TESTIMONIALS PhD Practice Track_New

The EFPM at IIM Raipur has been a transformative step in my career. I received constant support and guidance from my guide, Prof. Sumeet Gupta, who helped me strike a balance between my research and professional obligations. My exposure was on par with full-time scholars thanks to the program's flexibility without sacrificing rigor. I felt confident enough to enter academia because of my good research background, supportive peer group, and access to a wealth of library resources. I've been able to combine my professional experience with teaching and research thanks to the program, which has allowed me to realize a lifelong dream.

In 2014, after dedicating 22 years to a successful career in industry, I made the deliberate decision to enrol in the Executive Fellow Programme in Management (EFPM) at the Indian Institute of Management, Raipur (IIM Raipur). My longstanding passion for academia and teaching motivated this significant shift. The EFPM programme was characterized by its modular structure, which provided the necessary flexibility to navigate my professional obligations and personal commitments effectively. I found that, while the academic expectations were rigorously high—comparable to those imposed on full-time scholars—the exceptional faculty demonstrated remarkable empathy and a willingness to support students in their academic pursuits. In particular, the guidance and encouragement from my supervisor, Dr. Satyasiba Das, were instrumental in navigating the challenges associated with achieving this terminal degree. Completing the EFPM not only bolstered my academic credentials but also instilled in me the confidence to transition away from a stable and prestigious position within a Maharatna public sector undertaking, enabling me to embark on a new journey. The programme equipped me with the requisite intellectual tools to integrate my extensive professional experience into the academic environment, fostering my capabilities for meaningful research and scholarly engagement. Ultimately, this experience was not solely about attaining an academic qualification; it represented a profound evolution in my identity—as a person, a scholar, a professional, and an indefatigable learner. This transformative journey reinforced my commitment to lifelong learning and the pursuit of academic excellence.

IIM Raipur’s EFPM program has been a transformative journey that sharpened my academic rigor and research orientation. The program’s strong foundation in theory, combined with practical insights, has greatly enriched my perspective as a marketing professional. Having transitioned from my role as Director (Marketing & Sales) at Kia India to my current position as Professor of Marketing at Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, I attribute this evolution in my career to the knowledge, mentorship, and academic excellence at IIM Raipur.

The PhD program at IIM Raipur has been a transformative journey that has strengthened my research mindset, analytical skills, and professional growth. The rigorous coursework, world-class faculty, and excellent research support created an environment that fostered critical thinking and impactful scholarship. I would strongly recommend the program to aspiring scholars seeking both academic depth and practical relevance.

With an experience of nearly 18 years of Government Service, I joined the prestigious Executive Fellow Programme in Management (EFPM) at IIM Raipur in 2016 with an aim of widening my academic horizon and getting exposure to the modern industry practices. The program proved to me a perfect mix of academic excellence and practical relevance and helped me to integrate theory and practice based on the theoretical contextual insights it provided, and the ground research I conducted in the field of healthcare service supply chain. The rigorous curriculum based on real-life case studies, renowned and experienced faculty, and overall learning environment in the institute helped me in developing my critical thinking approach. Further, what makes EFPM at IIM Raipur unique is its flexibility for working professionals. I could pursue high-quality research without compromising my career. I am truly grateful to be a part of the EFPM journey at IIM Raipur, and I highly recommend this program to professionals who are seeking to enrich their academic rigor and to create an impact in their respective fields.

As part of management education, I had pursued Executive General Management Program from IIM, Bangalore. This course kindled my interest in Management Strategy. As part of competency development, I had learnt there is so much more learn in Business Strategy. Obviously, not all of these would ever accrue from work experience alone. Hence, I started my pursuit of doctorate program in Business Strategy. Accelerated learning was the key driver in this pursuit. I would consider myself fortunate to have been selected by IIM Raipur for pursuing Doctorate program. I was fortunate to get my learning from very committed and highly knowledgeable faculty of IIM, Raipur. The faculty was very supportive and spent enough hours to help industry person like me to resume my learning journey in an academic setup. IIM Raipur has very committed faculty and the study material provided was excellent both in theoretical matter and case studies. The faculty remained highly supportive of my efforts and provided my enough confidence to continue my doctorate journey. My thesis supervisor, Dr. Satyasiba Das, has been a role model for most of his students, including me. During the difficult stages of my thesis, Satya Sir has provided strong support and encouragement for me to continue my journey. The fellow students of regular doctorate programs extended their warm support to me throughout this journey. They ensured that I never felt out-of-place while pursuing education along with them. Very importantly, the campus provided a strong feeling of inclusivity. Even though my visits were less frequent, every visit confirmed my sense of belonging to the institute. While I have benefitted from the learning in the different aspects of management, the single largest benefit provided by the doctorate program at IIM Raipur related to rapid and accelerated competency building in upcoming areas. I have been able to successfully translate this to foster non-linear competency development for me and my teams in different work areas including Cloud Computing, ERP, and Enterprise Computing.