Venue: IIM Sirmaur Campus, Dhaula Kuan, Distt. Sirmaur (H.P.)

Chief Guest: Shri. Vipin Sondhi
Chairman, National Board for Quality Promotion
Chairman, CII Green Mobility Council

The 9th Convocation of IIM Sirmaur was held on April 26th, 2025. Shri Vipin Sondhi, Chair, National Board for Quality Promotion & Chairman, CII Green Mobility Council, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and delivered the convocation address. Hon'ble Chairperson of Board of Governors (BoG), Shri Ajay S. Shriram, presided over the ceremony.

Shri Ajay S. Shriram, Chairperson of BoG, addressing the audience, spoke about the Indian and global business environment and the resilience and growth of Indian businesses. He inspired students to come up with new ideas quickly and move with an open mind to position the businesses for resilience and growth.

Professor Prafulla Y. Agnihotri, Director, IIM Sirmaur, presented the Institute’s annual report, highlighting the milestones achieved by faculty, staff, and students over the past year. He informed the audience that this year, institute launched a one-year, full-time program specializing in Advanced Manufacturing Management in collaboration with RWTH Aachen, Germany, launch of an MBA in Tourism and Hospitality Management (TTHM) in partnership with two leading universities in Mauritius and launch of its first Bachelor’s programme — the Bachelor of Management Studies. He highlighted the Institute's internationalization efforts, noting that IIM Sirmaur signed six MoUs this year with leading institutions, including RWTH Aachen University, Germany; emlyon Business School, France; Saint Marie De Chavagnes, France; University of Mauritius; University of Technology, Mauritius; and the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research of the Republic of Mauritius. A major milestone this year was the shift to the permanent campus in July 2024 after receiving all statutory approvals from the relevant government departments. The Director wished the graduating students the very best and reminding them of their social responsibility. He said, “There are many deserving students who cannot dream of getting higher education despite not lacking in abilities. Always remember that you carry a responsibility on your shoulder to maintain the dignity and honor of your education. Remember you owe a lot to the society and be aware of your social responsibility.”

Shri Ajay S. Shriram, Chairman, Board of Governors, awarded MBA degrees to the graduating students. Families of the graduating students were also present at the occasion. A total of 295 students graduated this year — 250 students were conferred the degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA), and 45 students received the Master of Business Administration in Tourism Management (MBA Tourism Management). Among the graduating students were 75 female students. Shri Mohit Garg received the Chairman’s Gold Medal for MBA, and the Director’s Medal was awarded to Shri Patel Pavan Sandeep. Shri Nischal Jain and Shri Gaurav Bhatt received gold medals as toppers in Finance and Marketing areas, respectively, and Shri Bratin Sarkar received the gold medal for best academic performance in the MBA Tourism Management Programme.

Shri Vipin Sondhi delivered the convocation address. Congratulating the students on their meaningful day, he emphasized that convocation is “not just the close of a chapter but the beginning of a new one,” and highlighted the silent support of the parents in this journey. He encouraged students to learn faster and grow deeper, emphasizing that good education teaches a person how to ask good questions. He shared five important lessons for the graduating students as they write their unique life scripts. First, head or heart — it’s your script, and yours alone to write. Second, go to the source of the problem. Third, find your mirror — someone who will tell you the truth with perspective and be your cheerleader. Fourth, be an apprentice — listen more than you speak, own your mistakes, and guard your integrity fearlessly. Fifth, build a culture of excellence and trust. Quoting Jacob Bronowski, he said, "Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence." He reminded the students that management is not just about models and margins but about people, society, and ethics. He urged them to lead with empathy, intelligence, and ethics, and to live their lives with gratitude. Citing Roger Federer’s example, he concluded by saying, “you don't have to win every point.”

The event concluded with an atmosphere of pride, hope, and celebration as students, parents, faculty, and staff came together to mark a significant milestone in the journey of IIM Sirmaur. With its growing legacy of academic excellence and commitment to nurturing responsible leaders, IIM Sirmaur continues to stride confidently into the future, remaining steadfast in its vision of shaping leaders who will drive positive change and contribute meaningfully to nation-building.