IIM-R hosts 8th Leadership Summit, focusses on building biz owners

Raipur: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur hosted its 8th Leadership Summit, a two-day event held from August 24 to 25, on the theme "Building Business Owners." The summit brought together prominent corporate leaders and experts from various industries to discuss leadership in the evolving business landscape, with a strong emphasis on sustainable and inclusive practices.IIM Raipur director Prof. Ram Kumar Kakani highlighted the importance of leadership in driving organizational value and employee growth. "Leadership is a crucial tool for effective management, enhancing the value of an organization by utilizing its resources to achieve its goals. Influential leaders motivate and guide employees, which is beneficial for their career growth as well," he said.In his keynote address, Rupesh Sanghavi, founder and CEO of Ergode, emphasized the entrepreneurial mindset, the importance of proactive leadership, and the power of self-learning and AI in modern business. He encouraged students by stating, "Act decisively, be persistent and consistent toward your goal."Kamolika Gupta, group vice president & managing director at ServiceNow (Former), spoke on "taking opportunities that come our way and exploring uncharted paths." She further clarified the concept of a business owner and distinguished between business 'owners' and business 'leaders.' Additionally, she shared an anecdote highlighting the attributes and importance of ownership as a distinguishing factor in the corporate realm.A featured panel discussion on the "Utilization of Local Resources to Create Differentiators in Competitive Markets" included insights from industry leaders such as Anant Sarda, president at Sarda Energy and Minerals Limited; Dinesh Agrawal, executive director at HIRA Group; Ritesh Gandecha, co-founder at Stratview Research; and Saurabh Agrawal, president at Real Ispat and Power Ltd.On Sunday, the second day of the summit, themes like "Shifting Dynamics of Technological Leadership," "When Profit Meets Purpose: Creating Shared Value in Action," and "Building Bridges" were explored, with esteemed speakers sharing valuable knowledge and experiences.The summit concluded with a valedictory note by Pravin Mahadevan, CHRO at Goldmedal India.