Explore
Ph.D., MBA, B.Tech.
Business Strategy | Innovation & Design Thinking | Agile Project & Program Management | Business Excellence | Digital Transformation | Information Systems | Quality & Reliability Engineering
40+ years in Industry
DOJ : 06 / 04 / 2018
Qualification : MBA, Ph.D
Dr. N. M. K. Bhatta is a distinguished academic leader, researcher, technologist, and management professional with over four decades of experience spanning defence services, scientific research, global corporate leadership, consulting, and higher education.
He earned his B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from JNTU College of Engineering, Kakinada, followed by a Post Graduate Programme in Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) from the Air Force Technical College. He subsequently completed his MBA in Operations Research and Ph.D. in Quality Control and Reliability from the University of Poona.
Dr. Bhatta began his professional journey as an Aeronautical Engineer in the Indian Air Force and later served as a Scientist with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). During this period, he contributed to several projects of national significance and had the privilege of working under the guidance of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India and one of the nation’s foremost scientific leaders.
Following a distinguished tenure in defence and research, he transitioned to the corporate sector, initially serving as Vice President at Quasar Innovations Pvt. Ltd. He subsequently joined Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where he spent over a decade in senior leadership roles. His responsibilities included leading global embedded systems delivery operations across 14 countries, heading domestic delivery operations, overseeing delivery operations across the African continent, and serving as Global Program Director for Business Excellence. Throughout his corporate career, he played a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, technology innovation, large-scale program management, and organizational transformation.
Dr. Bhatta’s association with management education began early in his career when he taught MBA students at the Department of Management Sciences (PUMBA), University of Pune. In 2014, he transitioned to academia full-time as Professor at the Indian Institute of Management Indore, where he taught courses in Information Systems, Business Strategy, Innovation, and Business Excellence. He also served as Chairman of Industry Interface and Executive Education, strengthening collaborations between academia and industry.
Since April 2018, Dr. Bhatta has been serving as Dean – Research at Xavier Institute of Management & Entrepreneurship (XIME), Bengaluru. At XIME, he teaches and consults in the areas of Business Strategy, Innovation Management, Design Thinking, Agile Methodologies, Critical Chain Project Management, and Business Excellence. He actively advises organizations on innovation, project and program management, Theory of Constraints, agile transformation, and digital business practices.
A lifelong learner and practitioner, Dr. Bhatta holds several globally recognized professional certifications, including Six Sigma Black Belt, Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), and Certified Scrum Master (CSM). He has further enhanced his expertise through executive education and certifications from globally renowned institutions such as Harvard Business School, London School of Economics, Steinbeis University (Germany), MIT, and IIM Ahmedabad.
An accomplished scholar, Dr. Bhatta has published 33 research papers in reputed national and international journals and conference proceedings. His research has been presented at leading international conferences across the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Hong Kong. He has also contributed chapters to books published by prestigious publishers including Taylor & Francis, Routledge, and Cambridge University Press.
His contributions across defence, industry, and academia have been recognized through numerous awards and honours, including commendations from the Chief of Air Staff and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, recognition for contributions during the Kargil War, the Best Project Manager Award at TCS, and multiple teaching excellence awards. In recognition of his professional achievements, he was honoured as a Distinguished Alumnus by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada.
Dr. Bhatta continues to contribute to academic governance and policy through his service on Boards of Governors and Boards of Studies at leading educational institutions, while mentoring the next generation of leaders, innovators, and researchers.
Chief of the Air Staff, Cash Award for his contribution during Kargil war
Dr Bhatta received several awards & accolades while in Defence, TCS, DRDO & during his academic Career. Notable of these are Commendations from Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Chief of the Air Staff, Cash Award for his contribution during Kargil war, Best Project Manager award in TCS and best teacher award while in academics. He was felicitated as 'Distinguished Alumni' by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada JNTUK during an event on March 10, 2016 by Prof. VSS Kumar, Vice Chancellor, JNTUK. He is a member and vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of JNTU CEK and also member of Board of studies of several major academic Institutions.
