Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur, has launched its Experiential Learning initiative this year. Experiential learning is a newly framed initiative of IIM Kashipur which seeks to enhance the involvement of the institute in the developmental issues primarily pertaining to the region of Uttarakhand. This initiative seeks to connect its students across programs with organizations in the region addressing agenda related to economic and societal development. Hence, it will create a mutual value for organizations and students. While organizations can derive helping hands on their intellectual, research, and field requirements, students will receive the invaluable ‘Experiential Learning’. The governing body of the initiative will be chaired by Prof, Vivek Roy. Other members of the governing body include Prof. Vaibhav Bhamoriya, Prof. Kumkum Bharti, Prof. Abhishek Shrivastava and Prof. Kunal Ganguly.
This initiative presently focuses on the flagship MBA programme of IIM Kashipur and has been introduced as a mandatory course that spans for the entire duration of two years. Most significant engagement emerges in the second year of curriculum, where students spend the entire year working with organizations on developmental agenda along with field work. These agenda have been thematized across three verticals: (i) sustainable development, (ii) rural development, and (iii) development of small and emerging firms. The entire MBA batch of 270 students has been categorised into finite student groups to address diverse year long projects. The present batch of 2022 is working on a total of 55 intriguing projects related to developing seed banks for preserving / distributing seeds from within the mountains, biodiversity planning under SDG 6, 13, and 15, improving reading and comprehension ability of students in the primary school, branding and market development issues for various regional cooperatives in the market and many more sectors. After the final presentation the best projects will be awarded.
The entire initiative will be looked after by the EL Faculty Supervisory Team, partner organisations and the EL cell student coordinator team and managers. The partner organisations for the initiative include Central Himalayan Institute for Nature & Applied Research (CHINAR), Mount Valley Development Association (MVDA), Himalayan Institute for Environment, Ecology and Development (HIFEED), Himshakti Global Foods LLP, Appropriate Technology India (ATI) Sustainability, Hasten Ventures (US), Aadhaar Association, Mulya Creation: Eco-friendly textile products, Neoli (Hemp based products), SRISHTI Jan Kalyan Samiti, Aarohi (Herbal products), Society for the Upliftment of Villagers & Development of Himalayan Areas (SUVIDHA), Jagan Automotives, Tirambhapur Askote Raj Ecosystems, Alaknanda Ghati Shilpi Federation (AAGAAS FEDERATION) and Room to Read.