~ AID aims to serve as a platform to move India from intent to impact through collaborative social responsibility
~ The conference featured a series of thematic sessions that brought together diverse leaders from industry, philanthropy, academia, and development practice
~ The initiative centres on four strategic pillars; Rural Entrepreneurship & Livelihoods, Innovation and Research for Good, AI for Good, and Training for Good
The IIMA Endowment Fund, the unified fundraising and philanthropic arm of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), hosted the inaugural Accelerating India’s Development (AID) Conference at IIMA Campus on December 12, 2025. Conceived as a platform to move India from intent to impact through collaborative social responsibility, the conference convened leaders from CSR, family philanthropy, industry, government, and academia to collectively reflect on India’s development priorities as the nation advances toward the vision of Viksit Bharat.
AID draws upon IIMA’s six decades of academic excellence, research leadership, and commitment to nation-building. The initiative centres on four strategic pillars, Rural Entrepreneurship & Livelihoods, Innovation and Research for Good, AI for Good, and Training for Good, each aimed at strengthening capabilities across communities, fostering rural upliftment, catalysing innovation, and leveraging technology for governance and public welfare.
The conference opened with remarks by Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, who highlighted the scale of India’s ambition for Viksit Bharat 2047 and the critical role that institutions can play in this journey. He positioned AID as a timely initiative that brings IIMA’s academic strengths to the forefront of public purpose, enabling ideas and research to be translated into outcomes that matter for society. He said, “Achieving a developed India by 2047 requires a non-linear, accelerated transformation, one that takes us from a $4-trillion economy to nearly $35 trillion- an almost eight-fold increase. MSMEs, which are already a major contributor to exports and employ around 15 crore people, will be central to this growth. To meet this demand, we will also need an increase in skilled professionals. IIM Ahmedabad, along with other IIMs, must play a pivotal role in building this talent and supporting India’s next phase of development.”
Building on this, Prof. Sunil Maheshwari, Dean, Alumni & External Relations, reflected on IIMA’s enduring culture of nurturing leaders and communities. He noted that the AID pillars mirror these ethos and create structured pathways for meaningful societal impact.
Mr. Deep Kalra, Chairman, IIMA Endowment Fund Board, spoke about the need for a more collaborative and outcome-driven approach to India’s development. “We need to move from corporate social responsibility to collective social responsibility. With strong regulators and progressive policies, it is now about leveraging our resources more effectively. The IIMA Endowment Fund serves as an important platform to design scalable solutions and contribute meaningfully to national development,” said Mr Kalra.
Further reinforcing the theme of India’s development trajectory, Shri Madan Mohanka, Chairman, Tega Industries, spoke about the transformative power of the case-method pedagogy at IIMA, which he credited for cultivating sound judgement, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving among leaders. Sharing his vision for Viksit Bharat, he underscored the need for India to evolve into a job-creating economy and unlock entrepreneurial potential across sectors.
Closing the keynote segment, Mr. Naresh Kothari, Founder & Managing Partner, Alpha Alternatives, urged the audience to rethink how India perceives its role in development. He noted that while individuals often assume their efforts are small, they collectively represent immense national potential. India, he stressed, must chart its own distinctive path, embracing alternatives, thinking independently, and building a development model shaped by its unique strengths.
A key feature of the inaugural session was the launch of an insightful report highlighting faculty research from the past five years across the four strategic pillars of AID. The report reinforces IIMA’s commitment to evidence-based policymaking and its role in addressing India’s most pressing societal challenges.
The conference featured a series of thematic panel discussions that brought together diverse leaders from industry, philanthropy, academia, and development practice. Discussions spanned across crucial areas such as the role of family offices as impact multipliers, academia’s contribution to building scalable development models, blended finance innovations, women’s entrepreneurship, AI for inclusion and governance, and strengthening India’s social workforce. A total of 40 eminent speakers shared insights on how collaboration, technology, and community-centred design can accelerate progress toward Bharat@2047. Their perspectives, drawn from grassroots experience and institutional leadership, further reinforced AID’s objective of shaping development pathways that are impactful, scalable, and rooted in India’s unique context.
The conference also marked an important milestone for the IIMA Endowment Fund, which completes five impactful years playing a pivotal role in enabling institution-building, deepening alumni engagement, and supporting initiatives aligned with IIMA’s mission of public purpose.
The closing address was delivered by Srikrishnan Srinivasan, CEO, IIMA Endowment Fund, reflecting on the rich discussions of the day and shared commitment to advancing India’s development. He noted that the momentum created at AID would continue to guide collective efforts toward scalable and sustainable impact.
