The PGPM Class of 2027 was officially inaugurated, marking the formal beginning of the program for the cohort now known as the Noble Nayakas. The ceremony brought together faculty, institute leadership, and an esteemed chief guest to welcome Batch 27 into the program.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Shravan Subramanyam, CEO & MD of BPL Medical Technologies, who spoke on leadership, adaptability, and building a career of lasting relevance in a rapidly changing business landscape.
"The most dangerous thing a leader can do is assume that what got them here will get them there. Stay curious, stay uncomfortable, and stay relevant."
His address set a purposeful tone for the week, and for the year ahead. The Noble Nayakas leave the inauguration with a clear sense of what the program demands and what it promises: meaningful experiences, a strong professional network, and the foundation to become future-ready leaders.
Orientation Day 2 wrapped up with an alumni interaction session that gave the Noble Nayakas a candid look at life beyond the classroom. The evening centred on real conversations, around careers, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the realities of professional growth, shared by people who once sat in the same seats
The cohort had the opportunity to engage with two accomplished alumni: Sathish Seshadri, VP & Senior Strategist at Genpact, and Sitashwa Srivastava, Founder & CEO at Borderless. both of whom drew from their distinct professional journeys to offer perspectives that were as practical as they were candid.
For a batch just finding its footing, it was exactly the grounding that orientation week is meant to provide.
The PGPM Class of 2027 sat down for a CxO Talk with Ms. Valli Thiagarajan, Vice President & Delivery Head of Wealth Management at Incedo Inc., a leader with deep experience navigating the intersection of technology, business transformation, and people strategy.
The conversation moved well beyond AI as a buzzword. Ms. Thiagarajan spoke to the ground realities of how industries are being restructured, how workforce expectations are shifting, and what organisations are actually looking for as they adapt to a technology-driven operating environment. Drawing from her work in wealth management and digital transformation, she offered a perspective that was both sector-specific and broadly applicable to future managers across functions.
It was a session that reinforced a key theme running through orientation week: that staying relevant is not simply about keeping up with technology, but about developing the judgment and adaptability to lead through it.
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50 teams. One challenge. The PGPM‘27 cohort took on Ideathon 2026, a high-energy showcase of problem-solving, collaboration, and fresh thinking applied to real business challenges.
Teams worked through the kind of ambiguity and pressure that mirrors real-world decision-making, pitching ideas, defending positions, and refining their thinking on the fly. Guided by faculty and alumni, the sessions were as much about the process of structured thinking as they were about the ideas themselves.
More than a competition, Ideathon offered an early look at the range of perspectives, approaches, and instincts this cohort brings to the table, and a strong signal of the kind of leaders, builders, and decision-makers the Noble Nayakas are shaping up to be.
The Family Business & Entrepreneurship track for the PGPM Class of 2027 is officially underway at Great Lakes, Chennai. Designed to bridge academic rigour with real-world business thinking, the programme brings together experienced mentors, CXOs, entrepreneurs, and faculty to guide students through the complexities of building, scaling, and sustaining businesses.
For those in the cohort with entrepreneurial ambitions or family business backgrounds, this marks the beginning of a focused, immersive year, one built around innovation, leadership, and the practical realities of enterprise growth.
One of the most practical sessions of Orientation Week, this workshop led by Mr. Gautam Lakhamraju, COO, was designed to bridge the gap between where the Noble Nayakas are today and where the corporate world expects them to be. The session covered the fundamentals of corporate readiness, from how to present oneself professionally, to understanding what recruiters and hiring managers are actually evaluating beyond a résumé.
Drawing from firsthand experience on the other side of the table, Mr. Lakhamraju walked the cohort through the unwritten rules of the workplace, the art of making strong first impressions, and the mindset shifts required to transition from academic to professional environments.
Interactive, direct, and refreshingly candid, it was the kind of session that cuts through the noise and gives students exactly what they need to hear before stepping into their first interviews and corporate interactions.
In a world where first impressions are often formed before you walk into a room, knowing how to shape your professional narrative is no longer optional, it's essential. The Personal Branding Workshop, led by Mr. Yash Merchant, gave the Noble Nayakas the tools to do exactly that.
The session explored what personal branding means in a professional context, from crafting a compelling LinkedIn presence to articulating one's value proposition clearly and consistently across platforms and interactions. Mr. Merchant walked the cohort through the process of identifying their unique strengths, translating experience into narrative, and building a digital and professional identity that stands out in competitive hiring environments.
For a batch preparing to enter the market within the year, it was a timely and highly actionable session, one that shifted the conversation from simply finding opportunities to being the kind of candidate that opportunities find.
What does it take to stay relevant when industries, roles, and expectations are evolving in real time?
The PGPM Class of 2027 at Great Lakes, Chennai, engaged in an insightful CHRO Talk with Saveetha Lakshmanan Global HR Head at Tagit
From building the right skill stack to understanding AI beyond the buzzwords, the session explored what it really means to adapt, reinvent, and stay future ready in a constantly changing world of work.
What stood out just as much was the energy in the room. Sharp questions, honest conversations, and perspectives that reflected a cohort ready to challenge ideas, learn continuously, and lead with intent.
After a full day of sessions, the Noble Nayakas traded the classroom for the campus, and the evening took on an entirely different energy.
The Treasure Hunt brought the whole batch together in a fast-paced, campus-wide challenge that tested teamwork, communication, and quick thinking under pressure.
Teams navigated clues, raced against the clock, and relied on each other to piece together the puzzle, a reminder that some of the most important management skills are best discovered outside a lecture room. The competitive spirit was high, but so was the camaraderie.
It was one of those evenings that a cohort remembers, not for what was taught, but for what was experienced together.
The Career Masterclass for the Noble Nayakas was led by Sangeetha Prabhakaran, General Manager & Principal Architect at Wipro and a proud alumna of Great Lakes, Chennai making the session all the more meaningful for a batch just beginning the journey she once did.
With nearly two decades of experience spanning HCL Technologies, Capgemini, and Wipro, Sangeetha has built a career at the intersection of large deal strategy, business development, and go-to-market consulting across global markets.
The session drew from her depth of experience in the IT services industry, offering the cohort an honest and grounded perspective on career-building, what it takes to move from execution to strategy, how to position oneself in competitive environments, and the importance of staying commercially sharp across functions.
For a batch of future managers, hearing it from someone who sat in the same classrooms not too long ago made it all the more relevant.
What does it take to build a career that not only succeeds but truly lasts?
The PGPM Class of 2027 had the opportunity to learn from Mr Amit Laroya, Board Chairman of Kennametal India and Former Board Director at 3M, an insightful Career Masterclass on career planning and building a meaningful professional journey.
Through real stories and experiences, the session reminded us that meaningful careers are built with patience, resilience, and the courage to keep growing.
What stayed with us most was a powerful reminder that meaningful careers are built over time, through constant learning, courage during uncertainty, and the openness to keep growing with every experience.
