Shillong, August 15: IIM Shillong celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day with patriotic fervour, with Director Prof. Arun Mohan Sherry hoisting the National Tricolour on the institute’s 100-foot flag mast and calling upon students to become responsible leaders committed to society and nation-building.
Students, faculty members, officers and staff joined the celebration and sang the National Anthem, paying tribute to the courage and sacrifices of India’s freedom fighters.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Sherry urged young management professionals to combine excellence with empathy, integrity and a strong sense of responsibility towards society. He highlighted the growing influence of artificial intelligence, digital technologies and emerging enterprises on India’s economic and social landscape.
He said India’s young population represents a major source of energy, creativity and aspiration, but stressed that the country’s progress should not be measured by economic growth alone. “The real measure of a nation’s progress is whether growth creates opportunity, dignity, inclusion, and a better quality of life for its people,” Prof. Sherry said.
Highlighting the role of institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management, he said management education must go beyond producing successful managers and focus on nurturing responsible leaders who understand the relationship between business and society. “At IIM Shillong, our responsibility goes beyond creating successful managers. We have to create responsible leaders,” he said.
Prof. Sherry said leaders must understand that their decisions affect not only shareholders but also employees, communities, consumers and the environment. He called for leadership that can create wealth without compromising values, embrace technology without losing humanity and compete globally while remaining connected to India’s needs.
Referring to IIM Shillong’s location in the Northeast, the Director said the institution has a special responsibility towards the region. “The Northeast is not simply a geographical frontier. It is an important part of India’s economic, cultural, and strategic future,” he said.
He called for stronger engagement with local communities, entrepreneurs and governments, and said management education should help local enterprises expand, encourage youth entrepreneurship and develop sustainable models in sectors such as tourism, agriculture and handicrafts.
“These are not merely academic questions. They are questions of nation-building,” he added.
Addressing the students, Prof. Sherry urged them to redefine success beyond designation and salary and instead consider the problems they solve, the lives they improve and the positive change they leave behind.
Concluding his address, he called upon students to contribute to the development of the Northeast and the country. “It is your responsibility to support this Northeast region. It is your responsibility to serve society. It is your responsibility to build Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he said.
The Independence Day programme concluded with cultural performances by members of the IIM Shillong fraternity and a prize distribution ceremony.
