IIM-Visakhapatnam celebrates 12th Foundation Day

The Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam (IIM-V) celebrated its 12th Foundation Day on Saturday (January 17, 2026). Sumita Dawra, former Secretary (Ministry of Labour and Employment) attended the event as the chief guest.

Sumita Dawra, who also served as the Principal Secretary for the Higher Education Department (Andhra Pradesh), recalled her association with the Institute during her visit in 2016 for a leadership conclave organised in collaboration with IIMB. She appreciated the remarkable growth the Institute has achieved since then.

She highlighted the importance of skilling, reskilling, and upskilling, along with the need for continuous learning, unlearning, and relearning in a rapidly evolving global economy.

Drawing from her experience, she cited initiatives such as PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) and PM Gati Shakti as case studies for effective governance and execution. She highlighted the importance of analytical and critical thinking, technological literacy, leadership, flexibility, agility, and creative problem-solving.

The journey of IIM-Visakhapatnam began on 17 January 2015, when the foundation stone was laid by the then Union Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Institute’s 241-acre permanent campus at Gambheeram Village in Anandapuram mandal on 20 February, 2024.

Today, IIM-Visakhapatnam serves over 15,000 learners annually from across the globe through its on-campus, online, and hybrid programmes. The Institute continues to scale new heights with its flagship MBA programme, supported by a strong and diverse faculty base, with a sharp focus on research, innovation, and leadership development.

The IIMV-FIELD, one of India’s fastest-growing incubators, is nurturing nearly 200 start-ups, of which 75 per cent are led by women entrepreneurs. A preferred destination for executive education, the Institute collaborates with leading stakeholders, including Ministries and Departments of the Government of India, major Central Public Sector Enterprises, the Central Vigilance Commission, the Capacity Building Commission, the World Bank, and prominent private and not-for-profit organisations, said it’s director Prof. M. Chandrasekhar.