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Newsmakers of the Week AUGUST 29, 2025 | The Indian Eye 37

Pace University appoints Ajay Zakir Khan creates history at

Khorana Dean of the Lubin Madison Square Garden

School of Business

NEW YORK, NY

fter an extensive nationwide search, Pace University announced the NEW YORK, NY
appointment of Ajay Khorana, Ph.D., as Dean of the Lubin School of
ABusiness and professor of finance, effective September 1, 2025. tand-up comedian Zakir Khan has made history by becoming the first
Indian comedian to perform a Hindi-language show at New York City’s
Prior to his appointment at Pace, Dean Khorana served as global treasur-
er for the U.S. Personal Banking and Global Wealth businesses at Citigroup, Siconic Madison Square Garden.
The comedian, loved across India for his relatable humour and “sakth
overseeing strategic financial planning, risk management, and capital alloca- launda” persona, shared the emotional moment with fans on Instagram.
tion for a $400 billion balance sheet. Over nearly 20 years at Citi, he held sev- Calling it a “big day”, Zakir wrote about how overwhelming it felt to per-
eral high-level roles, including global head of the Financial Strategy Group, form for “6,000 people with Hindi comedy.” He went on to thank his friends
where he advised Fortune 500 companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital and team for their support on what he described as a “special milestone.”
structure, shareholder strategy, and corporate governance. Among those cheering for him were well-known names. He shared that
Before his time at Citi, Khorana spent more than a decade in academia,
including faculty appointments at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Busi- his friend, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, and actor Kal Penn showed up to
support him, something that made the night even more special.
ness and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. A respect- A part of his post read, “I am still processing... Thode din baad theek se
ed scholar and teacher, his research has been published in leading academic bataunga kaisa laga. Abhi ke liye samajh lo ki it was a big day, not just because
journals, and he is recognized for inspiring excellence in the classroom.
of the venue or capacity, but because some of my favourite people were in the
audience that day.”
“It is an honor to join Pace University and lead the Lubin School “@vikaskhannagroup bhai, who is opening the best restaurants in the
of Business,” said Dean Khorana. “Lubin has a strong foundation world, called @bungalowny in New York. @kalpenn bhai, he left his rehearsal
of academic excellence and career preparation. I look forward to just to support me,” Zakir wrote.
“Anjaan desh, paraye logon ke beech itna pyar karne wale log mil gaye,
collaborating with faculty, students, alumni, and industry part- aur kya hi chahiye. Log bahut door-door se drive kar ke aaye the, bahut se
ners to build on that legacy and drive continued innovation and log toh 2-3 ghante ki flight se bhi aaye the. Main yeh sab kabhi bhool nahi
impact. There’s no better place to connect business education paunga. It was big for me, for comedy in India, and for our desi culture here,”
with the center of the financial world.” he added.
Ahead of the show, Zakir’s poster lit up Times Square billboards, and he
even appeared on U.S. media outlets, marking how big the moment was for
Pace President Marvin Krislov praised Khorana’s impressive background
in global finance, commitment to student and institutional success, and ability Indian comedy.
His friend, celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, also shared an emotional note
to bridge industry and academia. before the performance. Calling Zakir’s success a “dream come true”, Khan-
“Ajay Khorana is a transformational leader who brings both real-world
experience and academic depth to Pace,” said President Krislov. “His global na wrote, “God is kind to people who are kind. And this dream is coming true
as the entire world watches our boy create history tonight. Though I never
perspective and strategic vision will enhance Lubin’s programs and reputa- leave Bungalow, today, for the love & respect for this man, I’ll be there in the
tion and expand opportunities for our students and faculty, especially here crowd to cheer for him as he walks on the stage, making way for millions of
in Lower Manhattan where our campus is just blocks from Wall Street and kids to follow.”
Citigroup’s global headquarters.” Zakir Khan first rose to fame in 2012 after winning Comedy Central’s
The Lubin School of Business at Pace University is a nationally ranked
leader in business education, known for preparing graduates for career suc- “India’s Best Stand-Up” competition. Since then, he has built a massive fan
base both in India and abroad.
cess and upward mobility. Lubin holds dual accreditation in both business
and accounting by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
(AACSB)— an elite distinction shared by fewer than 2 percent of business our website www.TheIndianEYE.com
schools worldwide.

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