Punjab’s first IIM inaugurated in Amritsar by Sardar Surjit Singh Rakhra, Minister of Higher Education and Languages, Government of Punjab

iimkozikodeIIM Kozhikode was appointed to mentor-trainer for IIM Amritsar

 

Amritsar, August 6, 2015: The first batch of Post Graduate Programme (PGP) of Indian Institute of Management Amritsar, one of the six new IIMs that the Narendra Modi government proposed in the budget session 2014-15 earlier this year was inaugurated by the Minister for Higher Education & Languages of Punjab, Sardar Surjit Singh Rakhra today, in the presence of Prof. Kulbhushan Balooni, director, IIM Kozhikode and mentor director IIM Amritsar, Deans, Faculties and Senior Administrative staff of IIM Kozhikode.

 

It is Punjab’s first IIM and is being mentored by IIM Kozhikode.

 

The first batch of about 65 students will start classes this week from a temporary campus at the Punjab Institute of Technology, Amritsar.

 

While addressing the first batch of students, parents and invited dignitaries and guests and IIM community, Sardar Surjit Singh Rakhra, Minister of Higher Education and Languages, Government of Punjab, shared his enthusiasm for Punjab’s first premier management institute, said, “I’m happy to  announce that out of the 6 new IIMs announced in India recently, IIM Amritsar becomes the second to be inaugurated. Punjab can become one of the leading states in education through IIM Amritsar. We must institutionalize IIMs and produce the best of human resources.

 

Speaking during the inauguration, he appealed to the students, “Today the students of IITs and IIMs have excelled in various fields. IIMs play an important role to change the image of India.  We also need to provide quality education to the poor, if we are to become a global superpower. I know most of you would be looking forward to a career in the banking or the financial sector, but you must also look at agriculture and rural management.

IIM Amritsar was given a final go ahead for the course this year upon the finalization of the permanent site for the IIM campus by a committee in late June. IIM Kozhikode, the mentor institute has with its vast experience, has put together the programme structure, systems and faculty within a month making it possible for the program to begin.

 

Prof. Kulbhushan Balooni, director, IIM Kozhikode, said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Human Resource Development in initiating the process of starting IIM Amritsar in October last year. The Commitment of Government of Punjab in setting up IIM Amritsar is admirable that sends a signal to other States who are vying for academic institutions of repute.”

He further added, “Students are the brick and mortar in building an institute. It is the students who largely shape the academic culture and dignity of the institutions.”

 

IIM Amritsar hopes to move into their own campus of about 60 acres near Manawala on Amritsar-Jalandhar GT Road in the next 2-3 years.

 

 

About Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

Started in 1997 with its Postgraduate Programme (PGP), the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) is on a high growth trajectory today, offering widest range of academic programmes in the field of management education. These include Fellow Program in Management, Executive PG Programs, Management Development Programs and Faculty Development Programs. IIMK set up a Satellite campus at Infopark, Kochi, in 2013 dedicated to Executive Education.