Opening the conference, Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, highlighted the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and the role of academic institutions in driving growth.
AHMEDABAD (India CSR): The IIMA Endowment Fund, the unified fundraising and philanthropic arm of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), hosted the first-ever Accelerating India’s Development (AID) Conference at the IIMA campus, marking a significant step towards advancing India’s development priorities as the nation moves closer to Viksit Bharat 2047.
The national forum was organised in association with India CSR.
Conceived as a platform to convert intent into measurable impact, the AID Conference brought together leaders from industry, philanthropy, academia, government, and the development sector. The focus was clear—collaborative social responsibility that drives scalable and sustainable outcomes for India.
Four Strategic Pillars for National Impact
Drawing from IIMA’s six decades of academic excellence and nation-building legacy, the AID framework is structured around four strategic pillars:
- Rural Entrepreneurship & Livelihoods
- Innovation and Research for Good
- AI for Good
- Training for Good
These pillars aim to strengthen grassroots capabilities, promote rural upliftment, foster innovation, and leverage technology for inclusive governance and public welfare.
Academic Institutions as Catalysts for Viksit Bharat
Opening the conference, Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, highlighted the scale and ambition of India’s vision for Viksit Bharat 2047. He underscored the critical role academic institutions must play in enabling accelerated and non-linear growth.
Emphasising the importance of MSMEs, skilled talent, and leadership development, Prof. Bhasker said institutions like IIM Ahmedabad have a responsibility to build future-ready capabilities that support India’s long-term growth journey.
Translating Academic Strength into Social Impact
Prof. Sunil Maheshwari, Dean (Alumni & External Relations), reflected on IIMA’s enduring ethos of leadership and community building. He noted that the AID framework creates structured pathways for translating academic research, pedagogy, and alumni engagement into meaningful societal impact.
From Corporate to Collective Social Responsibility
Addressing the gathering, Deep Kalra, Chairman of the IIMA Endowment Fund Board, called for a paradigm shift from corporate social responsibility (CSR) to collective social responsibility.
He highlighted the role of the IIMA Endowment Fund in enabling scalable, outcome-driven solutions aligned with national development priorities, driven by collaboration between academia, philanthropy, and industry.
Industry Leaders Share Perspectives on India’s Growth Model
The keynote segment featured insights from eminent industry leaders:
- Madan Mohanka, Chairman, Tega Industries, spoke on the transformative impact of IIMA’s case-method pedagogy. He stressed the need for India to evolve into a job-creating economy, powered by entrepreneurship and innovation.
- Naresh Kothari, Founder and Managing Partner, Alpha Alternatives, urged India to chart its own distinctive development path, leveraging its unique strengths, demographic dividend, and collective potential.
Research-Led Policymaking Takes Centre Stage
A key highlight of the conference was the launch of a comprehensive research report, showcasing IIMA faculty research from the past five years across the four AID pillars.
The report reinforced IIMA’s commitment to evidence-based policymaking, public purpose research, and solutions grounded in data and real-world impact.
Panels on Impact Finance, AI, Women Entrepreneurship and Governance
The conference featured multiple thematic panel discussions, covering critical areas such as:
- Family offices as impact multipliers
- Blended finance for development
- Women’s entrepreneurship
- AI for inclusion and governance
- Strengthening India’s social workforce
Over 40 eminent speakers shared insights on how collaboration, technology, and community-centred design can accelerate India’s progress towards Bharat@2047.
Five Years of the IIMA Endowment Fund: Looking Ahead
The event also marked five impactful years of the IIMA Endowment Fund in supporting institution-building, alumni engagement, and initiatives aligned with IIMA’s mission.
Delivering the closing address, Srikrishnan Srinivasan, CEO, IIMA Endowment Fund, emphasised that the momentum created through the AID Conference would continue to guide collective action, enabling scalable and sustainable national impact.
Inaugural Session
The inaugural session sets the strategic direction for the conference and underscores the role of leadership and institutions in nation-building.
Speakers:
- Prof. Bharat Bhaskar, Director, IIMA
- Prof. Sunil Maheshwari, Dean – Alumni & External Relations, IIMA
- Madan Mohanka (PGP 1967), Chairman, Tega Industries
- Deep Kalra (PGP 1992), Founder & Chairman, MakeMyTrip; Chairman, IIMA Endowment Fund
- Naresh Kothari (PGP 1995), Founder & Managing Partner, Alpha Alternatives
The session highlights collaboration, philanthropy, and long-term institutional impact.
The Next Chapter in Indian Giving: Family Offices as Impact Multipliers
This session focuses on the evolving role of family offices in India’s philanthropic and social impact ecosystem. As India witnesses a generational shift in wealth stewardship, family offices are increasingly emerging as strategic enablers of long-term, scalable, and purpose-driven impact. The discussion explores how patient capital, values-led leadership, and structured philanthropy can significantly amplify development outcomes.
Moderator
- Prof. Sunil Maheshwari
Dean, Alumni and External Relations, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA)
Panelists
- Madan Mohanka (PGP 1967)
Chairman, Tega Industries
A seasoned industrialist and philanthropist, sharing perspectives on legacy, leadership, and long-term impact creation. - Padmaja Kumari Parmar
Princess of Mewar & Founder, The Friends of Mewar
Bringing insights on heritage-led philanthropy, culture-driven giving, and community-centric development. - Naresh Kothari (PGP 1995)
Founder & Managing Partner, Alpha Alternatives
Offering views on structured capital, governance, and investment-led impact through family offices. - Asha Thomas
Chief Operating Officer, Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives
Discussing institutional philanthropy, program design, and scalable social interventions. - Dr. Faruk Patel
Chairman & Managing Director, KP Group
Highlighting the role of entrepreneurial families in sustainability, clean energy, and nation-building.
