28th annual convocation held at IIMK

The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) held its 28th annual convocation on Saturday (April 4). As many as 1,432 students across eight programmes were conferred degrees at the event.

T.V. Narendran, CEO and managing director of Tata Steel, was the chief guest. The ceremony witnessed the following batches of full-time programmes, awarded with the MBA Degree: PGP (488 students), PGP-BL (62), PGP Finance (53), PGP-LSM (54); two batches of Executive MBA Programmes – EPGP Main Campus (581), and EPGP Kochi Campus (157).

The 28th edition of IIMK’s biggest ceremonial event also witnessed an award of 37 doctoral (PhD) degrees, out of which 22 were awarded to DPM (regular), and 15 were awarded to DPM (practice track) scholars.

Mr. Narendran commended the IIMK community for the remarkable growth the institute has achieved in a relatively short span of time. Addressing the graduating cohort, he underscored the importance of cultivating self-awareness in an increasingly uncertain and rapidly evolving world. He encouraged students to view technology—particularly AI—not as a force to be resisted, but as a powerful enabler to be embraced and leveraged. Emphasising the need to remain globally aware, he urged graduates to stay attuned to geopolitical developments in order to navigate a dynamic environment effectively. He also highlighted the critical role of strong interpersonal and soft skills in leadership, and called upon students to remain sensitive to social inequalities, contributing meaningfully towards building a more inclusive and empathetic society.

V.P. Nandakumar, acting chairperson of the Board of Governors, IIMK, said that in today’s rapidly evolving and uncertain global landscape, management education plays a vital role in shaping leaders capable of navigating complexity, driving innovation, and making responsible and ethical decisions.

IIMK director Debashis Chatterjee, in his report, noted the stellar growth of the institute in global rankings. Top-100 spots achieved by IIMK programmes like PGP, PGP-BL, EPGP Kochi, and overall showing in the Business and management category have put the institute alongside institutes such as Carnegie Mellon, University of Tokyo, Princeton and others, Mr. Chatterjee added.