Nandan Nilekani has already helped the federal government develop the Aadhar biometric ID system. He co-founded software program powerhouse Infosys Ltd., grew to become a billionaire and went on to spearhead a colossal authorities program to create biometric identification for India’s nearly 1.4 billion folks.
Now 66, Nandan Nilekani has yet one more bold purpose. The high-profile tycoon helps Prime Minister Narendra Modi construct an open expertise community that seeks to stage the taking part in area for small retailers within the nation’s fragmented however fast-growing $1 trillion retail market.
Its acknowledged function is to create a freely accessible online system the place merchants and shoppers should purchase and promote every part from 23-cent detergent bars to $1,800 airline tickets. However, its unstated goal is to ultimately curb the powers of Amazon.com. and Walmart Inc.-owned Flipkart, whose online domination has alarmed small retailers and the tens of millions of native mom-and-pop shops, known as Kirana, that kind the nation’s retail spine.
Venkatesan could join the e-commerce giant as either a board member, chairman or senior advisor at Amazon India.
Besides Amazon, talks are on, the report said, for a role with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.