IIM Institutes
– Photo : Amar Ujala
Expansion
The new MBA batch comprises 302 students, including 73 female students, of whom 101 students have an average work experience of 22 months. The batch comprises 53.16% of students from engineering backgrounds and 46.84% from non-engineering backgrounds. The MBA-DBM programme welcomed 92 students, including 18 females, of which 23.1% are from non-engineering backgrounds. The MBA-HHM programme welcomed 91 students, including 15 female students, of which 83.5% represent non-engineering backgrounds.
The Ph.D. program admitted 11 new scholars, including 5 women, in areas such as Finance, Operations Management, Economics, Information Technology Systems and Analytics, Marketing, Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, and Strategy and Entrepreneurship. The academic background of these scholars includes Marketing, Commerce, Economics, Computer Science Engineering, IT, Operations Management, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Research, and Psychology.
The student body comprises students from various disciplines including Engineering, Arts, Commerce, Accountancy, Management, Banking, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Hotel & Tourism Management, Agriculture, Horticulture, Pharmacy, Law and Architecture. This diverse composition reflects IIM Bodh Gaya’s commitment to academic and gender inclusiveness and diversity. The orientation program began with Vedic chanting and Ganesh Vandana singing and Bharatanatyam, which gave a lively atmosphere to the event. Eminent speakers addressed the students, sharing valuable insights during interactive sessions.
Dr. Vinita Sahay, Director, IIM Bodh Gaya, welcomed the new batch with great enthusiasm, and emphasized the Institute’s mission to foster conscious and socially responsible business leaders. Chief Guest – Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Senior IAS, Secretary – Department of Agriculture and Transport, Government of Bihar, emphasized the importance of aiming high and encouraged the students to define their purpose. Mr. Kamal Nath, CEO, Sify Technologies, discussed the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the industry, noting that rapid changes driven by AI have increased the gap between acquired skills and skills in demand, urging students to prepare for future challenges. Siddharth Satpathy, Vice President, HR – Talent and Culture at CAMS, reiterated Mr. Nath’s views on the importance of bridging the skill gap, highlighting the importance of adaptability in the evolving job market.
Vivek Jha, Head of Strategy Operations, Global Drug Development, Novartis India, emphasised on adaptability, citing the strength and inspiration derived from adaptable individuals in families. Sunil Thakur, Partner, Quadria Capital, differentiated between professional and entrepreneurial talent, stating that professional talent hones skills while entrepreneurial talent helps discover them. Mr. Gautam Kumar, Senior Partner and Chairman – Asia, McKinsey Company, emphasised that the context of competition is more important than the methods employed. Mr. Abhishek Ranjan, Senior Director and Global Head, Brillio, shared insights on personal development, describing transformation as a lifelong journey rather than an instantaneous change.
The first day concluded with a cultural event, “Novisia 3.0”, which showcased the talents of both existing and new students through dance performances, poetry recitations and singing, creating a celebratory atmosphere. The second day included sessions by Navneet Neelendra, International Art of Living Teacher and Wellness Coach, who linked quality of life to state of mind. Prof. Pankaj Kumar, Associate Professor at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business, advised students to choose their battles wisely and maintain composure. Dr. Neeta Nagar, Managing Director, Client Account Leadership at Accenture, emphasized on active problem-solving and encouraged students to look for solutions rather than just adjustments. The orientation program concluded with faculty members providing valuable information to students about MBA policies and activities of various committees to ensure that the new students are well informed and prepared for their journey at IIM Bodh Gaya.