IIM Sambalpur Celebrates 9th Foundation Day; Receives $2 Million Funding for Incubation Centre

Sambalpur: IIM Sambalpur celebrated its 9th Foundation Day with the theme “Accelerating Startup Ecosystems.” During the event, Sushant Kumar, the founder and principal of ESKEYN Ventures, pledged a significant fund of 2 million USD to support the incubation centre at IIM Sambalpur, aiming to foster entrepreneurship and startups.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also inked between IIM Sambalpur and India Accelerator, with the objective of enhancing entrepreneurial skills and capabilities among the incubates of IIM Sambalpur.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan extended his congratulations to IIM Sambalpur on its Ninth Foundation Day through a video message. He lauded the institute’s partnerships with entities like India Accelerator, SIDBI, and Flipkart, recognizing their vital role in nurturing entrepreneurs and aiding local artisans and weavers.

In his inspirational address, Minister Pradhan urged students to embrace innovation, inclusivity, and integrity—three core values of IIM Sambalpur. He emphasized the importance of using their acquired knowledge for professional success while also contributing to society’s betterment. He envisioned India’s development by 2047 and encouraged students to uphold these values as they work towards this goal.

Professor Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director of IIM Sambalpur, emphasized the institute’s journey and vision, which is to nurture responsible leaders with an entrepreneurial mindset and values centred around innovation, inclusivity, and integrity. He also highlighted their achievements, including 50% gender diversity and increased representation of non-engineering students in the MBA batch.