Raipur, Apr 15 (PTI) As many as 594 students of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur received degrees at the 14th annual convocation ceremony of the business school on Tuesday.

Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, Prabha Narasimhan, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Colgate-Palmolive India Ltd, noted leadership is about fostering a culture where people are inspired to contribute, feel valued, and share a collective vision.

During the function, 216 students from the e-MBA programme and 369 from regular full-time Master of Business Administration programme, comprising 344 pupils from the 2023-25 batch and 25 from the 2022-24 batch, received their degrees from the chief guest, an official statement issued by the institute said.

Nine students received doctorate degrees.

Addressing the graduating students in the Chhattisgarh capital, Narasimhan emphasised that today’s era is not just about achievements, but recognizing the potential within individuals.

“Leadership is about fostering a culture where people are inspired to contribute, feel valued, and share a collective vision. The commitment to societal contributions is an opportunity for us to use our positions, our talents, and our knowledge to make a real difference. The future is in your hands, and the responsibility to build a sustainable world rests with you,” she asserted.

Briefing the gathering on the institute’s growth path going forward, Professor Ram Kumar Kakani, Director of IIM Raipur, said, “We stand by the ethos of ‘Sva-Karma Niratah Siddhim’ – a belief that true excellence is achieved through dedicated action.” The IIM Raipur remains steadfast in its commitment to academic excellence, industry collaboration, and global outreach, he noted.

“We continue to expand our research footprint, forge impactful partnerships, and enhance our learning environment to prepare future leaders who are not just job seekers, but aim to become business owners,” Kakani maintained.

The IIM Raipur has significantly expanded its academic, research, and institutional footprint through a series of MoUs and collaborations in 2024-25. A total of seven MoUs were signed, including international tie-ups with IPAG (France), the University of Wolverhampton (UK), and Birmingham City University (UK), to foster academic exchange and research collaboration, the director informed.

Domestically, MoUs were signed with the District Project Livelihood College (DPLC), Dantewada for a Certificate Programme in Entrepreneurship, and with SAIL’s Management Training Institute (MTI), Ranchi, for joint training, research, and consultancy in the steel sector, he said.

Additional agreements were signed with the National Stock Exchange (NSE) for academic and industrial cooperation, and with The English and Foreign Languages (EFL) University, Hyderabad. Beyond MoUs, the IIM Raipur collaborated with the Chhattisgarh Police to address human trafficking through research-driven policy and rehabilitation strategies, Kakani added.

Puneet Dalmia, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, IIM Raipur, was also present on the occasion. PTI TKP RSY