UditVani, Jamshedpur : In a move to connect management education with grassroots realities, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur and Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) have entered into a strategic partnership to promote social impact, sustainability, public policy and inclusive development.
The two institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly strengthen teaching, research and field-based learning in the development sector.
While IIM Raipur is one of India’s premier management institutes with a strong focus on public policy and governance, Tata Steel Foundation serves as the social development arm of Tata Steel, working extensively in education, healthcare, livelihoods, environment and community welfare.
The MoU was exchanged in the presence of senior representatives from both sides, including Dr Sanjeev Prashar, Director, IIM Raipur; Dr Saroj Pani, Dean (Academics); Dr Navneeth Bhatnagar and members of the MSI team, along with Sourav Roy, CEO, Tata Steel Foundation, and Dr Vinayak Kishore, Consultant for Public Policy and Research.
As part of the partnership, the two organisations will co-create academic courses, social immersion programmes and community engagement initiatives.
They will also undertake joint research and develop knowledge products focused on indigenous communities, sustainable development and policy interventions. A major highlight of the collaboration is the Unurum – Social Immersion Programme, which will allow IIM Raipur students to gain first-hand exposure to development work at the grassroots.
The alliance also builds on Tata Steel Foundation’s earlier academic collaborations with institutions such as XLRI Jamshedpur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Raipur and the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, aimed at integrating social impact into leadership and management education.
Dr Sanjeev Prashar said the initiative would help nurture socially conscious leaders who can balance economic growth with ethical and developmental priorities.
Sourav Roy noted that the partnership would blend academic rigour with on-ground experience to create impactful learning models and generate knowledge that supports inclusive growth.
