- Bilkul Online
- Ahmedabad | 30 Jan 2026
A total of 41 students were conferred the Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Business Analytics (ePGD-ABA) at a convocation ceremony organised for the programme at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA).
Dr. Gaurav Aggarwal, Chief AI Scientist, Reliance Jio, graced the occasion as the chief guest. He was joined on the stage by Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; Prof. Diptesh Ghosh, Dean (Programmes); Prof. Anindya Chakrabarti, Programme Chair; and faculty members of the Institute. Professor Bhasker awarded the diplomas to the graduating students.
The ePGD-ABA, offered by IIMA, is a 16-month-long diploma programme, especially designed to equip working professionals with the essential skills to analyse data and extract useful insights to help make effective managerial and business decisions. Offered in a blended mode, the programme comprises courses in analytics tools, machine learning, cloud computing, and domain applications.
The ePGD-ABA batch of 2024-25 comprises participants from diverse professional backgrounds and domains such as Consulting; Retail/E- commerce; Advertising; Telecom; Banking, Financial Services and Insurance; FMCG; IT; and Manufacturing; among others. The graduating students will now be a part of the IIMA’s prestigious alumni group.
Delivering the Convocation address, Dr. Gaurav Aggarwal, Chief AI Scientist, Reliance Jio, reflected on his journey of coming from a small town in Uttar Pradesh to heading AI for Reliance Jio. He shared what he described as “The Headlights Philosophy” and explained that when visibility about one’s long-term career trajectory becomes limited, one can make significant progress even by focusing intensely on the immediate step and continuing forward, which eventually builds success over time. Outlining three key principles to navigating an uncertain future, he first advised graduates to move away from excessive prediction and instead focus on the agility and readiness to pivot in a rapidly evolving world. Second, he emphasised the importance of focusing on one’s craft encouraging graduates across domains to engage deeply with their work. Finally, he urged them to embrace uncertainty in their journeys and not let the opacity of the future paralyse the utility of their present.
Dr. Aggarwal also urged the students to view artificial intelligence as a tool for nation- building. He said, “We are currently in one of the most exciting phases of technology in human history. But nowhere is it more exciting than right here in India. You are graduating from IIMA, you have the best analytical toolkit in the world. But do not just use your skills to optimise click-through rates. Do not just use your skills to make the wealthy wealthier. Look at the problems around you in India. They are unstructured, they are opaque, but they are the ones worth solving.”
Delivering the concluding address, Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, underlined the growing demand for data analytics professionals in India and the responsibility to use data wisely. Emphasising the broader role of analytics beyond technology, he said, “Global and domestic organisations are making significant investments in analytics and artificial intelligence in India. Companies across sectors are relying on analytics to improve efficiency, manage risk, personalise services, and promote innovation. But you also need to be mindful that analytics is not just about numbers and algorithms; it is also about people. It is about understanding human behaviour, anticipating needs, and designing solutions that improve lives. Therefore, as you move forward, I would urge you to balance efficiency with empathy and always keep ethics as your guiding compass. This diploma is not the endpoint but a strong foundation for lifelong learning.”