, general manager of operations at Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), who has been elected Vice Chairman. Ratish Nair, co-founder of Interactive Avenues has been elected Treasurer for 2008-09. Nair is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. Dr Subho Ray, the Association's secretary and president will continue in his present capacity.