April 17, 2025 | Kolkata, India
The 19th batch of the prestigious Post Graduate Program for Executives for Visionary Leadership in Manufacturing (PGPEX-VLM) was formally inaugurated at IIM Calcutta on April 17, 2025. This flagship program, jointly conducted by IIM Calcutta, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Madras, continues to nurture future leaders for the Indian and global manufacturing sector.
Prof. Sudhir S. Jaiswall, Chairperson, PGPEX-VLM at IIM Calcutta, opened the ceremony with a warm welcome to dignitaries and participants, emphasizing the program’s legacy and global partnerships. In keeping with tradition, the event began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, symbolizing the start of an enlightening academic journey.
Distinguished guests included Mr. ASHIDA Katsunori (Hon’ble Acting Consul-General of Japan in Kolkata), Mr. Ajay Kapur (Managing Director, Adani Cement Business) and Mr. Nitin Sharma, Alumnus PGPEX-VLM Batch 5 (AY 11–12) and Senior Counsellor, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr. Taichi Okamoto, India Department, India Operations, HQ, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Prof. Akiko Ito from Nagoya University, Japan, Ms. Shigeko Inaba, JICA Expert (Business Networking / Project Coordinator), SGBBE Project, Mr. Aoki Shigeto, Director, International Training Division, Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), Ms. Kobayashi Rie, Program Management Coordinator, International Training Division, Japan International Cooperation Center(JICE) among others.
In his address, Prof. Saibal Chattopadhyay, Director-in-Charge, IIM Calcutta, emphasized the uniqueness of the PGPEX-VLM program, highlighting its tri-institutional structure and the strategic partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). “This program integrates technical depth, managerial insight, and visionary leadership to shape the future of manufacturing,” he remarked.
The 19th batch comprises 40 students, including 10% female participants, with an average work experience of 6.6 years. Participants bring diverse experience from operations, supply chain, sourcing, engineering, and other functional domains. Prof. Chattopadhyay emphasized the transformative journey ahead, with 1170+ classroom contact hours across three premier institutions, offering deep insights into strategy, leadership, and innovation.
Prof. Sumanta Basu, Dean – Development and External Relations at IIM Calcutta, reinforced the importance of student-led initiatives in building lasting industry relationships. He encouraged students to leverage industry interactions, alumni networks, and consulting opportunities to broaden their horizons.
From IIT Kanpur, Prof. Deepu Philip, Coordinator of PGPEX-VLM, praised the program’s exceptional collaboration among three of India’s top institutes. He emphasized values such as ownership, action over words, and mindset transformation—from "small M" to "Big M"—urging students to become change-makers in the Indian manufacturing sector.
Prof. Rupashree Baral, Coordinator from IIT Madras, infused energy and humor into her address. She described the “3 L’s” of the PGPEX-VLM journey—Learning, Lifestyle, and Leisure—and stressed the importance of the “3 C’s”—Curiosity, Capability, and Cooperation—as guiding principles for students.
Joining virtually from Japan, Prof. Akiko Ito of Nagoya University expressed appreciation for the growing Indo-Japanese academic collaboration. She highlighted the joint workshops conducted with PGPEX-VLM students and Nagoya University as a pivotal part of the curriculum, aimed at fostering global teamwork and innovation.
Ms. Shigeko Inaba of JICA India extended their appreciation for the enduring Indo-Japanese cooperation that has fostered continuous academic, industrial, and cultural exchange. Ms. Inaba provided an overview of the historic VLFM (Visionary Leaders for Manufacturing) Project, initiated in 2007 through a partnership involving the Government of India, CII, IIM Calcutta, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
She highlighted the evolution of this cooperation into the Sustainable Global Business Breakthrough (SGBBE) Ecosystem Project in 2023, which now champions entrepreneurship education, Industry 4.0, and business matching between Indian and Japanese innovators. “This is the next level of India-Japan cooperation,” she remarked, underlining the project's ambition to drive societal and economic transformation through manufacturing excellence.
