The Indian Institute of Management Jammu inaugurated the Advanced Management Development Programme under the Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme (ESDP) of the Development Commissioner, MSME (DCMSME), Government of India, at its Jagti Campus on 09th Feb 2026. The five-day residential programme is being conducted from 09th to 13th Feb 2026 for the participants, comprising existing entrepreneurs from diverse sectors. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Faculty and Research, Dr. Mahesh Gadekar and Dr. Muqbil Burhan, Program Directors, IIM Jammu. 

Addressing the participants, Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Faculty and Research, IIM Jammu, appreciated the diversity of the cohort in terms of domains and age groups. He provided an overview of IIM Jammu’s academic ecosystem, highlighting the Institute’s strong focus on entrepreneurship development, including its incubation initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir. He noted that entrepreneurship is an integral part of the Institute’s curriculum and emphasized IIM Jammu’s active collaborations with the MSME ecosystem and the Ministry of Skill Development. Expressing confidence in the programme, he stated that the one-week programme would offer valuable insights, key takeaways, and set a strong foundation for meaningful engagement. He encouraged participants to remain interactive, focused, and collaborative, underscoring that such engagement would lead to the co-creation of impactful ideas.

The programme commenced with a welcome address by Dr. Mahesh Gadekar, Programme Director, IIM Jammu, who highlighted that the programme is being conducted under the aegis of the Development Commissioner, MSME (DCMSME), and is fully funded by the Government of India. He emphasized that the programme aims to strengthen and upscale existing entrepreneurs by enhancing their managerial, strategic, and operational capabilities. He underscored the pivotal role of MSMEs in India’s economic growth, the focused initiatives of the Government of India in the current financial budget to promote the MSME ecosystem, and IIM Jammu’s sustained efforts in entrepreneurship development and capacity building. He concluded by extending his best wishes to the participants for a transformative learning journey. 

The participants subsequently introduced themselves and shared their expectations from the programme, reflecting a strong aspiration to gain practical insights for scaling and sustaining their enterprises.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Muqbil Burhan, Program Director, IIM Jammu, who acknowledged the support of DCMSME, the Government of India, the leadership of IIM Jammu, faculty members, and the enthusiastic participation of the entrepreneurs. The inaugural ceremony culminated with the National Anthem. 

The programme is designed for existing MSMEs, entrepreneurs, promoters, and executives, with the theme Capacity to Competitiveness, Strategize, Sustain and Scale. The programme marks another significant step in IIM Jammu’s commitment to empowering MSMEs and nurturing resilient, growth-oriented entrepreneurs aligned with India’s economic vision. The programme is being organized by Center for Small Business Development Unit, IIM Jammu and executed by Executive Education and Consultancy, IIM Jammu.