Announcements

Prof. Aditi Divatia, Associate Professor of Information Management and Analytics at SPJIMR, served as the luminary speaker for the panel titled ‘The Significance of Enterprise Architecture as an Academic Subject’ at The Open Group INITIATE Conclave and Awards. The conclave brought together thought leaders, industry experts, academic professionals, and students to explore the evolving field of Enterprise Architecture (EA) and its increasing relevance across sectors. The INITIATE programme provides a platform for industry and academia to collaborate and advance the EA discipline through projects, competitions, and applied research.

Reflecting on the event, Prof. Divatia said, “It was my pleasure to contribute as a panellist to discuss ‘The Significance of Enterprise Architecture as an Academic Subject.’ It is important to include EA in the curriculum for engineering and management schools, especially for students studying how technology enables and enhances business. EA offers a structured approach to digital transformation. The INITIATE programme brings together resources from industry and academia to prepare students for successful careers in architecture, technology management, and consulting.”

She added that SPJIMR has taken a pioneering role in teaching Enterprise Architecture in India—initially introducing two sessions in a core course and later developing a full course titled ‘Architecting Solutions in Digital Enterprises’. Offered by the Information Management & Analytics Department, this course is a core subject in the PGPM programme and an elective in the PGDM programme.

A key highlight of the event was the INITIATE Enterprise Architecture Competition for Students 2025 Awards Ceremony, which recognised student teams for their exceptional innovation and understanding of Enterprise Architecture in the context of digital transformation. SPJIMR’s student team, Archiminds — comprising Koustav Kundu, Sankalpa Saha, and Subhadip Banik from the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM) emerged as one of the winners. The team earned recognition for their project, ‘Digital Modernisation of Investa Pvt. Ltd.’, tailored for the investment banking sector.

The competition featured 84 student teams from 44 universities, addressing EA problem statements provided by leading organisations including ATL NITI Aayog, Irish Rail, Capgemini, DXC, and LTIMindtree. The initiative received support from 39 mentors across eight industry partners.

Sharing his experience, participant Sankalpa Saha said, “It is an absolute honour to have won the INITIATE Award of Merit at The Open Group Competition, competing against India’s premier institutes. This achievement gave us an excellent opportunity to deepen our understanding of Enterprise Architecture and engage meaningfully with industry leaders. I am deeply grateful to our professor, Prof. Aditi Divatia, for introducing us to both the subject and this prestigious competition, and to our mentor, Mr. Sudip Pramanik from DXC Technology, whose guidance was invaluable. I also sincerely thank The Open Group for providing this remarkable international platform.”

Koustav Kundu added, “This competition was more than a test of technical skill; it was a deep dive into solving real-world challenges through the lens of enterprise architecture. Applying TOGAF® to reimagine investment banking taught us how strategy, technology, and design converge to drive business impact. Winning this global award has been a proud milestone, and we are truly grateful for the constant guidance of Prof. Aditi Divatia, our industry mentor Mr. Sudipta Pramanik from DXC Technology, and the incredible support from SPJIMR.”

“Our victory in the Enterprise Architecture Competition reflects the exceptional mentorship of Prof. Aditi Divatia, the industry wisdom of Mr. Sudip Pramanik, and the constant encouragement from SPJIMR — proving that with the right guidance, dreams turn into achievements.”, Subhadip Banik said, highlighting SPJIMR’s commitment to providing enriching opportunities to foster our leaders for future.

Join us in congratulating Prof. Aditi Divatia and the PGPM team for their outstanding contributions and recognition at this distinguished industry-academia platform.