“Success Needs Purpose”: Dr. Shashi Tharoor Inspires IMT Ghaziabad Class Of 2026

IMT Ghaziabad, a pioneer in management education for over four decades, hosted its Convocation Ceremony 2026, celebrating the achievements, resilience, and dedication of the graduating class of 2026.

The ceremony was graced by Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Thiruvananthapuram and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, who delivered the convocation address as Chief Guest.

In a compelling and forward-looking address, Dr. Tharoor urged graduates to redefine success beyond personal advancement, positioning management education as a foundation for meaningful societal impact. Emphasising the enduring relevance of values in a rapidly evolving world, he described ethics as a form of long-term capital.

Encouraging graduates to embrace the “triple bottom line” of profit, people, and planet, he noted that while careers built on accumulation may impress, only those anchored in purpose endure. He further underscored that integrity is a strategic asset and that education serves not as a shield against uncertainty but as a compass guided by empathy, courage, and sound judgement.

The convocation marked a significant milestone, with over 745 students receiving diplomas across programmes including PGDM, PGDM Marketing, PGDM Financial Management, PGDM BFS, PGDM Dual Country Programme (DCP), PGDM ExP, and the Fellow Programme in Management, reflecting their readiness to lead in a dynamic global economy.

Delivering the keynote address, Shri Kamal Nath, Chief Mentor of IMT Ghaziabad, encouraged graduates to align performance with purpose and act decisively in uncertain times. He highlighted three essential attributes for future leaders—curiosity, courage, and conscientiousness.

The ceremony also celebrated the achievements of distinguished alumni. The Distinguished Alumnus Award 2026 was conferred upon Tarun Arora (Batch of 1995), CEO and Whole-time Director of Zydus Wellness Limited, and Akash Gupta (Batch of 2008), Co-founder and CEO of Zypp Electric. The Young Alumnus Achiever Award 2026 recognised Arushi Sachdeva (Batch of 2014), Co-Founder of Dohful Cookies & Coffee, and Pranav Dangi (Batch of 2014), Founder and CEO of The Hosteller.

Congratulating the graduating cohort, Dr. Atish Chattopadhyay, Director of IMT Ghaziabad, reflected on the structural transformations reshaping organisations and societies. He noted that the role of managers is evolving—from controlling processes to collaborating with intelligent systems, from executing plans to navigating ambiguity, and from pursuing efficiency to balancing purpose with performance.

Highlighting a defining institutional shift, he emphasised IMT Ghaziabad’s transition to a role–competency framework, aligned with emerging industry realities where organisations increasingly hire for roles rather than generic functions. He noted that this approach is designed to ensure that graduates are “role-ready from Day One,” combining targeted technical capabilities with behavioural and managerial competencies while retaining the agility required for long-term career evolution.

Reaffirming the institute’s vision of being “a professional school contributing to the knowledge economy,” he highlighted IMT Ghaziabad’s strategic focus on knowledge, innovation, tech-readiness, entrepreneurial mindset, and sustainability. Emphasising the essence of leadership, he remarked, “Leadership is not a position, but a practice,” adding that the institute is deliberately transforming into a globally engaged, future-ready institution committed to shaping leaders with capability, character, and sound judgement.

As caps soared into the air, the ceremony concluded on a note of pride, celebration, and optimism, marking not just the culmination of an academic journey but the beginning of a new chapter for the Class of 2026.

About IMT Ghaziabad

Institute of Management Technology Ghaziabad (IMT Ghaziabad), established in 1980, is India's premier management school. IMT Ghaziabad has been set up under the aegis of Lajpat Rai Educational Society (LES), a society duly registered under the Societies Act 1860, Government of India, and is among the first few schools in India to be AACSB-accredited. It has also been accredited by the South Asian Quality Assurance System (SAQS), and the PGDM programmes of IMT Ghaziabad are accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), and all its two-year PGDM programmes have been granted MBA equivalence by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). IMT Ghaziabad was ranked among the Top 100 in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2024 and was #66 globally in the FT Masters in Finance 2025. It also holds the #30 position in the NIRF India Rankings 2025 (Management category), marking an impressive five-place jump.

The institute offers AICTE-approved two-year management programmes (PGDM Full-time, PGDM Marketing, PGDM Financial Management, PGDM Banking and Financial Services, and PGDM Dual Country Programme), as well as programmes for experienced professionals (PGDM ExP) and a fellow programme in management (recognised as equivalent to a PhD by AIU). With a distinguished legacy of over four decades, IMT Ghaziabad has shaped students' professional journey, actively contributing to their success in leadership roles. IMT Ghaziabad has an engaged alumni network of over 15,000 alumni worldwide who thrive as business leaders, entrepreneurs, academicians, public service leaders, and changemakers.

IMT Ghaziabad aims to achieve excellence and nurture leadership through knowledge, innovation, tech-readiness, entrepreneurial mindset, and sustainability. To drive this aim, IMT Ghaziabad follows a robust, forward-looking curriculum design process, engaging experts, alums, and industry practitioners to ensure its offerings remain contemporary and globally relevant. The curriculum blends academic rigour, leadership development, design thinking, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurial thinking to cultivate a problem-solving, future-ready mindset. A pioneer in integrating sustainability and social responsibility into management education, IMT Ghaziabad's Sustainability and Social Responsibility (SSR) initiative has been recognised in AACSB's Innovations That Inspire, and the school is a proud UN PRME Champion.

The curriculum delivery at IMT Ghaziabad is managed by a distinguished faculty cohort that consists of experienced industry professionals and academically accomplished scholars who publish in globally reputed journals and create meaningful intellectual capital for stakeholders. For students, IMT Ghaziabad offers hands-on, future-forward learning through advanced facilities, including the Bloomberg Finance Lab, AI Clinic, and Digital Marketing Lab. Students gain global exposure through exchange programmes with partner institutions in multiple countries and international internships. The institute has a diverse and inclusive campus, with around 40% of its students being female, and a vibrant culture driven by student-led clubs, committees, and events. With a strong commitment to innovation in pedagogy, meaningful research, and holistic student development, the institute is poised further to strengthen its stature as a premier business school.