"The Board of Directors at Infosys has already accepted Nilekani's resignation. The resignation would be effective from July 9, 2009," the company said in a statement here.
Nilekani will take charge as Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India with the rank of Cabinet Minister.
As co-founder of India's second-largest software exporting firm, Nilekani served as director on the Infosys board since its inception in 1981.
Between March 2002 and June 2007, he served as the company's chief executive officer and managing director.
He was later re-designated as Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors.
"We are glad that an extraordinary individual like Nandan has got an opportunity to add value to India through this position. As a company that has always put the interest of society ahead of itself, Infosys will accept his absence with a sense of duty to a larger cause," Infosys Chairman and Mentor N R Narayana Murthy said.
“This is a project of national importance. This is something which he (Nilekani) would like to take up,” said Infosys chief executive and managing director S. Gopalakrishnan.
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