The Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur held its 10th annual convocation recently awarding degrees to 416 students across five programmes, with women candidates constituting a significant 76% of the graduating cohort.

The graduating class included 314 students from the MBA batch (2024–26), 39 from the Executive MBA batch (2023–25), 36 from the Executive MBA batch (2024–26), 17 from the Executive MBA for Working Professionals batch (2024–26), along with five PhD scholars and five PhD candidates for working professionals.

The ceremony was graced by Hari Babu Kambhampati as chief guest. Prativa Mohapatra, Vice President and Managing Director of Adobe India, attended as guest of honour. Chandan Chowdhury and Mahadeo Prasad Jaiswal were also present.

Top academic honours were conferred on meritorious students across programmes. The Chairman’s Gold Medal was awarded to Srijan Chakraborty (MBA 2024–26), Varsha Sameer Meher (Executive MBA 2023–25), Priyanka Rath (Executive MBA 2024–26), and Allwyn Francis (MBA for Working Professionals 2024–26). 

The Director’s Gold Medal recipients included Chirag Kundra (MBA 2024–26), Sk Aftabuddin Mohammed (Executive MBA 2023–25), Rajkishore Kar (Executive MBA 2024–26), and Alok Shukla (MBA for Working Professionals 2024–26). 

The IIM Sambalpur Gold Medal for Best All-Round Performance was awarded to Manya Singh (MBA 2024–26).

Addressing the gathering, Director Mahadeo Prasad Jaiswal highlighted the institute’s progress, noting that 2025–26 marked a phase of strategic growth, inclusivity, and academic excellence. 

He pointed to the institute’s jump of 16 ranks in the NIRF 2025 rankings and emphasised its global recognition for AI-enabled learning innovations, drawing comparisons with leading institutions such as Harvard Business School.

In her keynote address, Prativa Mohapatra reflected on the rapidly evolving global landscape, stating that the world has transitioned from a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) environment to a BANI (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible) reality. She also lauded the institute’s campus and its emphasis on academic innovation.

The convocation underscored Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur’s growing prominence as a hub of inclusive and future-ready management education.