IIM Calcutta welcomes diverse 18th MBAEx Cohort with grand inaugural ceremony
The grand inaugural ceremony featured an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, each bringing unique insights to the dynamic cohort.Director-in-Charge Dr. Saibal Chattopadhyay highlighted the diverse composition of the new batch, while Dean-Academic Dr. Bhaskar Chakrabarti emphasized the importance of international immersions and accreditations.
Keynote addresses included perspectives from prominent alumni and industry leaders:
- Vijay Singh Rathore, Founder of Soonicorn Ventures, discussed the valuation of risk in entrepreneurship.
- Ramaswamy Sankar, IIMC alumnus and Founder of Trayac Entrepreneurs Pvt Ltd, spoke on the cohort’s role in redefining the Indian job market.
- Nishant Sinha, Founder of Roastery Coffee House, shared his experiences with Indian-based product prototypes.
- Srinath Ravichandran, Founder of space tech startup Agnikul, provided foresight on the intersection of MBA education and space startups.
- Alina Alam, United Nations Women & Commonwealth Youth Awardee and Founder of Mitti Café, shared her inspiring journey in social impact.
- Dr. Ramendra Singh, IIM Calcutta’s Marketing Professor, reimagined strategies for engaging the Bottom of the Pyramid market.
Following the keynote addresses, the MBAEx Batch-18 was introduced to the “Startup Garage,” an innovative initiative by the IIM Calcutta Innovation Park in collaboration with the MeitY Startup Hub. This 36-hour hackathon provided a full-fledged startup simulation, fostering entrepreneurial skills among the participants.
The 18th cohort itself exemplifies diversity, with professionals from various fields such as ISRO, law, edtech, marketing, chartered accountancy, and the armed forces. Among the notable stories are an Indian Navy officer who led a rescue mission for a merchant ship attacked by Somalian pirates, a counter-terrorism spy from the Intelligence Bureau, and a Deputy Director from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The cohort also includes a poet and screenwriter, a best-selling author, patent holders, and entrepreneurs.
In a notable trend, the batch features student-parents who are balancing the rigors of the MBAEx program with family responsibilities, reflecting the evolving landscape of the MBA ecosystem.
IIM Calcutta’s 18th MBAEx batch promises to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the business world, further solidifying the institute’s reputation as a crucible for leadership and entrepreneurial talent.
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