The Indian Institute of Management hosted its 50th convocation ceremony today, March 28, with S. Somanath, Vikram Sarabhai Professor and former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as chief guests. During the event, students from various programs, including the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and MBA courses - post-graduate programme in Entreprise Management (PGPEM), Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP), Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGPBA) and Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) were awarded their degrees.
Students of the Post Graduate Programme in Public Policy Management (PGPPM) received the Master of Management Studies (Public Policy) degree, while some were awarded a Post Graduate in Public Policy and Management. In recognition of academic excellence, one scholar, Professor Prakash G. Apte received the institute award for excellence in Research, while gold medals were awarded for the best all-round performance, first rank and second rank. During the convocation, six students were given gold medals. These gold medalist students hail from Rajasthan, Maharashtra (Mumbai and Solapur), Bihar, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. Here's all you should know about them.
Ashish Singh Bhandari
Course: Production & Operations Management Area
Award: Institute Research Award 2025 and Professor Prakash G. Apte Award 2025 Winner
Ashish Singh Bhandari, 34 years old, serves as an Assistant Professor at the Masters' Union School of Business (MUSB) in Gurugram. His research interests primarily focus on energy storage, supply chain disruption, inventory management, and optimization. Ashish aims to contribute high-quality research in the field of Operations Management.
Parth Tiwari
Course: Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP)
Award: Gold Medallist – First Rank Holder
During his course at IIMB, 29-year-old Parth was featured on the Director’s Merit List and consistently ranked among the top five out of 82 students. He was also an elected member of the Student Academic Committee. Additionally, his team was one of the top eight out of 154 teams globally to qualify for the final round of the Cornell EMI Corning Case Competition 2024. Parth aspires to become a self-sufficient global leader in technological innovation, particularly in aerospace and defense. He hails from Mungeli, a town in Chhattisgarh. His father is a government school teacher, and his mother is a homemaker.
Siddharth Pujari
Course: Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP)
Award: Gold Medallist – Best All-Round Performer
Siddharth Pujari, 29 years old, is a sports enthusiast who represented IIM Bangalore in Sangharsh (IIM Lucknow) and Sangram as a member of the Institute's Badminton team. He secured a gold medal in Spardha and the Executives' Cup, a silver medal in Shaurya (Men's Singles), and a bronze medal in Ekatva (Mixed Doubles) at IIM Ahmedabad. He authored the BrandCom Handbook, the program's first standardized guide, which ensures structured processes for future batches and eliminates inefficiencies in committee work. Additionally, he actively participated in various events and contests. Siddharth's future plans involve leveraging his MBA education to make meaningful contributions in sectors that align with his passions and interests.
Manthan Dhabriya
Course: Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP)
Award: Gold Medallist – First Rank Holder
Manthan Dhabriya, 27 years old, has successfully completed all three levels of the CFA program. During his time at IIMB, he received several scholarships, including the DML Scholarship for being listed on the Director’s Merit List and the Mold-Tek Scholarship for ranking among the top three performers in the DML. Manthan aims to build a successful career in finance.
Ritvik Sandip Saraf
Course: Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP)
Award: Gold Medallist – Second Rank Holder
Ritvik Sandip Saraf, a 22-year-old, achieved an impressive academic record by earning a perfect grade of 4.0 in 11 out of 31 courses, while securing a Grade A in all 31 courses. This resulted in a cumulative GPA of 3.87. Ritvik is passionate about finance, technology, and supply chain management, and he aims to leverage these interests to make a meaningful impact in the B2B sector. He grew up in Mumbai in a business-oriented family; his parents own a firm in the IT and cloud solutions industry. Additionally, his elder brother is a graduate of business school and has joined the family business.