~ Shri Ashank Desai, Principal Founder and Chairman of Mastek and an IIMA alumnus, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest

~ The graduating PGD-ABA batch comprises a diversified group of students from various industries, including IT & IT-enabled Services, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, and Retail and E-Commerce, among others

April 16, 2025: A total of 70 students were awarded their Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Business Analytics (PGD-ABA) at a special convocation ceremony organised for the programme at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) today.

Shri Ashank Desai, Principal Founder and Chairman of Mastek and an IIMA alumnus, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and awarded the diplomas to programme participants. He was joined on the stage by Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; members of the Board of Governors; and faculty members of the Institute.

The PGD-ABA is a 16-month diploma programme offered by IIM Ahmedabad in blended mode. It is designed with a mix of on-campus classroom sessions, online sessions, and project work to help working professionals acquire essential skills and knowledge of advanced data analytics and insight to drive key business decisions while continuing their careers.

The graduating PGD-ABA batch of 2023-24 comprises students from a rich diversity of industries, including IT & IT-enabled Services, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance, Retail and E-Commerce, Consulting, Energy and Utilities, and Manufacturing / Engineering, among others. The graduating batch will now be a part of the IIMA’s prestigious alumni group.

In an inspiring address to the graduating class, Shri Ashank Desai, Principal Founder and Chairman of Mastek, a global digital & cloud transformation company, shared lessons from his own life and entrepreneurial journey. He urged the students to be part of the solution and not the problem, nurture relationships, and act with a sense of responsibility.

Highlighting the evolving landscape of analytics, he also spoke about the emergence of Agentic AI. Shri Desai said, “Industries like consumer marketing, clinical trials, telecom, social media — they are all seeking people who can turn noise into insights. That is where you come in. From roles like Data Analysts, Business Intelligence Professionals, to Product Managers and Decision Scientists — you have an expansive runway ahead. But remember — analytics is changing fast. You have heard of ChatGPT and Large Language Models, but we are entering a new wave called Agentic AI. Agentic AI is not just about passive insights — it autonomously makes decisions, plans, and takes actions. It doesn’t replace you; it augments you. The age of Agentic AI is not coming — it’s here. And you are the vanguard.”

He added, “Success belongs to those who raise their hands to own challenges. Be the person who contributes, collaborates, and builds. And today, you are stepping into a world that desperately needs solutions — especially in the space you have trained for: Advanced Analytics.”

Delivering the concluding address,Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA,said, “As the volume and variety of data continues to grow, the ability to analyse and interpret this information effectively will be a key differentiator for successful organisations. To navigate this shift, today’s leaders must develop a new skillset - one that combines business acumen with analytical thinking. Leadership today is not only about setting a vision but also about making evidence-based decisions, using data ethically, and fostering a culture of innovation.”

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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 45,000 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 2024. The Institute has been ranked 43rd globally in the Financial Times (FT) Executive Education Rankings 2024. The renowned flagship two-year Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) is ranked 39th in the FT Masters in Management Ranking 2024 and the one-year Post Graduate Programme in Management for Executives (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 IIMA, please visit: https://www.iima.ac.in/

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