Synchrony 2025 – Welcoming the Future, Celebrating the Legacy
On a vibrant evening on May 24, 2025, the Mumbai Chapter of the IIM Ahmedabad Alumni Association played host to Synchrony 2025—a signature welcome event for the incoming batch of IIM Ahmedabad. Held in the bustling suburb of Andheri East, the gathering embodied what IIMA stands for: connection, excellence, and community.
More than just an introduction to life at the institute, Synchrony was a space where PGP, PGPX, EEP, and other alumni came together with future students to reminisce, guide, and celebrate. The event buzzed with excitement, as students got a first-hand taste of the IIMA culture—through shared stories, insider tips, and a night of genuine bonding.
Over 200 participants, including alumni and incoming students, attended the event, creating an electric atmosphere of shared anticipation. Conversations flowed—from campus culture and academic rigour, to club activities, summer internships, and the subtle art of juggling it all.
What stood out was the openness and warmth with which the alumni shared their journeys—providing not just advice, but reassurance, and a sense of belonging.
Dharma Meets Leadership- Transformational Leadership from Bhagavad Gita – A Gita-Inspired Day in Mumbai
The skies of Mumbai had just begun to rise on May 3, 2025 when a unique light shone inside the walls of S.P. Mandali’s WeSchool. Alumni from IIM Ahmedabad, alongside faculty and invited guests, gathered for a morning steeped not just in intellectual exploration, but in inner reflection. The occasion? A compelling session on “Transformational Leadership – Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita,” delivered by none other than Prof. Sunil Maheshwari, Dean (Alumni and External Relations), IIM Ahmedabad.
As the audience settled in, a quiet anticipation hung in the air. Prof. Maheshwari began not with a lecture, but with a question that resonated across generations and geographies: “What does it mean to truly lead?” With that, he opened the spiritual and philosophical treasure chest that is the Bhagavad Gita, not as a religious text, but as a timeless leadership manual.
The session wove seamlessly between verses and values, anecdotes and analogies. Starting with the defining verse — Gita 18.78, “Wherever there is Krishna, and wherever there is Arjuna, there is victory” — Prof. Maheshwari illustrated the eternal dance between vision and action. Krishna, as the visionary mentor, and Arjuna, as the skilled executor, became metaphors for the ideal leader: one who pairs clarity of purpose with the courage to act.
He spoke of Kurukshetra, not merely as a battlefield, but as the “Dharma kshetra”—the field of righteousness (Gita 1.1). Organizations, he noted, must be built on ethical systems, where recruitment, appraisals, and structures are aligned with principles. “A leader,” he emphasized, “is only as sustainable as the culture they cultivate.”
The evening reaffirmed a powerful truth: That leadership is not just about driving performance, but about anchoring it in purpose, values, and excellence. As attendees stepped out into the rain-kissed Mumbai night, there was a quiet sense of resolve—a commitment to lead, not just with the mind, but with the soul.
Retro Vibes, Pancham Magic, and Alumni Camaraderie!
What happens when you mix nostalgia, music, and a room full of enthusiastic IIM-A alums? You get a night like no other! On the rainy evening of July 19, 2025, Mumbai’s IIM Ahmedabad alumni turned back the clock for a Retro Night in honour of the legendary R.D. Burman—fondly known as Pancham Da.
The event, hosted at the stylish and cozy 1522 Bar in Andheri East, drew a spirited crowd of 70+ alumni and their plus-ones, all eager to relive the golden era of Bollywood through melody and memories.
The soul of the night was undoubtedly the karaoke sessions that brought R.D. Burman’s timeless tracks come back to life. Alumni belted out favourites like “Dum Maro Dum,” “Chura Liya Hai Tumne,” and “Yeh Shaam Mastani”, turning the bar into a live retro concert. The crowd cheered, clapped, and even joined in, creating an infectious atmosphere of musical celebration.
Adding an intellectual (and entertaining) spin to the evening, Manish Pajan, PGP 1998, hosted a RD Burman-themed music trivia session that had everyone racking their brains. The questions spanned lyrics, singers, trivia, and film soundtracks—testing both memory and melody! Fast fingers and sharp minds were rewarded with quirky prizes, sparking competitive fun and friendly banter.
RD Burman Retro Night was not just an event—it was a celebration of timeless music, vibrant spirit, and shared legacy. It reminded us that while the years may pass, the joy of being part of the IIM Ahmedabad family only grows stronger—and occasionally, it grooves to a 70s beat!
Management Lessons from Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav
It isn’t every day that one hears about a project larger than the Haj pilgrimage, executed with zero budget, zero incident, and zero overruns.
The Bombay Chapter of IIM Ahmedabad alumni recently hosted a captivating session on such a case study: “Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav: Design of a Mega Project,” presented by Prof. Saral Mukherjee at the campus of SPJ Global, New Cuffe Parade on April 19, 2025.
What unfolded was a brilliant dissection of the BAPS (Bochasanwasi AksharPurushottam Sanstha) mega event — held on the outskirts of Ahmedabad to celebrate the centenary of its 5th spiritual leader, Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The month-long festival attracted over 12.1 million visitors, mobilised over 80,000 volunteers, and ran with military precision — all while preserving the sanctity of sustainability, safety, and spiritualism.
Prof. Mukherjee’s narrative enthralled 120+ alumni as he wove a tale that was part story, part strategy, and part spiritual insight. At its heart, the event was a study in organisational excellence, drawing parallels between corporate management and the BAPS model of selfless service.
The case study wasn’t just a management lesson — it was a spiritual odyssey powered by operational brilliance. For those of us trained in strategy and numbers, it was humbling to see how culture, belief, and purpose can drive executional excellence beyond monetary incentives.
At its core, this wasn’t just the celebration of a centenary. It was the celebration of what’s possible when purpose precedes process.
Written by Jagruti Shah, Dr. Shivakant Upadhyaya, Pratik Singhi and Isha Ayar respectively from the IIM Ahmedabad Alumni Association Mumbai Chapter.
