# Buniyaad 2025: MABS welcomes the PGDM 2025–27 batch > A 40-day foundation programme, with Lokesh Mehra of AWS as Chief Guest and Kapil Arora of Grant Thornton as Guest of Honour. Source: https://mabs.ac.in/buniyaad-2025-mabs-welcomes-the-pgdm-2025-27-batch/ Publisher: Maharaja Agrasen Business School Last updated: 30 June 2025 Maharaja Agrasen Business School (MABS) proudly hosted the Foundation Programme ‘Buniyaad’ for its newly admitted PGDM 2025–27 batch. The event marked the beginning of a 40-day onboarding programme designed to strengthen the fundamentals of management and create a common foundation for students from diverse backgrounds before they start the PGDM programme. ## Buniyaad: Building the Foundation The programme includes sessions on leadership, current affairs, company presentations, quizzes and an Entrepreneurship Day. Interactive sessions with industry professionals at global consultancy Grant Thornton Bharat’s office give students insights into the professional world. This comprehensive induction prepares students for the rigorous two-year PGDM journey, equipping them with essential skills and knowledge. Covering topics such as management as a career, the classical approach to business, accounting for managers, the digital world and you, the economic environment for business, understanding markets, AI and management science, and business strategy, Buniyaad hosts guest lectures and talks with founders, industry leaders, philanthropists, motivational speakers and technology front-runners. It is designed with the MABS TriEdge at the helm, our learning pedagogy in which all three pillars are embedded into the curriculum. ## Buniyaad 2025: A Grand Welcome Buniyaad 2025 began with the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra, the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and Saraswati Vandana, followed by a warm welcome to the Chief Guest, Mr. Lokesh Mehra, Senior Business Lead, AWS Tech Alliance Team – South Asia; Dr. Nand Kishore Garg, Founder and Chief Advisor, MATES, and Chancellor, MAU; Mr. Kapil Arora, Partner, Grant Thornton; Er. T. R. Garg, General Secretary, MATES; Shri Avinash Aggarwal, Secretary, MATES; Prof. J. V. Desai, Director General, MAIT; Dr. S. S. Deswal, Officiating Director and Dean, MAIT; and Prof. Harbhajan Bansal, Dean (Management Studies), MAIT. Dr. Nand Kishore Garg, in his address, emphasised the importance of giving back to society and the nation, drawing inspiration from India’s rich heritage. He spoke about the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda and traditional medicine, now being recognised globally for its enduring value. He shared a deep sense of pride in the institute’s role in shaping successful careers, stating that the true prosperity of the institution lies in the achievements and growth of its students, and wished the new batch good health and seriousness about their careers. Prof. (Dr.) Sanjiv Marwah, then Director of MABS, addressed the students on globalisation, the mission and vision of MABS, the importance of technology and AI in business management, and the joy of giving back to society. He introduced the MABS TriEdge, built on three pillars: a strong industry-academia interface, a tech-savvy curriculum and a beyond-academics learning environment. He emphasised that students will be groomed not only for placements after two years but for a career spanning the next 30 years and more. > “In order to meet the demands of modern-day businesses, it is very important for B-schools to strategise the curriculum in accordance with current industry standards. With changing business dynamics, there is a huge demand for motivated business professionals who are equipped with the skill-sets of a specialist and the knowledge to deal with industry challenges. Our Foundation programme at MABS prepares our students to deal with new complexities arising in the global business environment, which helps them grow into successful professionals.” > > Prof. (Dr.) Sanjiv Marwah ## Chief Guest: Keynote Speech Mr. Lokesh Mehra, in his keynote, emphasised India’s remarkable economic trajectory and its emergence as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, with 119 unicorns as of June 2025. Drawing on NASSCOM insights, he highlighted how IT is evolving into a broader domain encompassing intelligence, media and communications, and unpacked the impact of the nine pillars of Digital India on organisations and society. He outlined a roadmap for AI — from pilots and proofs of concept in 2023, to operational applications in 2024 and monetisation in 2025 — and explained how the future of work is shifting, with flatter hierarchies, multigenerational workplace expectations and the strategic use of game theory for better decisions. He concluded that employees remain the most authentic brand ambassadors of any organisation. ## Guest of Honour: Inspiring the Future Mr. Kapil Arora, Partner, Grant Thornton, was the Guest of Honour. He spoke about seizing opportunities and developing decision-making capabilities, and highlighted opportunities in the emerging fields of data and business analytics. His advice to students rested on three points: build a network with peers, stay humble, and keep learning, unlearning and relearning. ## Student Reflections: The MABS Journey MABS invited some of its brightest students from the first two batches to share their stories: the highs, the learnings, the friendships and the fun chaos of life at MABS. Representing the first batch, 2023–25, were Ms. Aakriti, Spokesperson, Delhi District Development Monitoring Committee under MP Manoj Tiwari and the District Magistrate, NCT Delhi; Ms. Jeetanshi Dhamija, Senior Associate, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP; and Mr. Dhruv, Senior Analyst, Portfolio Management Group, Oxane Partners. Representing the second batch, 2024–26, were Ms. Mehak, Mr. Deepankar Gautam and Ms. Gulpreet Oberoi.