Pinnacle-2025: Bridging academia, industry for a future-ready leadership

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sirmaur successfully concluded Pinnacle-2025, the third edition of its flagship leadership conclave, celebrating a decade of academic excellence and industry engagement. Themed “Leadership Lessons in the Age of AI,” the conclave brought together eminent leaders from diverse sectors to explore how Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation are redefining leadership in the modern era.

Held at the scenic IIM-Sirmaur campus, the two-day event featured thought-provoking panel discussions on marketing, human resources, tourism and finance, offering deep insights into the evolving dynamics of business leadership amid rapid technological disruption.

The marketing panel, featuring industry experts Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra (EID Parry India Ltd), Vikram Kumar (Spandana Sphoorthy), Dolar Adesara (Razorpay) and Rohit Gulati (Johnson & Johnson), focused on understanding consumer behaviour through AI-powered personalisation and predictive analytics.

In the human resources session, Syed Moazzam Daimi (Vodafone), Panchali Dabholkar (AMDOCS), Tulika Jain (BCG) and Vivek Agarwal (Mastercard) shared perspectives on integrating human potential with AI capabilities. They emphasised that while automation will reshape work processes, it will also create new opportunities for collaboration, reskilling and purpose-driven growth.

The tourism panel, featuring Brijesh Modi (Thomas Cook), Sriram Gopalswamy (Sabre), Roshan Kakkat (Alhind Group), and Ravi Jakkula (Amadeus), discussed sustainable tourism and the digital transformation of the travel industry. The speakers underscored the importance of maintaining human connection and ethical responsibility even as technology accelerates efficiency and scale.

In the finance segment, Nitin Makhija (MNC Bank), Ankit Doshi (BlackRock), Brijesh Modi (Thomas Cook) and Ankur Jain (Macquarie Group) deliberated on how AI is transforming investment analytics, financial forecasting and risk management in an increasingly volatile global economy.

The conclave concluded with a shared vision of empowering future leaders to navigate complexity with integrity and innovation. By bridging academia and industry, IIM-Sirmaur reaffirmed its commitment to cultivating leadership that balances technological intelligence with human values.

Wings of inspiration: IIM honours Air Force officers

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sirmaur witnessed a moment of immense pride and reverence as it hosted a special felicitation ceremony in honour of Wing Commander Raveesh Vashisht and Squadron Leader Ankita, both distinguished officers of the Indian Air Force. The event celebrated their dedication, courage and service to the nation, leaving the campus community inspired and deeply moved.

Wing Commander Vashisht was recently conferred with the prestigious Mention-in-Despatches Presidential Award for his outstanding service. The ceremony, attended by students, faculty and staff, served as a platform for reflection on leadership, resilience and patriotism. The atmosphere on campus was vibrant with admiration as both officers shared insights from their journeys in uniform, embodying values of courage, integrity and teamwork.

In his address, Wing Commander Vashisht spoke about his experiences that highlighted the strength of collective effort and the importance of staying calm under pressure. Squadron Leader Ankita emphasised perseverance, discipline and unity as the cornerstones of national service. Their powerful words struck a chord with the IIM-Sirmaur fraternity, motivating students to approach their careers and lives with similar conviction and purpose. Prof Prafulla Agnihotri, Director of IIM-Sirmaur, felicitated the officers and expressed heartfelt gratitude for their presence.