~ Dr. Gaurav Aggarwal, Chief AI Scientist, Reliance Jio, graced the occasion as the chief guest
~ Dr. Aggarwal urged the students to view artificial intelligence as a tool for nation-building and motivated them to use their skills to solve the nation’s problems
~ The ePGD-ABA by IIMA is a 16-month-long programme offered in a blended mode and is designed for working professionals
January 28, 2026: A total of 41 students were conferred the Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Business Analytics (ePGD-ABA) at a convocation ceremony organised for the programme at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) today.
Dr. Gaurav Aggarwal, Chief AI Scientist, Reliance Jio, graced the occasion as the chief guest. He was joined on the stage by Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; Prof. Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes); Prof. Anindya Chakrabarti, Programme Chair; and faculty members of the Institute. Professor Bhasker awarded the diplomas to the graduating students.
The ePGD-ABA, offered by IIMA, is a 16-month-long diploma programme, especially designed to equip working professionals with the essential skills to analyse data and extract useful insights to help make effective managerial and business decisions. Offered in a blended mode, the programme comprises courses in analytics tools, machine learning, cloud computing, and domain applications.
The ePGD-ABA batch of 2024-25 comprises participants from diverse professional backgrounds and domains such as Consulting; Retail/E- commerce; Advertising; Telecom; Banking, Financial Services and Insurance; FMCG; IT; and Manufacturing; among others. The graduating students will now be a part of the IIMA’s prestigious alumni group.
Delivering the Convocation address, Dr. Gaurav Aggarwal, Chief AI Scientist, Reliance Jio, reflected on his journey of coming from a small town in Uttar Pradesh to heading AI for Reliance Jio. He shared what he described as “The Headlights Philosophy” and explained that when visibility about one’s long-term career trajectory becomes limited, one can make significant progress even by focusing intensely on the immediate step and continuing forward, which eventually builds success over time. Outlining three key principles to navigating an uncertain future, he first advised graduates to move away from excessive prediction and instead focus on the agility and readiness to pivot in a rapidly evolving world. Second, he emphasised the importance of focusing on one’s craft encouraging graduates across domains to engage deeply with their work. Finally, he urged them to embrace uncertainty in their journeys and not let the opacity of the future paralyse the utility of their present.
Dr. Aggarwal also urged the students to view artificial intelligence as a tool for nation- building. He said, “We are currently in one of the most exciting phases of technology in human history. But nowhere is it more exciting than right here in India. You are graduating from IIMA, you have the best analytical toolkit in the world. But do not just use your skills to optimise click- through rates. Do not just use your skills to make the wealthy wealthier. Look at the problems around you in India. They are unstructured, they are opaque, but they are the ones worth solving.”
Delivering the concluding address, Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, underlined the growing demand for data analytics professionals in India and the responsibility to use data wisely. Emphasising the broader role of analytics beyond technology, he said, “Global and domestic organisations are making significant investments in analytics and artificial intelligence in India. Companies across sectors are relying on analytics to improve efficiency, manage risk, personalise services, and promote innovation. But you also need to be mindful that analytics is not just about numbers and algorithms; it is also about people. It is about understanding human behaviour, anticipating needs, and designing solutions that improve lives. Therefore, as you move forward, I would urge you to balance efficiency with empathy and always keep ethics as your guiding compass. This diploma is not the endpoint but a strong foundation for lifelong learning.”
About IIM Ahmedabad:
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) is a premier global management Institute that is at the forefront of promoting excellence in the field of management education. In more than six decades of its existence, the Institute has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to scholarship, practice, and policy through its distinctive teaching, high-quality research, nurturing future leaders, supporting industry, government, social enterprise, and creating a progressive impact on society.
IIMA was founded as an innovative initiative by the Government, industry, and international academia in 1961. Since then, it has been consolidating its global footprint and today it has a network with over 80 top international institutions and a presence in Dubai. Its eminent faculty members and around 46,000 alumni, who are at the helm of influential positions in all walks of life also contribute to its global recognition. Over the years, IIMA’s academically superior, market-driven, and socially impactful programmes, have earned a high reputation and acclaim globally. It became the first Indian institution to receive international accreditation from EQUIS. The Institute is also placed first in the Government of India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), India Rankings 2025. The Institute has been ranked 35th globally in the Financial Times (FT) Executive Education (Open) Rankings 2025. The renowned flagship two-year Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) is ranked 39th in the FT Masters in Management Ranking 2024 and the Full-Time One-Year Post Graduate Programme in Management (MBA-PGPX) has been ranked 31st in the FT Global MBA rankings 2025.
IIMA offers consultancy services and more than 200 curated executive education programmes in customised, blended, and open enrolment formats for a diverse audience comprising business leaders, policymakers, industry professionals, academicians, government officials, armed forces personnel, agri-business, and other niche sector specialists and entrepreneurs.
To know more about the Institute, please visit: https://www.iima.ac.in/
For media queries, please contact:
Ms. Shivangi Bhatt | manager-comm@iima.ac.in
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