IIM Bodh Gaya has completed the first two days of its 10-day Orientation Programme 2026, welcoming 351 MBA students, 96 in MBA (Digital Business & Artificial Intelligence), 86 in MBA (Hospital & Healthcare Management), 18 PhD scholars and 40 Executive MBA students. The sessions introduced the incoming cohort to the institute's academic culture and brought them into conversation with leaders from government, industry and academia ahead of the term. Drawn from 23 States and Union Territories, the students bring varied academic and professional backgrounds, setting the tone for a multidisciplinary classroom this year. 

The MBA 2026–28 batch comprises 69 women and 224 men, including three international students, with 64.85% from non-engineering disciplines and 35.15% from engineering backgrounds. 114 students bring prior industry experience, averaging 24.13 months, alongside strong records in academics, research, innovation, sports, culture and community service. The MBA (DB&AI) batch comprises 96 students (26 women, 70 men) from 19 States and Union Territories, with 27.1% bringing industry experience and a balanced engineering/non-engineering mix reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of digital business. The MBA (HHM) batch comprises 86 students (16 women, 70 men) from 20 States and Union Territories, drawn from life sciences, engineering, pharmacy, healthcare and allied disciplines, with 18.6% bringing professional experience to a cohort aligned with the evolving needs of the healthcare sector.

The Orientation Programme commenced with an inaugural session led by Prof. Vinita S. Sahay, Director, IIM Bodh Gaya, who welcomed the incoming students, stating, “As you begin your journey at IIM Bodh Gaya, I encourage you to embrace change with an open mind, remain rooted in our core values, and commit yourself to continuous learning. The future belongs to those who can adapt to technological advancements while leading with integrity, empathy, mindfulness and a strong sense of purpose.”

Shri Pratyaya Amrit, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar addressed the cohort; Shri Vikas Vaibhav, IPS, Inspector General of Police, Magadh Range, Bihar; Shri Devendra Kumar, IRPS, Director, DBT Mission, Government of India; Mr Narayanan Ramaswamy, Partner & Head, Education and Skill Development Practice, KPMG; Mr Prabhanjan K. Prasoon, Senior Director – Talent Supply Chain, Birlasoft; Mr Mussarat Hussain, Head – Human Resources, Suzuki Research & Development Center India Pvt. Ltd.; Mr Alvin David, Global Head – Talent Strategy, Newgen Software Technologies Limited; Ms Vaidehi Vidyarthi, Co-Head, Institutions, Family Office, HNI, Wealth Partners (West & East) and Zonal Head – UAE, Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd.; and Mr Vivek Bengani, Chief Executive Officer, CAMS Insurance Repository.

The second day of the programme featured guest of honor Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare emphasised the need for management education in healthcare by stating, “several fine doctors struggle to manage administration they were not trained for. The Healthcare industry needs leaders who understand the language of medicine and management”. The day also features Mr Praveen Pantula, Director – Talent Acquisition, EPAM Systems; Mrs Manisha Chetan Shah, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Jupiter Hospital; Mr Ranjan B. Pandey, Chief Human Resources Officer, Fortis Healthcare; and Mr Venkatesa Prasad, Chief Capabilities Officer, Agilisium, who shared insights on leadership, innovation, digital transformation, talent development and the evolving expectations of the corporate world from MBA students. 

The Orientation Programme will continue over the coming days with corporate leadership sessions, faculty interactions, alumni engagement, mentoring activities, team-building exercises, case-based learning workshops and experiential learning opportunities designed to equip students for the academic rigour and leadership challenges of their management journey.