MDI Gurgaon

The country’s oldest – and many would say most prestigious – Executive MBA Program, PGDM – Business Management, offered by leading School, Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon, has just got a brand new – and much younger — look: The new cohort, which recently began the 2024-25 session, has an average age of 28, much younger than those pursuing Executive MBA programs at other leading Schools. Fifty-seven per cent of the students have a work experience of 3 to 5 years, while 37 per cent have 5 to 10 years of work experience.

Globally, those pursuing Executive MBA programs have a higher age-profile, and a 2022 statistic said that “EMBA students were around 39 years of age”.

The new PGDM-BM Batch at MDI comes from truly diverse backgrounds, and from all parts of the country, with some coming back to School after successful international stints. So, one could very well find an IIT graduate rubbing shoulders with a pass-out from a leading media school, here. From an entrepreneur to a hotel management graduate, from a professional with a Defence background to an Oil & Gas Industry professional, the 2024-25 batch is surely an eclectic mix of professionals.

Says Kritika Dhawan, a fashion technology graduate: “My passion for merging creative flair with strategic business expertise sparked during my time in fashion, ultimately led me to MDI Gurgaon to pursue management studies”. Adds IIT graduate Nidhi Sharma: “As a scientist with two patents, I aim to lead innovation as a product manager. I’ve realized that strong managerial skills, combined with my technical expertise, are key to achieving this goal.”

MDI’s PGDM-BM Program, which boasts of distinguished alumni like Manoj Joshi, Director (Operations), Maha Mumbai Metro, Ajay Kumar Bhardwaj, CHRO, Wadia Group, Gopal Chandra Sikder, Senior Executive Vice President, Reliance Industries, has a fair gender diversity, too. Women students constitute 35 per cent of the current batch. Says Dean of the Department, Prof Sumita Rai: “Inclusivity and diversity have always been embedded in our academic pursuits. This also gets reflected in our batch profile”.

So, is this new batch also representative of India’s changing aspirations and soaring ambitions? Says Rohan Kumar Gupta, part of the current batch: “Today, I am running a successful, growing business and have a clear sight of my goal and the path to it. I am at a stage where I understand, I need to acquire more knowledge to make better decisions, raise stakes, take bigger risks, manage business better, and grow to a newer level”. Adds his batchmate Komal Rani: “My experience as a creative professional in marketing sparked a desire to deepen my strategic and managerial skills. Pursuing an Executive MBA at MDI offers the perfect blend of advanced marketing insights and leadership training, enabling me to drive impactful, innovative marketing strategies”.

IT and Software has a 16 per cent representation in the new batch, while Manufacturing & Engineering, Marketing & Advertising, and Finance & Banking have 16 per cent, 9 per cent, 6 per cent of representation, respectively. Hospitality & Tourism, Defence, Oil & Gas, Public Administration, Textile Manufacturing, Marketing & Advertising Consulting are represented evenly in the new batch. Some of the candidates have had successful stints in overseas markets, including in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Germany, before they joined the Program.

Says MDI Director, Prof Arvind Sahay: “MDI Gurgaon is known for nurturing responsible business leaders. The current PGDM – BM batch, with bright young leaders, all with great potential, will carry forward the MDI tradition”.

MDI Gurgaon launched its Executive Program way back in the year 1987, with other leading B Schools following suit.

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