3 min readApr 5, 2026 09:39 AM IST
First published on: Apr 5, 2026 at 09:39 AM IST
Written by Avantika Basu
The Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta (IIM-C) hosted its 61st Annual Convocation on Saturday, awarding degrees to 459 students from the two-year MBA programme and 90 students from the one-year MBAEx programme.
The institute also handed over diplomas to 40 participants of the PGPEX-VLM programme and conferred PhD degrees on 12 scholars.
The ceremony, held on the campus, was attended by dignitaries, including Dr. Praveer Sinha, Chief Guest and CEO & Managing Director of Tata Power, who delivered the convocation address. Also present were Dr. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, and Prof. Alok Kumar Rai, Director of the institute.
In the opening address, Prof. Alok Kumar Rai presented the annual report and reflected on the institute’s vision of nurturing individuals who are not only professionally capable but also socially responsible.
Among the standout achievers, Ankit Keswani emerged as the top rank holder in the MBA programme, receiving multiple awards, including the Dr. B.C. Roy Gold Medal. Prateek Tibrewal and Shivam Agarwal secured the second and third ranks respectively.
In the MBAEx programme, Sayantani Kar was the top ranker, followed by Sweety Dutta and Subhradip Saha. Special recognitions were also awarded for contributions beyond academics, highlighting the importance of leadership, initiative, and community engagement within campus life.
Doctoral scholar Dr. Manhar Manchanda stood out with multiple honours, including the Satish K. Sehgal Doctoral Student Award and the Nirmal Chandra Memorial Award.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Kumar reflected on the broader role of education in shaping the society.
“The choices you make in your careers and communities will ultimately shape the future of the country,” he said, urging graduates to recognise the weight of their decisions beyond individual success.
Dr. Sinha focused on the evolving demands of leadership in a rapidly changing world. “Leadership today is not just about performance, but about purpose, about the impact you create on society,” he said, encouraging students to look beyond conventional definitions of success.
He also emphasised the importance of adaptability in uncertain times, noting, “The future will test your resilience. What will set you apart is how you respond to change, not how you avoid it.”
Calling ethical grounding as a cornerstone of leadership, he added, “Integrity is not a choice you make once, it is a decision you make every single day.”
(Avantika Basu works as intern with The Indian Express, Kolkata)
IIM Calcutta convocation 2026 saw 459 MBA students graduate, along with MBAEx, PhD and PGPEX-VLM participants, with toppers and award winners announced. (Express Photo) 
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