The session underscores how family offices can move beyond traditional giving to become powerful impact multipliers, aligning capital with conscience to support India’s development priorities on the road to Bharat@2047.
Re-imagining Social Investment and Impact for Bharat@2047
This panel examines how social investment and philanthropy must transform to deliver long-term, systemic impact aligned with India’s 2047 goals.
Moderator:
- Prof. Sanjay Verma, Professor, IIMA
Panelists:
- Utsav Kheria (PGP 2011), Founder, Rocket Learning
- Pooja Sehgal, Country Lead – Health & Nutrition Communications, Gates Foundation
- Vivek Sharma, Founding Director – Gandhi Fellowship Program, Piramal Foundation
- Bhushan Punania (PGP 1979), General Secretary, Blind People’s Association (India)
- Geetanjali Gaur, Social Impact (CSR) Leader, Kyndryl India
- Dr. Heli Karvat, Assistant Manager, Apexon Ignite
The discussion focuses on outcome-oriented funding, partnerships, and scalable impact models.
Entrepreneurship from the Ground Up – Building a Future of Opportunity for Bharat
This session highlights grassroots entrepreneurship as a powerful engine for inclusive growth and livelihood creation across Bharat.
Moderator:
- Prof. Vidya Vemireddy, Professor, IIMA
Panelists:
- S. B. Dangayach (PGP 1972), Founder Trustee, Innovative Thought Forum
- Mangesh Wange (PGP 1994), CEO & Board Member, Swades Foundation
- Sharad Agarwal (PGP 1988), Founder, Indian School of Development Management
- Prof. V. Padmanand, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP
- Seema Pawaskar, DGM CSR & ESG | Head CSR, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Limited
- Jatin Trivedi, Member, Board of Trustees, TiE
The panel explores bottom-up enterprise building and ecosystem support for entrepreneurs.
AI for Inclusion and Governance
This panel explores the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in enabling inclusive development and effective governance.
Moderator:
- Prof. Pankaj Setia, Professor, IIMA
Panelists:
- Nirav Kanakia (PGPX 2007), CEO & Founder, Credain
- Dr. Ashok Karania, Vice President – Agentic AI Strategy & Sales, Winwire
- Supriyaranjan Kar, Director – Global Sustainability & Social Impact Communications, Kyndryl
- Pratul Narayan Singh, Associate Director, ESG Advisory, KPMG India
The discussion focuses on ethical AI, governance frameworks, and social impact applications.
Investing in Her Potential – Skilling, Networks, and Financing for Women Entrepreneurs
This session addresses structural barriers faced by women entrepreneurs and explores solutions for enabling scale and sustainability.
Moderator:
- Prof. Amit Karna, Professor, IIMA
Panelists:
- Ved Arya (PGP 1981), Founder Director, Buddha Institute
- Niti Saxena, Chief Technology Officer, S. M. Sehgal Foundation
- Soumitra Pandey (PGP 1993), Co-founder & Partner, India Impact Sherpas
- Smita Modi, Vice President, Goldman Sachs
- Debdutta Mukherjee (PhD 2018), Associate Director – ESG Advisory, KPMG India
- Nabila Kidwai, Senior Manager – Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, Cargill South Asia
The panel emphasizes skilling, access to finance, and strong networks for women-led enterprises.
Blended Finance Models for Bharat
This panel explores innovative financing structures that combine public, private, and philanthropic capital to scale social impact.
Moderator:
- Prof. Joshy Jacob, Professor, IIMA
Panelists:
- Ashish Wadhwani (PGP 1991), Co-founder & Managing Partner, IvyCap Ventures
- Saumya Lashkari, Director & Board Member, 360 ONE Foundation
- Matilda Lobo, Executive Vice President & Head – Corporate Social Responsibility, IndusInd Bank
- Emmanuel Murray, Investment Director, Caspian
- Chittaranjan Samantaray (PGP 2012), Head of Projects, PanIIT Alumni Reach for India Foundation (PARFI)
The session focuses on capital mobilisation and risk-sharing for development outcomes.
Powering Purpose – Building a Socially Responsible Workforce
This session discusses how organizations can integrate purpose, leadership, and responsibility into workforce development.
Moderator:
- Prof. Promila Agarwal, Associate Professor, IIMA
Panelists:
- Ajay Soni (PGP 1992), Chief Learning & Leadership Development Officer, Aditya Birla Group
- Rahul Bansal (PGP 1967), Head – Private Sector Partnerships & Fundraising, UNICEF India
- Sanchita Vaish, Company Secretary & CSR Lead, Baker Hughes
- Dr. Rakesh Khopkar, Group Chief HR Officer, Chowgule Global
- Gururaja Kulkarni, ESD Program Lead, RPG Foundation
The discussion highlights leadership, skilling, and CSR integration for a future-ready workforce.
Takeaway
The AID Conference positions IIMA not just as a premier academic institution, but as a national development partner, shaping ideas, leadership, and solutions for India’s next phase of growth.
(India CSR)
