CA Prasanna Kumar D Assumes the Mantle of Leadership as 74th President of ICAI
In a significant development for India’s accounting profession, CA Prasanna Kumar D has taken office as the 74th President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), commencing his tenure for the 2026–27 council year effective 12 February 2026. His ascension reflects both the culmination of a distinguished career across multiple leadership echelons within the institute and the collective confidence of colleagues in his capacity to guide the profession through an era marked by rapid economic transformation and professional complexity.
A Steward of Tradition and Progress
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, established under an Act of Parliament, stands as one of the world’s most venerable and influential professional accounting bodies, with a membership exceeding several hundred thousand practitioners across India. Its annual elections for the offices of President and Vice‑President are more than ceremonial: they set the tone for professional standards, regulatory engagement, educational reform and global outreach for the coming year.
CA Prasanna Kumar D, a Fellow Member of the ICAI since qualifying in 1984, succeeds CA Charanjot Singh Nanda, whose presidency concluded with a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening institutional frameworks. Prasanna Kumar’s elevation follows his service as Vice‑President in the previous term (2025–26), demonstrating the ICAI’s customary practice of recognising seasoned leadership continuity.
A Journey Marked by Leadership and Service
Born into an era of evolving regulatory and economic challenges, Prasanna Kumar’s professional trajectory encapsulates the breadth and depth of engagement expected of a national leader in the accounting domain. Over four decades, he has served at virtually every tier of the ICAI’s governance structure from branch committees to the Central Council cultivating a reputation for ethical stewardship, intellectual rigour and unwavering commitment to the profession.
His early leadership roles included chairing the Visakhapatnam Branch of ICAI in 2001–02, followed by a long‑standing association with the Southern India Regional Council (SIRC) from 2007 to 2016, including a term as its Chairman in 2013–14. These formative experiences endowed him with insight into the diverse needs of ICAI’s regional constituencies and grounded his later contributions at the national level.
At the central level, Prasanna Kumar has completed two consecutive terms on ICAI’s Central Council and continues to serve as an active member of the 26th Council, illustrating his sustained engagement with the institute’s strategic direction. Throughout this period, he has chaired and contributed to numerous key committees, shaping policies on professional development, governance, ethical standards, education, regulatory affairs, and welfare programmes for members.
Championing Professional Excellence
As President, Prasanna Kumar assumes responsibility for chairing ICAI’s primary standing committees, including the Executive, Finance, Disciplinary and Examination Committees each central to the institute’s core mission. His role also extends to serving as Editor‑in‑Chief of The Chartered Accountant journal, a flagship publication that informs and connects ICAI’s extensive membership.
Under his stewardship, the institute is expected to further refine frameworks that enhance professional competence, uphold ethical norms, and promote the global stature of Indian Chartered Accountants. These objectives resonate with ongoing efforts to internationalise the profession, strengthen cross‑border recognition of Indian qualifications, and integrate best‑practice standards in accounting, auditing, taxation and corporate governance.
His previous participation on regulatory and advisory panels, representing ICAI in engagements with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance underscores a career informed by both professional expertise and public‑sector interface.
Vice‑President Mangesh Pandurang Kinare: A Complementary Partnership
Alongside Prasanna Kumar, CA Mangesh Pandurang Kinare has been elected as Vice‑President for the 2026–27 term. A University of Mumbai graduate and Fellow Member of the ICAI with over three decades of professional experience, Kinare comes to his new role with an extensive portfolio of leadership positions, including chairmanship of the Western India Regional Council (2013–14) and committee leadership within the institute’s Professional Development and Public & Government Financial Management portfolios.
Kinare’s service on the Disciplinary Committee Bench for six years and his contributions to excellence‑focused directorates underscore his depth in institutional governance and member development, competencies that dovetail with the presidency’s broader strategic imperatives. His collaborative role will be crucial in supporting initiatives for education, training, and industry engagement that aim to prepare ICAI members for the challenges of a progressively dynamic economy.
Leading Through Transition: Challenges and Opportunities
The ICAI’s new leadership assumes office at a time of considerable evolution in both domestic and international accounting environments. Rapid digitisation, shifting tax and regulatory landscapes, and an increasingly integrated global economy demand that the profession adapt with foresight and resilience. Against this backdrop, the institute’s leadership has a multifaceted mandate: to uphold rigorous standards, support members’ professional growth, and enhance the relevance and recognition of the Chartered Accountancy qualification.
One key focus area is the continuous enhancement of education and examination frameworks that form the backbone of the CA qualification. Reforming syllabus structures, improving assessment modalities, and reinforcing practical training opportunities for aspirants are areas where leadership direction can create long‑lasting impact not only for those entering the profession but also for its future trajectory.
Additionally, ICAI continues to deepen its global engagement, participating in forums such as the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) and other international bodies that influence policy, standards and collaboration across borders. Such participation reflects the institute’s growing role as a voice of not just Indian accountants, but of emerging market professionals worldwide.
A Vision Rooted in Heritage and Progress
CA Prasanna Kumar D’s presidency is therefore more than a custodial appointment; it is a platform to articulate a vision that synthesises tradition with transformation. His tenure presents an opportunity to reaffirm the ICAI’s core values, i.e - integrity, excellence, and service, while steering innovation in professional education, technological adaptation, ethical conduct, and global engagement.
As the accounting fraternity, students, regulators and industry stakeholders look ahead, the institute’s new leadership is expected to champion policies that not only respond to immediate challenges but also lay durable foundations for future growth. Prasanna Kumar’s deep reservoir of experience, merged with a collaborative ethos, suggests that the ICAI remains poised to consolidate its institutional strengths even as it navigates the complexities of the modern professional landscape.
In an era where financial transparency, robust governance, and ethical assurance are indispensable to economic trust, such stewardship holds significance beyond organisational confines resonating with national aspirations for economic integrity and global competitiveness.
