The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) held its 24th annual convocation on campus after a two-year-long Covid-induced hiatus. The convocation witnessed a total of 962 students conferred with degrees. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan was the chief guest for the occassion.
The graduating students included 11 students from the doctoral programme in management, 468 students from the postgraduate programme in management, 60 students from the one-year full-time postgraduate programme in business leadership, and 40 students each from the postgraduate programme in finance and postgraduate programme in liberal studies and management.
In addition, 343 students from the executive postgraduate programme - interactive learning mode.
The toppers from each programme were also awarded gold medals in recognition of their accomplishments. The event was also attended by A Vellayan, Chairperson, IIMK Board of Governors, and Prof Debashis Chatterjee, Director, Members of the Board of Governors, members of the faculty and staff, and graduating students.
‘Marketpalce of ideas’
Arif Mohammed Khan delivered the convocation address by drawing inspirational lessons from Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Albert Einstein and the likes who devoted their entire life to the pursuit of knowledge. He emphasised the role the higher education institutions have to play in preparing for knowledge dissemination that an uncertain future may require.
He further added, "Institutions are a marketplace of ideas that train young minds through robust experience and prepare students for the journey ahead in pursuit of excellence, guided by reason and informed choice."
He congratulated IIMK for completing a landmark 25-year journey and its efforts in creating a world-class institution that is “globalising Indian thought.”
Renewed rigour
A Vellayan advocated the philosophy of learning through unlearning and relearning. He also spoke about the significant changes and developments that have been taking place at IIMK in the past few years. The chairperson highlighted the quantitative and qualitative interventions at the campus that are driving the change and taking the institute to newer heights.
Marking the culmination of a year-long silver jubilee celebration, in his address, Prof Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIMK thanked the Central and State governments for their continued support and lauded the faculty as the backbone of the institute who set great examples in discipline, diligence and innovation.
He said, "We created a vision document for ourselves so that we are relevant as a school 25 years from now — a vision that has influenced the country to rethink India at 2047 this year."
The director further added that IIMK will continue to be a pioneer in gender diversity with significant female representation while listing out the achievements and the laurels gained by the Institute faculty and students which further enhanced IIMK's growing reputation.