Press Release

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) welcomed Batch 26 of its Post Graduate Programme in Development Management (PGPDM), reaffirming its commitment to shaping professionals who lead with purpose and impact in India’s development sector.

The inaugural ceremony, held at the SPJIMR campus, brought together distinguished speakers, faculty, and a vibrant cohort of 44 professionals representing 15 Indian states, including first-time representation from Ladakh. With 43% female participation and an average work experience of nine years, this diverse cohort is poised to address complex development challenges with fresh insight and managerial rigour.

In his welcome address, Prof. Tanojkumar Meshram, Chairperson, PGPDM, emphasised the cohort’s unique diversity and stated, “Each of you brings a rich set of experiences, educational backgrounds, and perspectives from across India. This diversity is the strength of the cohort. PGPDM is not just a classroom—it is a community of learners committed to catalysing change.”

Varun Nagaraj, Dean, SPJIMR, delivered an engaging talk on India’s social sector spending and SPJIMR’s distinctive approach. “We come from a business school perspective—using business acumen to serve development,” he said. He noted that a significant portion of government expenditure in India is directed towards the social sector and posed the critical question: “Should we increase the spend or increase the return on that spend?” He underscored SPJIMR’s mission to enhance the return on social investments by equipping professionals with the skills to lead scalable, impactful initiatives.

Chief guest Mr Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director and CEO of SBI Foundation, drew on over 35 years of experience in banking and development to highlight the evolution of CSR in India. “CSR today is not just compliance; it’s about purpose and impact. We are moving from fragmented projects to building ecosystems—and it is your generation that will drive this change,” he noted. He lauded the cohort for taking a vital step towards capacity-building, sharing real-world examples from the SBI Foundation’s work, and encouraged participants to aim for systemic, large-scale impact.

SPJIMR’s Post Graduate Programme in Development Management is India’s only internationally accredited development management programme by EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA—the prestigious ‘Triple Crown’ of global excellence. It blends academic excellence with practical learning to empower professionals across NGOs, CSR arms, foundations, and government-linked development organisations.

As Batch 26 embarks on its transformative academic journey, SPJIMR reaffirms its commitment to nurturing leaders who can design and lead impactful development initiatives that address the urgent needs of India’s most underserved communities.

About SPJIMR

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) is a leading postgraduate management institute, recognised by the Financial Times MiM Global Rankings as India’s #1 business school, by Business Today as one of the country’s top five business schools, and by the Positive Impact Rating as one of the top five business schools worldwide for societal impact. Known for its innovative and socially conscious approach to management education, research, and community engagement, SPJIMR aims to influence managerial practice and promote the value-based growth of its students, alumni, organisations and their leaders, and society. SPJIMR holds the international ‘triple crown’ of accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA.

Visit spjimr.org for more information.

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