Chief Minister, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Union Cabinet Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari & Guardian Minister Shri Chandrashekhar Bawankule Perform Groundbreaking Ceremony for IIM Nagpur Permanent Campus
The groundbreaking ceremony for the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Management Nagpur was conducted by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Union Cabinet Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, in the presence of Guardian Minister Shri Chandrashekhar Bawankule at MIHAN today. The event, hosted by Shri CP Gurnani, Chairman of the Board of Governors of IIMN, was also graced by Maharashtra Airports Development Company Ltd (MADC) Vice Chairman and MD Shri Suresh Kakani (IAS), Nagpur Mayor Mrs Nanda Jichkar, along with numerous other dignitaries from the administration and the industry.
The eminent guests performed the bhoomipoojan at the site, followed by unveiling of a commemorative plaque and the model for the proposed campus. A short film showcasing the infrastructure at the permanent campus was also screened subsequently.
The ceremony flagged off the first phase of the development of IIMN’s permanent campus at Dahegaon Mauza in MIHAN. Designed to cater to 600 students, the new 132-acre campus has been designed by the Delhi-based R K Associates Ltd. The project will be executed by Ahluwalia Contracts India Ltd., and managed by Engineers India Limited (EIL) as Project Management Consultants (PMC). The campus has been designed to minimize the environmental footprint while facilitating learning both inside and outside the classroom. Phase 1 has a built-up area of approximately 60,000 sq. M, and includes the construction of a state-of-the-art academic complex, library, administrative block, student hostels, sports complex, and residential quarters. The campus will also house a Management Development Center for the institute’s Executive Education Programmes (EEP) and IIM Nagpur’s entrepreneurship incubation center, InFED, in addition to allied infrastructure. The first phase is expected to be completed in 18 months.
Speaking at the occasion, Shri Nitin Gadkari lauded the efforts of the Board of Governors, led by Shri CP Gurnani in developing the institution, and acknowledged the support of the administration of VNIT, Nagpur, where the institute is currently operating from. He emphasized on the development of Nagpur as a logistics hub and the value that an institution such as IIMN can add to the growth of the region. He exhorted the gathering to ensure that all stakeholders, including people displaced as a result of the development, benefit from this growth.
In his address to the gathering, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis thanked the Central Government for enabling the establishment of an IIM in Nagpur. His speech emphasized on the indispensability of quality human resources. Capital for industry cannot be deployed in the
absence of human resources, he stated, thus underscoring the importance of premier institutions such as IIM in a city like Nagpur. He explained how the growth of Pune as an IT hub was founded on its development as an educational center and consequently an industrial city.
Envisioning a similar model for Nagpur, he stated that the establishment of institutes of national importance such as IIM, AIIMS, NLU and IIIT in the city will enable the development of skilled human resources, thereby attracting the attention of the industry as well. He stressed that 80% of India’s GDP is concentrated within an hour’s flight from Nagpur, which, as the logistics hub of the nation, is therefore the ideal location for the first and only IIM in Maharashtra. Institutes such as IIMN contribute to the educational ecosystem of the region, which in turn provides an impetus to overall development. He hailed the event as a milestone in the growth of the city, and shared his vision for elevating IIM Nagpur to the stature of prestigious IIMs like IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore. Fadnavis ended on a congratulatory note for the students, faculty and staff of IIM Nagpur who were present at the occasion, while reiterating the principle of inclusive growth for every stakeholder. MADC VC and MD Shri Suresh Kakani (IAS) related how the company had ensured that Project-
Affected Persons received adequate compensation and employment with the coming up of new institutions in SEZ – MIHAN. Training orders were given to local youth from displaced families who would work as paid trainees, and eventually be employed with MADC Ltd.
Chairman Shri CP Gurnani offered the vote of thanks, stating several challenges in the development of the new campus. He informed the gathering of the Board’s ambitious vision for the institute and their enthusiasm to transform IIM Nagpur into an institution of international repute. In the process of its growth, he mentioned, the Institute would also exhibit environmental consciousness – the campus would be fully solar-powered in the upcoming phases. A zero liquid discharge system that minimizes water wastage is already proposed in the
construction. Not only the classrooms, but the green outdoors too, would serve as discussion areas for students and faculty members. He proudly announced that this particular feature would be unique to IIM Nagpur. As an institution cognizant of its locale, the campus’
architecture would further emphasize the orange motif that is emblematic of Nagpur.
Concluding on an enthusiastic note, Mr Gurnani was positive that with Phase I proceeding as planned, the work for Phase II would be expedited as well. IIM Nagpur is the first of the six new-generation IIMs to commence its flagship Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Management in 2015. Mentored by IIM Ahmedabad, it has successfully placed its first two batches. The third batch of IIM Nagpur is set to graduate in 2019.