IIM Shillong actively participated in the Advantage Assam 2.0 – Investment and Infrastructure
Summit 2025, held on February 25-26, 2025, in Guwahati. As the largest investment promotion
initiative by the Government of Assam, the summit showcased Assam’s economic potential,
investment opportunities, and strategic position as a gateway to Northeast India and Southeast Asia.
Highlighting the critical role of entrepreneurial business institutions, incubators, and policymakers,
Prof. Rohit Dwivedi, Faculty – Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, IIM Shillong,
emphasized the need to reduce the stigma around failure and promote risk-taking as a fundamental
aspect of success during the thematic “Start-up Ecosystem” session at Advantage Assam 2.0.
In the session on “Leveraging MDB Resources to Unlock Opportunities for the Private Sector,”
Prof. Neelam Rani, Faculty – Finance, IIM Shillong, engaged in a thought-provoking discussion
with Auguste Tano Kouame, Country Director, The World Bank. Addressing her question,
Kouame stated, “Human capital, digitization, and policy support are essential for attracting private
sector investments to the state.”

Hemango Kishore Dutta, Joint General Manager – Corporate Affairs, IIM Shillong, represented
the institution, reinforcing its commitment to industry-academia collaborations and fostering
stronger engagement between business leaders and academic institutions.
Additionally, 23 students from IIM Shillong attended the plenary sessions, gaining first-hand
exposure to discussions on investment strategies, economic policies, and the evolving business
landscape in Assam. Their participation highlighted the institute’s emphasis on experiential learning
and engagement with real-world economic challenges.
Through its active participation, IIM Shillong reaffirmed its commitment to shaping industry-driven
policy solutions, fostering entrepreneurship, and contributing thought leadership to accelerate
economic growth in the region.