Representing JICE (Japan International Cooperation Center), Mr. Aoki Shigeto and Ms. Kobayashi Rie expressed their enthusiasm for supporting the Japan study tour component of the PGPEX-VLM program. Kobayashi noted the memorable and successful engagement with the 18th batch and shared hopes for similarly impactful experiences for the incoming cohort in 2026.
In a stirring alumni address, Mr. Nitin Sharma, CII underscored the program’s foundational philosophy of transformational leadership. He paid homage to the original architects of the program—Prof. M.N.Paul, Dr. Surinder Kapoor, Dr. Krishnamurthy, and most notably, Prof. Shoji Shiba, whose legendary fishbowl analogy continues to inspire generations of leaders to immerse themselves fully in problems before crafting solutions.
“Each of you is not just a participant,” Sharma said, “but a torchbearer of India’s manufacturing renaissance. This is not a program—it is a national movement.” He urged the incoming cohort to adopt a mindset of continuous unlearning and reskilling in the face of rapid global change, embracing breakthrough management and cross-functional collaboration to drive sustainable growth.
Drawing from his personal journey, Sharma emphasized the importance of humility, teamwork, and noble intent in leadership. He challenged the new batch to move beyond individual success, instead channelling their talents toward nation-building, inclusive innovation, and societal impact. Mr. Nitin Sharma, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), emphasized the importance of developing a societal mindset. He urged participants to imbibe respect for all stakeholders—customers, society, and organizations—drawing parallels with Japan’s culture of excellence. Stressing the importance of internal transformation, he highlighted that skills alone are not sufficient without nobility of purpose and selfless intent.
"This program is not just a learning opportunity—it’s a way of life. The journey will be intense but transformative. Let’s not settle for incremental improvement; let’s drive a movement."
Mr. Taichi Okamoto from Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, delivered a keynote message virtually from Komatsu, Japan. He reflected on the longstanding India-Japan industrial partnership, tracing Suzuki’s journey from its 1982 collaboration with the Indian government to the present day.
"Suzuki no longer stands to teach, but to walk together with India in shaping the future of global manufacturing. People and partnerships will always remain at the core of this collaboration."
Mr. Ashida Katsunori, Acting Consul General of Japan in Kolkata, reiterated Japan’s continued support and stressed the importance of integrating both Japanese and Indian excellence in manufacturing.
A message from the Acting Japanese Consul General highlighted the program’s role as a bridge between Japan and India, emphasizing the importance of bilateral economic relations and people-to-people exchanges. Quoting the reaffirmation by Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida and Narendra Modi during their summit meeting in Laos, the address reiterated the commitment to strengthening the Japan-India Science, Technology, and Innovation partnership in 2025, the designated “Japan-India STI Exchange Year.”
He encouraged students to not only excel academically but also embrace their human side — qualities like empathy, ethics, and interpersonal harmony that artificial intelligence cannot replicate — calling it “the ultimate superpower of the future.”
Delivering the keynote address as Guest of Honor, Mr. Ajay Kapur, Managing Director of the Cement Business at Adani Group, offered a comprehensive view into the transformative role of manufacturing in India's growth. He provided an inspiring and in-depth walkthrough of the Adani Group’s multifaceted infrastructure empire, which spans sectors such as energy, ports, logistics, airports, and cement.
Mr. Kapur also motivated students to evolve from manufacturing experts into P&L leaders, emphasizing the need for vision, business acumen, and emotional intelligence. He closed his address with a powerful message:
“Don’t just be smart — be human. That will be your ultimate strength.”
The Program Chair concluded the session with a stirring call for integrity, discipline, and purpose, reminding participants that “leadership begins with intent.” Emphasizing discipline “starting yesterday,” students were encouraged to adopt habits like arriving early as a sign of leadership readiness. A heartfelt vote of thanks followed, recognizing the inspiring presence of dignitaries and alumni, the dedication of faculty from IIM Calcutta, IIT Madras, and IIT Kanpur, and the crucial support of administrative teams and the Japanese embassy—especially in facilitating visas. Special appreciation was extended to the VLM office team for their tireless efforts behind the scenes.