January 03 rd ,2026| Sambalpur: IIM Sambalpur, one of India’s premier management
institutions, hosted the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (Sector-Specific
Roundtable) on the theme “Empowering Youth for Viksit Bharat in Odisha”, in
collaboration with Project Point Odisha.
The programme was organised under MY
Bharat, an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India,
aimed at fostering meaningful dialogue among young leaders and stakeholders to
contribute towards the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The roundtable brought together 20 youth delegates, including MY Bharat Sambalpur
youth representatives and tribal youth delegates. The initiative provided a platform for
deliberations on youth leadership, innovation, governance, inclusive development,
and region-specific growth strategies, aligned with India’s long-term developmental
goals. The event was graced by Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur as the
Chief Guest, Shri Satya Prakash Pattnaik, Former Director, NYKS, Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports, Government of India, Shri. Nihar Ranjan Dash, Special Secretary to
Government of Odisha, Ms. Abha Mishra, State Head UNDP Odisha and Dr. Sangram
Keshari Samantaray, Chairperson & Founder, Project Point Odisha.
The dialogue focused on empowering young minds to actively participate in nation-
building, with leaders, industry experts, and policy influencers engaging in discussions on
key challenges, emerging opportunities, and innovative solutions across 10 themes of
Viksit Bharat 2047. The deliberations also emphasised sustainable development
practices, with a special focus on Odisha’s socio-economic and cultural context.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, said, “When
young minds are empowered through education to understand and apply the potential of
AI, the opportunity to create impactful solutions becomes immense. AI-led
innovation can address global challenges as well as India’s issues- from metropolitan cities
to small cities. The real shift must be from teaching to learning, where AI enhances critical
thinking and problem-solving across education, industry, and governance. This is the
pathway to Viksit Bharat, where education-driven, technology-enabled solutions shape a
developed India by 2047.”
Shri. Nihar Ranjan Dash, Special Secretary to Government of Odisha, said, “The new
education vision must go beyond departments and stereotypes, nurturing every child’s
aspiration—from creative expression to constitutional understanding.”
Shri Satya Prakash Pattnaik, Former Director, NYKS, Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports, Government of India, remarked, “MY Bharat envisions youth as change-makers,
and such engagements translate this vision into structured participation, leadership
development, and grassroots impact. Youth-led dialogues are therefore essential for
fostering responsive governance. Platforms like these prepare young citizens to engage
meaningfully with policy-making, community development, and public service”
The event also witnessed the presence of eminent policymakers, academicians, youth
leaders, and sectoral experts, who shared insights and recommendations towards
strengthening youth participation in shaping India’s future development roadmap.
Through initiatives such as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, IIM Sambalpur
continues to play a pivotal role in advancing national development conversations by
leveraging academic excellence, youth engagement, and policy-oriented discourse.
The institute remains committed to nurturing socially responsible leaders who can
contribute meaningfully to India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by
2047.
About IIM Sambalpur:
IIM Sambalpur is one of the premier
management institutions in the
country and is widely known for its
quality education. Spread over
approximately 200 acres of land, the
breathtaking and spectacular
permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur
was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Prime
Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi,
on 3rd February 2024. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone on 2nd January
2021, via video conferencing. Furthermore, the Union Education Minister, Shri
Dharmendra Pradhan, recently inaugurated the Incubation Centre, I-Hub Foundation, to
promote startups and the 'Rangavati Centre of Excellence in Cultural and Sustainable
Management'. It also has tie-ups with Flipkart, Amazon, and SIDBI to support, promote and
connect regional weavers with global platforms. Equipped with sustainable practices and
modernized facilities, the campus values its regional art by mapping the traditional IKAT,
patterned textile-dyeing technique onto the brick façade. The institute is also leading a
visionary project to make Sambalpur the first sustainable city in India. The institute is
committed to providing excellent management education, harbouring a sense of
entrepreneurship, and developing socially responsible leaders. IIM Sambalpur is known for
its two-year flagship MBA Programme, and admissions are held via CAT. It also offers an
MBA for working professionals at the Delhi Centre at ISID, Vasant Kunj, providing options
for a dual-degree Programme in partnership with French universities. Furthermore, in
addition to the Executive MBA Programme, the premier institute offers a PhD, Executive
PhD, Bachelor’s Programme in Data Science & AI and Management & Public Policy, and
Management Development Programme (MDP). IIM Sambalpur has played a torchbearer
role for other IIMs in terms of gender-diverse classrooms. To further enhance classroom
engagement, the institute has integrated an AI-powered platform in collaboration with
Breakout Learning Inc. to moderate and evaluate small group discussions as part of its MBA
pedagogy. IIM Sambalpur cut-off is 92 percentile. IIM Sambalpur's MBA fee is INR 13.04
Lakh, whereas IIM Sambalpur's average package stood at INR 16.64 LPA and IIM
Sambalpur's highest package stood at INR 64.61 LPA for the 2023 batch.