The Indian Public Administration Association originated in 1965 when Prof. V.K.N. Menon took the initiative and mobilized the existing faculty of the discipline in the Indian Universities and convened the first informal meeting of the teachers of public administration. Meetings were held occasionally and eventually the body was formalized as Indian Public Administration Association and was registered in 1966.

The idealism and dynamism of the first generation teachers illuminated the association. Down the years IPAA evolved as an academic forum to promote and nurture the discipline.