Bodh Gaya, Aug 31: The Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya celebrated its Foundation Day on the occasion of completing 11 years of excellence, launching its first batch of the Executive PhD. Programme and welcomed its sixth batch of the Integrated Programme in Management with an Orientation Programme held on August 31, 2026.
The event marked the formal beginning of the students’ academic journey at the institute. This year, the institute inducted 207 students, including 70 females and 137 males. The first batch of the Executive PhD programme inducted 14 students, 12 males and 2 females. The orientation began with a Ganesh Vandana and lighting of the lamp, followed by an introduction to the Executive PhD Programme by Prof. Aviral Kumar Tiwari and the IPM Programme by Prof. Archana Patro.
Director Prof. Vinita S. Sahay welcomed the new batch of IPM with warm wishes. She further addressed the cohort by reflecting on what makes Bodh Gaya truly special, a land of deep spiritual significance. Turning to the region’s greatest strength: its people, she made a compelling case for investing in human capital. She emphasised that this population is among the region’s most priceless resources.
Prof. Sahay’s message pointed to a larger vision, one where this talent is nurtured to occupy far greater ground. She closed with a rousing message for the young cohort that youthful energy is inherently a force for innovation and change. Rather than settling for slow, incremental growth, she urged the students to think boldly and “leapfrog” ahead, seizing the opportunity to redefine what progress looks like for the region and beyond.
Mr. Nitish Mishra, Minister of Urban Development and Housing and Information Technology, Government of Bihar, graced the ceremony as the Chief Guest and emphasised that Bihar’s startup ecosystem today counts over 1,700 startups approved and funded by the Government of Bihar, part of a wider ecosystem of nearly 5,000 startups. He also observed that IIM Bodh Gaya stands as a mark of academic excellence within our own state. “This is not the Bihar of old headlines. This is Bihar that is building, founding, and funding its own future.”
The programme continued with a session by Dr. Ruchi Dhawan Sharma, VP-HR, IndiGo. Proceedings then moved forward with a special address by the Guest of Honour, Lt. Gen. Sandeep Singh, AVSM, Commandant, OTA Gaya, who observed that staying connected to Indian roots and languages, especially respecting and knowing Hindi, is crucial. This was followed by an engaging session on Cyber Crime. The day advanced further with a keynote address by Mr. Amitabh Mohanty, Managing Director and CEO, JM Financial Asset Management Ltd, followed by insights from Mr. Satyendra Khare, Strategic and Emerging Partnerships and Distribution Ecosystem, Google. The proceedings moved ahead with a keynote session by Mr. Pintu Kumar Jain, Head of Training, Siemens Technology and Services.
The Orientation Programme paved the way for the Foundation Day celebrations, marked by a ceremonial cake-cutting and a series of cultural performances that captured the talent, creativity, and vibrant spirit of the IIM Bodh Gaya community. The occasion also honoured the winners of National Sports Day, celebrating their rigour, resilience, and sportsmanship.