Avinash Azad
Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta has thrown open a new possibility for the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu—expansion into Himachal Pradesh.
Speaking as the Chief Guest at the valedictory ceremony of IIM Jammu’s 10th anniversary celebrations at its Jagti campus, Gupta invited Director Prof. B.S. Sahay to join him in exploring the possibility of establishing an IIM Jammu campus or extending its academic operations to Himachal Pradesh.
Gupta’s suggestion assumes significance because it comes from a Governor who has himself witnessed the growth of IIM Jammu from close quarters. He recalled visiting the institute in 2018 when he was Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today, the campus has become a centre of excellence,” Gupta said, recalling the transformation he had witnessed over the years.
The Governor also connected IIM Jammu’s expansion journey with his tenure as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. He said that while serving in Ladakh, he had requested Prof. Sahay to expand the institute’s activities to the Union Territory and extend its expertise and services there.
That request eventually translated into an IIM Jammu transit off-campus at the University of Ladakh in Leh. IIM Jammu had signed an MoU with the University of Ladakh in December 2022 for academic cooperation, faculty exchange, joint research, entrepreneurship, executive education, skill development and other areas. “Now I wish to see a similar campus of IIM Jammu in Himachal Pradesh,” Gupta said.
Pointing out that Himachal Pradesh has 17 universities, the Governor invited Prof. Sahay to join an upcoming joint meeting and explore opportunities for collaboration between the State’s higher education institutions and IIM Jammu.
Gupta also highlighted the remarkable expansion of IIM Jammu during its first decade. He recalled that the institute began its journey with a small batch of students and has now grown into an institution with around 1,400–1,500 students across its various programmes.
The growth is not merely in numbers. Established in 2016, IIM Jammu has expanded its academic portfolio to include MBA, MBA in Hospital Administration and Healthcare Management, Integrated Programme in Management, Executive MBA and PhD programmes, among others. The Governor credited the transformation to the hard work and vision of Prof. B.S. Sahay and the entire IIM Jammu team. Gupta said the institute had scripted a remarkable success story in its first decade and had earned national and international recognition. One of the biggest milestones of the institute’s recent journey has been its achievement of two international accreditations in 2025.
IIM Jammu secured institutional accreditation from the Business Graduates Association (BGA) for five years and EFMD Programme Accreditation for its flagship MBA programme for three years. The achievement placed IIM Jammu among only five IIMs in the country holding both recognitions. For a second-generation IIM that began operations only a decade ago, the twin recognition has considerably strengthened its international academic profile. The institute has also established Centres of Excellence covering areas including entrepreneurship, innovation, skill development, diversity and inclusion and happiness, while continuing to add new academic programmes.
Gupta used the occasion to connect the growth of educational institutions with India’s larger development goals. He said it was the responsibility of every citizen to contribute towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, but students and young people have a particularly important role to play.
He called upon students to look beyond degrees and employment and contribute to nation-building through leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship and responsible citizenship.
Local MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, who attended the ceremony as Guest of Honour, also praised the institute for its contribution to Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to the country’s development during the past decade, Sharma said new AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, Indian Institutes of Mass Communication and Central Universities had been established across the country. He said the expansion of higher educational institutions had created opportunities for students across regions and expressed satisfaction that IIM Jammu had established its own identity during its first decade. “I am glad that this institute has scripted a history,” Sharma said.
Director Prof. B.S. Sahay, while reflecting on IIM Jammu’s journey, highlighted the institute’s transformation from a fledgling management institute into a rapidly expanding institution with national and international academic linkages.
Among the milestones highlighted were the BGA and EFMD accreditations, expansion of academic programmes including the Integrated Programme in Management (IPM), and the establishment of Centres of Excellence. The institute’s 10th anniversary, therefore, was not merely a celebration of the past. It also provided a glimpse into an increasingly ambitious future—one in which IIM Jammu could potentially extend its academic footprint beyond Jammu and Kashmir and into the wider Himalayan region.
