Prof. Dheeraj Sharma, Director of Indian Institute of Management Rohtak, has been conferred the Exemplary Governance Leadership Award at the 46th World Management Congress, held at the India International Centre in New Delhi.
The award was presented following a competitive and transparent global selection process that saw more than 1,400 nominations from across countries. Only seven individuals were selected for the honour, Prof. Sharma being one of them.
The ceremony brought together several national and international leaders. Among those present were Mariano Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina; Fr Roby Kannanchira; and Janice Darbari, Honorary Consul General of Montenegro. Also in attendance were Markandey Rai, President of the Global Peace Foundation–India; Jesper Moller Sorensen; and Priya Ranjan Trivedi, Founder Chairman of the Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment and President of the Congress. Vice-chancellors, directors of leading institutions, senior academicians, policymakers, and thought leaders also attended the event.
Prof. Sharma was recognised for his visionary leadership and institution-building efforts, which have transformed IIM Rohtak into one of India's fastest-growing and most dynamic management institutions. During his tenure, the institute secured international accreditations from the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the Business Graduates Association (BGA), strengthening its global academic and governance credentials.
One of the key infrastructural milestones under his leadership was the transition of IIM Rohtak to its permanent campus in 2018, completed under budget, reflecting strong financial discipline, efficient project execution, and transparent administration. Academically, Prof. Sharma led the introduction of the Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) and India's first Integrated Programme in Law (IPL) among all IIMs, expanding access to interdisciplinary education.
A distinguished scholar, Prof. Sharma was named among the top 2% of global researchers by Stanford University in 2023. He has served as principal investigator for multiple high-impact research projects funded by the Ministries of Home Affairs, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Consumer Affairs, and Commerce, contributing to evidence-based policymaking and national development. During this period, IIM Rohtak also became the largest IIM by student strength and launched the Executive Postgraduate Programme in Sports Management, which received acknowledgement from the Prime Minister of India.
While accepting the award, Prof. Sharma emphasised the role of institutional autonomy, particularly financial independence, in enabling innovation and sustained excellence in higher education. He highlighted that IIMs integrate education with employability, taking responsibility to ensure that students' skills are recognised and rewarded by the market.
He further noted that education extends beyond formal classrooms and degrees, shaped significantly by early-life experiences such as language development, cognitive growth, and trust. Expressing concern over the lack of regulation in India's pre-school education sector, he stressed the importance of parental involvement in shaping values, emotional intelligence, and lifelong learning.
Concluding his address, Prof. Sharma said leadership in education must prioritise ethical, value-driven citizenship and holistic human development, rather than focusing solely on physical infrastructure.
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