In 1985, when India was still a sleeping giant, one man dared to dream of building a world-class educational institution. ‘Impossible’, people said. Turning that attitude around took genius, persistence and the uncommon gift of persuasion.

The Man Who Saw Tomorrow: The Untold Story of N.J. Yasaswy, the Founder of ICFAI chronicles the life and times of one of India’s boldest minds in higher education.

Long before private universities became commonplace, Yasaswy imagined a network of world-class institutions that would help shape India’s future.

Out of that vision grew the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI), stretching from Tripura to Dehradun, and from Sikkim to Hyderabad. Today, it is a family of 11 universities, 9 B-schools, 7 tech schools, 9 law schools, and 3 pharma schools—all within four decades of learning.

But Yasaswy was more than a dreamer. He was an institution builder, a leader who inspired fierce loyalty and a risk-taker who was never scared to miss a step or two on the road to scale. He led his army of followers on a path where no road existed.

Drawing on the voices of admirers, colleagues, critics, family and friends, V. Pattabhi Ram and Sudhakar Rao tell the story of how Yasaswy built institutions brick by brick and how he inspired ordinary people to achieve extraordinary goals.

Written with conviction and narrative detail, this inspiring story is a case study of grassroots change, and of a visionary leader who revolutionized Indian higher education.

Publisher: Rupa Publications India

Author: Pattabhi Ram, Sudhakar Rao

Pages: 256

ISBN: 9789370033450

Publication Date: 25 December 2025