IIM Bodh Gaya welcomes its First IPM Batch through a Virtual Inauguration Program

IIM Bodh Gaya welcomed its inaugural batch of the Integrated Programme in Management for the academic years 2021-26, on 5th and 6th October 2021. With an early induction to the management programme and a rigorous curriculum, the Institute aims to prepare the candidates from a foundation level to take up leadership positions in corporate & government organizations.

The Institute inducted a total of 72 students, with 21 females and 51 males for its first batch of IPM. It is a matter of great pride and pleasure for the Institute to have such a culturally and academically diverse batch of students. The Induction Programme aimed at familiarizing the students with the Institute, curriculum, the faculty and facilities. The first day of the inaugural ceremony was graced by Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education, Govt. of India, Dr. Vinita S Sahay, Director, IIM Bodh Gaya and Dr. Raveesh Krishnankutty, Chairperson, IPM, and many other dignitaries.

The event began with the auspicious lighting of the lamp ceremony and Saraswati Vandana. Dr. Sahay extended a warm welcome to the Guest of Honour and other dignitaries present on the auspicious occasion. She took up this opportunity to congratulate the students on clearing the JIPMAT test, India’s only meritocracy-based test across the length and breadth of the country. The Director addressed the Honourable Minister and assured him that as academicians the Institute and its staff take responsibility to transfer the young minds to a better workforce and live up to the trust that the ministry has bestowed upon them. Further, Mr. Sandip Ghose, Ex-Director NISM, BoG member, IIM Bodh Gaya addressed the gathering. He said that learning is a constant process and asked the students to make every effort to acquire new skills and deliver to the expectations of the people.

The stage was then taken over by the Guest of Honour, Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Education, Govt. of India. He enlightened the audience with his words of wisdom on the National Education Policy and how it is formulated to benefit students from different socio-economic cultures. He praised the Institute curriculum that takes into view the physical and mental needs of the students and how it empowers the future workforce without any separation between the different streams of education. He concluded by saying that people are shaped by their thoughts and they are the fruit of their thoughts. Later in the event, Prof. Prabhat Ranjan, Chairperson, Admissions Committee, showcased the batch profile followed by Dr. Raveesh Krishnankutty, Chairperson, IPM, who gave an overview of the curriculum and the structure of the programme. The first half of the day was wrapped up by Mr. Sai Prasad K, CFO Pan Apps Inc, Virginia & VP Finance Assyst International addressing the batch on the importance of life-long learning. He went on to talk about collectivity and synergy which leads to participation in management.

The afternoon session hosted Mr. Milind M Shahane, CEO, TATA Class Edge. He explained how management training at its core is all about knowing the system and working out the solution. Later, Dr. Shashi Kant, Associate Director Flipkart, spoke about the importance of good guidance in a person’s life and asked the students to believe in themselves, letting go of self doubt. In the next session, Ms. Rachna D., Marketing Head, Sp Business; Channel Sales & Strategic Alliance, Cisco spoke on how nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm and clear vision. She was followed by Ms. Naushaba Khan, Associate Vice President, HSBC who shared insights on the top skills required for leadership and management. The first day of the induction came to an end with an inspiring session by Dr. Rajesh Sharma, Dy. Director General, Dept. of Telecom, Govt. of India. He emphasized on the practical application of the theory taught in classes and how a student can incorporate them in their daily lives with the right attitude.

On Day 2 of the Orientation Ceremony, the Institute hosted Ms. Mythili Sarathy, Senior GM- HR, Reliance Industries Limited. She shared her experience on the importance of building healthy relationships; and being genuine and passionate about learning throughout a person’s life. She also urged the students to practice mindfulness and to be aware of the learnings they receive everyday. The next session was by Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Senior Customer Success Manager, YourDost. Through an interactive session with the students, he explained the importance of expressing one’s mental state and how counseling can help a person attain Mental Wellness.

The event was taken ahead by Mr. Jayakrishnan T, Founder and CEO, ASIMOV Robotics. He started off by sharing his entrepreneurial journey highlighting how his company adapted to the change and moved forward in the service sector. The session was followed by Dr. Neeta Nagar, Client Account Lead at Accenture & MD, Nordics Technology Delivery Lead for FS. She shared a few anecdotes from her career journey and gave the batch insights on how to successfully thrive in a corporate world and to create an identity of their own.

The second half of the event began with a session by Mr. Aishwarya Pratap Singh, Head Marketing, ITC Limited. He talked about how marketing as a domain has changed how business is carried out with a highlight on his career experiences.

The next session was by Ms. Nishath Moheb Usmani, Director, KPMG. Her captivating session revolved around the very interesting topic, ‘When dreams greet reality’. Her words had a great impact on the young minds of students and inspired them to keep dreaming in their lives. The last among the guest sessions was by Dr. Abhishek Singh, Regional Purchase Manager, Britannia Industries Limited. His words revolved around how execution is greater than strategy itself.

The second day of the Induction came to an end with a session showcasing the new batch’s talents. The faculty also shared the pride and joy they are feeling to groom this upcoming batch of talented lot. The two day programme helped the participants get acquainted with the campus, infrastructure, and curriculum; and through the insightful guest sessions, know about the corporate world they are going to face in the coming years.