IIMB hosts closing ceremony of PGP & PGPBA orientation 2025-27
Closing ceremony of week-long orientation featured distribution of DAAs, among other academic recognitions
15 June, 2025, Bangalore: The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore concluded a week-long orientation programme for the PGP & PGPBA class of 2025-27 with a closing ceremony, held on campus from 9 to 15 June, 2025. The event brought together students, faculty, alumni, and guests to mark the beginning of a new and fruitful academic journey. The key highlight of the event included the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) 2025, among other academic recognitions, and scholarships.
Keynote Address
Mr. Raghu Polisetty, Senior Managing Director and Global Lead at Accenture Strategy & Consulting. Drawing from over three decades of experience, he urged students to anchor themselves in values that endure amid rapid change especially in a world being reshaped by GenAI & AI and shifting paradigms of work.
Quoting Nicole Malachowski, he said, “Nothing of significance ever happens alone”, and asked students to write a thank-you note to those who made their journey possible: parents, mentors, or well-wishers.
Outlining his five constants for lasting success, Mr. Polisetty emphasized:
- Lifelong learning – staying curious and moving toward the unknown
- Personal branding – building credibility beyond qualifications
- Responsible influence – using power to enable change
- Enduring belief and optimism – even in moments of uncertainty
- A strong moral compass – doing what’s right even when there are no rules
He closed with a powerful reflection, "Success is not just about talent it’s about grit, curiosity, and character."
Distinguished Alumni Awards 2025
The 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) were conferred upon four distinguished alumni at the ceremony for their exceptional achievements across sectors and their unwavering commitment to values that define the IIMB community. Prof. Sourav Mukherji, Dean, Alumni Relations and Development, introduced the DAA awardees and Mr. Ganeshan Ramachandran, Managing Director with Accenture’s Global Capability Network, presented the awards.
Dr. Sandhya Shekhar (PGP 1984), Advisor in Digital and Business Strategy and former CEO of IIT Madras Research Park, reflected on the challenges of upholding ethical values in the professional world and credited IIMB for instilling the courage to do so. She shared, “IIMB is where I discovered my inner strength—and that it’s cool to be ethical.”
Prashant Jain (PGP 1991), Founder of 3P Investment Managers and former CIO at HDFC Mutual Fund, shared how IIMB shaped his transition from engineering to finance and laid the foundation for a lifelong focus on learning and integrity. As he put it, “Learning is like a balance sheet assets build over time, and the liabilities teach you.”
Mathew Cyriac (PGP 1994), Chairman at Florintree Advisors and Co-founder of Yali Capital, credited IIMB with transforming his self-doubt into confidence and providing the mentorship and friendships that propelled his career. He noted, “IIMB gave me confidence, mentorship, and friendships that became my life’s compass.”
Vineet Saraiwala (PGP 2015), Founder & CEO of Atypical Advantage, spoke movingly of how IIMB empowered him as a visually impaired student and inspired his mission to build an inclusive India. He shared, “IIMB gave me the platform and belief to solve some of the toughest social problems.”
Welcome Address
The ceremony began with opening remarks from Prof. Manaswini Bhalla, Chairperson, PGP & PGPBA, who described the orientation week as “a trailer of what the next two years will look like.” She encouraged the PGP1 students to embrace the opportunities ahead with enthusiasm and urged the PGP2 cohort to be “worthy seniors” and role models for those just beginning their journey.
Prof. Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, reflected on the significance of the Distinguished Alumni Awards and the values embodied by the awardees. He spoke about the importance of perseverance, purpose, and the quiet dedication behind their achievements. The Director highlighted how their journeys exemplify the kind of impact IIMB hopes its students will strive for grounded, responsible, and far-reaching.
Prof. Mukta Kulkarni, Chairperson, Dean Programmes, encouraged students, “If you want to see yourself in the shoes of alumni, then focus on the multiple opportunities.”
Revanth Reddy, President, Students Affairs Council, PGP’26, shared welcomed the incoming cohort and reflected on his own journey at IIMB. Speaking about ‘Life at IIMB’, he encouraged both cohorts over 1,200 students to strive for meaningful societal impact, drawing inspiration from the accomplishments of the four distinguished alumni.
Awards, Scholarships, and Achievements
The event also featured the announcement of the Director’s Merit List, Director’s Honours List, section toppers, and scholarship recipients. The Mirae Asset Foundation Scholar Award was also presented to recognize meritorious and deserving students at IIMB across the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP), the Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGPBA), and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme. The students of PGP & PGPBA 2024-26, Gangineni Sandeep, Revat Mehra, Sampath Majeti, as well as Divya Dwivedi, Information Systems area and Sanchit Jain, Finance & Accounting area, were awarded the scholarship.
Cultural Performance
The ceremony concluded with a soul-stirring performance by the Chennai Children’s Choir from the NalandaWay Foundation.
