Meghalaya: IIM Shillong's conclave highlights shift towards entrepreneurial education

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong hosted a Thought Leaders Conclave, bringing together prominent business figures to discuss the future of Indian organisations and entrepreneurship. The event highlighted a growing shift in the focus of IIMs from producing managers to cultivating entrepreneurs.

N Lakshmi Narayanan, co-founder of Cognizant, stressed the critical need for technological and data literacy in today's business landscape. He stressed that success in the evolving job market depends on mastering technology, data, and social skills rather than solely relying on advanced degrees.

Gopal Srinivasan, Chairman of TVS Capital Funds, painted an optimistic picture of India's economic future, projecting a $35 trillion economy by 2047. He advised aspiring entrepreneurs to gain real-world experience before launching ventures and highlighted the importance of talent management in building successful businesses.

K. Venugopal, Director of Kasturi & Sons Limited, distinguished between managers and entrepreneurs, encouraging students to become job creators rather than job seekers. He echoed former President APJ Abdul Kalam's sentiment that entrepreneurs are the true engines of national progress.

The conclave also explored how Indian companies like ONDC, UPI, Nykaa, and Zomato have leveraged innovation to compete globally.