Indian Institute of Management, Bodh Gaya, inducted 542 students to its 2025-27 postgraduate and PhD programmes with a distinguished group of leaders sharing their deep insights to inspire the new cohort.
One of the fastest growing IIMs in the country, IIM Bodh Gaya commenced its Orientation Programme on July 5th welcoming 354 students, including 51 who came through the IPM (Integrated Programme in Management) stream into the 11th batch of its flagship MBA, as well as 18 scholars into the 6th batch of Ph.D programme. Orientation for the 3rd batches of MBA-DBM (Digital Business Management) and MBA-HHM (Hospital and Healthcare Management) programmes, comprising 94 students each, started on July 6th.
Prof. Vinita S. Sahay, Director of IIM Bodh Gaya, welcomed the new batch on both days, underscoring the institute’s commitment to promoting mindfulness and nurturing socially responsible business leaders. Mr. L. Ramkumar, Chairperson of the Board of Governors (BoG), IIM Bodh Gaya, and Mr. Sandip Ghose, BoG Member, addressed the students in the inaugural session on the opening day.
Mr. Mrutyunjay Mahapatra, Chairman of the Audit Committee at RBI Innovation Hub, Mr. Roopank Chaudhary, Partner and Country Head-Talent and Rewards Consulting, AON India, Mr. Ashish Kulkarni, Partner, BCG, and Mr. Venkat Chalasani, CEO, Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) talked at length about the changing trends and emerging opportunities in different sectors. Public service leaders, including Mr. Prafulla Kumar Jain, Director at IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre), Mr. Shashank Shubhankar, District Magistrate of Gaya Ji, and Mr. Anand Kumar, SSP Gaya Ji, urged the students to consider how business and governance can synergise for greater societal good.
Dr.Varun Kapoor, IPS – Special DGP, Madhya Pradesh, shared insights into cyber crimes and the importance of cybersecurity. Dr. Suku Sukunesan, Associate Dean, Edith Cowan University, Australia, Mr. Jayant Prakash, Partner- Economic Development Advisory- Government Public Sector, E&Y, and Prof. Vidyanand Jha, Professor at IIM Calcutta, also interacted with the students on the opening day.
Dr. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, NETF (National Educational Technology Forum) & NBA (National Board of Accreditation), Mr. Hitesh Tak, Managing Director & Partner, BCG, Mr. Udit Sethi, Partner, KPMG, Mr. Vineeth P. Mathew, Head HR, Agappe Diagnostics, Mr. Badrish Prakash, Global Head of Alliances, Tiger Analytics, Mr. Debopriyo Bhattacharyya, Associate Partner, McKinsey, Dr. Rajesh M. Patel, CEO, AGD Biomedicals, and Dr. Safeena A.N., IAS, Commissioner, Magadh Division, Gaya Ji were the key speakers on the 2nd day.
Prof. Ashish Sharma, Chairperson – MBA, Prof. Swapnarag Swain, Chairperson- MBA HHM, and Prof. Molla Ramizur Rahman, Chairperson- MBA DBM, introduced the programmes. Prof. C. V. Sunil Kumar, Chairperson – Admissions, presented the batch profile, highlighting the diversity and potential of the incoming class.
The new MBA batch includes 78 female students and 225 male students. Among these, 123 students have prior work experience, with an average duration of 23 months. The batch demonstrates significant academic diversity, with 50.83% engineers and 49.17% non-engineers. The MBA-DBM batch has 94 students, including 14 females, with 36.17% coming from non-engineering backgrounds. The MBA-HHM batch also has 94 students, including 14 female students, with 87.23% representing non-engineering backgrounds. The Ph.D. batch of 18 new scholars, including 8 females, brings diverse academic backgrounds cutting across Engineering, Science, Social Science and Liberal Arts.
Spiritual invocation and varied cultural programmes on both days enlivened the orientation programme, which has sessions designed to take the students beyond the classroom and encourage collaboration through engaging in physical and strategic challenges. The Orientation Programme sets the stage for an inspiring and transformative educational journey, nurturing the next generation of leaders aspiring to shape the business landscape with diverse perspectives and unwavering commitment.