Click here for photo gallery
IIMB hosts closing ceremony of PGP & PGPBA orientation 2025-27
Closing ceremony of week-long orientation featured distribution of DAAs, among other academic recognitions
15 June, 2025, Bangalore: The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore concluded a week-long orientation programme for the PGP & PGPBA class of 2025-27 with a closing ceremony, held on campus from 9 to 15 June, 2025. The event brought together students, faculty, alumni, and guests to mark the beginning of a new and fruitful academic journey. The key highlight of the event included the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) 2025, among other academic recognitions, and scholarships.
Keynote Address
Mr. Raghu Polisetty, Senior Managing Director and Global Lead at Accenture Strategy & Consulting. Drawing from over three decades of experience, he urged students to anchor themselves in values that endure amid rapid change especially in a world being reshaped by GenAI & AI and shifting paradigms of work.
Quoting Nicole Malachowski, he said, “Nothing of significance ever happens alone”, and asked students to write a thank-you note to those who made their journey possible: parents, mentors, or well-wishers.
Outlining his five constants for lasting success, Mr. Polisetty emphasized:
- Lifelong learning – staying curious and moving toward the unknown
- Personal branding – building credibility beyond qualifications
- Responsible influence – using power to enable change
- Enduring belief and optimism – even in moments of uncertainty
- A strong moral compass – doing what’s right even when there are no rules
He closed with a powerful reflection, "Success is not just about talent it’s about grit, curiosity, and character."
Distinguished Alumni Awards 2025
The 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) were conferred upon four distinguished alumni at the ceremony for their exceptional achievements across sectors and their unwavering commitment to values that define the IIMB community. Prof. Sourav Mukherji, Dean, Alumni Relations and Development, introduced the DAA awardees and Mr. Ganeshan Ramachandran, Managing Director with Accenture’s Global Capability Network, presented the awards.
Dr. Sandhya Shekhar (PGP 1984), Advisor in Digital and Business Strategy and former CEO of IIT Madras Research Park, reflected on the challenges of upholding ethical values in the professional world and credited IIMB for instilling the courage to do so. She shared, “IIMB is where I discovered my inner strength—and that it’s cool to be ethical.”
Prashant Jain (PGP 1991), Founder of 3P Investment Managers and former CIO at HDFC Mutual Fund, shared how IIMB shaped his transition from engineering to finance and laid the foundation for a lifelong focus on learning and integrity. As he put it, “Learning is like a balance sheet assets build over time, and the liabilities teach you.”
Mathew Cyriac (PGP 1994), Chairman at Florintree Advisors and Co-founder of Yali Capital, credited IIMB with transforming his self-doubt into confidence and providing the mentorship and friendships that propelled his career. He noted, “IIMB gave me confidence, mentorship, and friendships that became my life’s compass.”
Vineet Saraiwala (PGP 2015), Founder & CEO of Atypical Advantage, spoke movingly of how IIMB empowered him as a visually impaired student and inspired his mission to build an inclusive India. He shared, “IIMB gave me the platform and belief to solve some of the toughest social problems.”
Welcome Address
The ceremony began with opening remarks from Prof. Manaswini Bhalla, Chairperson, PGP & PGPBA, who described the orientation week as “a trailer of what the next two years will look like.” She encouraged the PGP1 students to embrace the opportunities ahead with enthusiasm and urged the PGP2 cohort to be “worthy seniors” and role models for those just beginning their journey.
Prof. Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, reflected on the significance of the Distinguished Alumni Awards and the values embodied by the awardees. He spoke about the importance of perseverance, purpose, and the quiet dedication behind their achievements. The Director highlighted how their journeys exemplify the kind of impact IIMB hopes its students will strive for grounded, responsible, and far-reaching.
Prof. Mukta Kulkarni, Chairperson, Dean Programmes, encouraged students, “If you want to see yourself in the shoes of alumni, then focus on the multiple opportunities.”
Revanth Reddy, President, Students Affairs Council, PGP’26, shared welcomed the incoming cohort and reflected on his own journey at IIMB. Speaking about ‘Life at IIMB’, he encouraged both cohorts over 1,200 students to strive for meaningful societal impact, drawing inspiration from the accomplishments of the four distinguished alumni.
Awards, Scholarships, and Achievements
The event also featured the announcement of the Director’s Merit List, Director’s Honours List, section toppers, and scholarship recipients. The Mirae Asset Foundation Scholar Award was also presented to recognize meritorious and deserving students at IIMB across the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP), the Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGPBA), and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme. The students of PGP & PGPBA 2024-26, Gangineni Sandeep, Revat Mehra, Sampath Majeti, as well as Divya Dwivedi, Information Systems area and Sanchit Jain, Finance & Accounting area, were awarded the scholarship.
Cultural Performance
The ceremony concluded with a soul-stirring performance by the Chennai Children’s Choir from the NalandaWay Foundation.
Click here for photo gallery