16/05/2026
IIM Sambalpur in collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad, organised an AI Workshop under the newly launched AI4Odisha initiative on the theme “AI for Business Growth: From Local Markets to National Reach”, virtually inaugurated by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Honourable Union Minister of Education, Government of India.
The workshop was graced by Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur; Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIM Ahmedabad; Shri Himanshu Lal, IPS, Inspector General, North Division, Sambalpur; Ms. Ankur Sohanpal, Founder Learning, IIMA Ventures; and Mr. Gopal Shah, Ideator, AI4Odisha Ecosystem Partner.
Industry leaders and AI experts including Mr. Shankar RNS from ZOHO, Claude & Gemini, Ms. Shruti Bijawat, Business Unit Head, Microsoft, Mr. Harsh*t Thaker, Co-Founder & CEO, Berrywise, and Mr. Amish Thaker, Founder & CEO, Visity, shared practical insights on how Artificial Intelligence is transforming businesses through smarter customer engagement, workflow optimisation, and data-driven decision-making.
With participation from 350+ MSMEs, entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry delegates from Western Odisha, the workshop created a collaborative platform to explore AI-driven opportunities for sustainable growth, operational excellence, and national competitiveness. The AI4Odisha initiative reflects the shared vision of IIM Sambalpur and IIM Ahmedabad towards fostering inclusive innovation and building technology-enabled entrepreneurial ecosystems across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.