The Indian School of Business (ISB) commenced its Silver Jubilee year at the ISB Leadership Summit 2026 in Mohali, in the presence of Shri Bhagwant Mann, Chief Minister of Punjab, and Harish Manwani, Chairperson, Executive Board, ISB. The Summit, themed “India Unbound: Defining Tomorrow’s Leadership” brings together leaders from business, government, academia and the wider community to discuss and debate about the kind of leadership required as India’s economy, businesses and institutions evolve, and the role leaders can play in shaping this transformation.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Bhagwant Mann, Chief Minister of Punjab, highlighted ISB’s rapid rise as one of the top global business schools. He noted that while India’s youth have immense energy, institutions like ISB provide the direction and leadership to help them succeed. Advising future business leaders, he emphasised that true success comes from staying rooted in strong values and giving back to society.
Welcoming delegates, Harish Manwani, Chairman of the Executive Board, ISB, said that leadership is about taking responsibility with integrity during uncertain times, rather than simply holding a position. He highlighted that businesses must create value not just for shareholders, but for all stakeholders and communities at large. He further emphasised that today’s leaders must go from ‘great to good’ by building successful enterprises that actively serve society, noting that a thriving economy must be inclusive.
As part of the Silver Jubilee festivities, Professor Madan Pillutla, Dean of ISB unveiled ISB’s 25-year commemorative film marking the milestone. Along with a commemorative logo and website, the film forms a part of a series of engagements through which the school will celebrate its journey and look ahead to its next 25 years.The Dean spoke about the potential of AI transforming society, and that leaders would be responsible to design systems so that technology benefits everyone.
The occasion marks 25 years of ISB’s journey in management education and its continuing contribution to developing leaders for India and the world. Since its establishment, the school has sought to build leadership capability that extends beyond managing organisations, preparing students to lead businesses and institutions while contributing to the communities and society in which they operate.
Member of Parliament Manish Tewari delivered the keynote address, setting the tone for the Summit’s discussions on leadership, public policy and India’s evolving growth story. Throughout the day, sessions explored entrepreneurship, consumer businesses, aviation, finance and global brand building, featuring distinguished leaders including Piyush Shah, Co-founder, InMobi/Glance; Rohit Kapoor, CEO, Food Marketplace, Swiggy; Belson Coutinho, Co-founder & COO, Akasa Air; Ashutosh Dhawan, Group CFO, Mankind Pharma; Anoop N. Menon, Partner, Chiratae Ventures; Gajendra Jangid, Co-founder & CMO, Cars24; Mahima Kaul, Director of Public Policy, Netflix; and Preeti Budhraja, Country People & Culture Manager, IKEA, alongside other prominent entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and ISB alumni.
Organised by students across ISB’s PGP, PGP YL, PGP PRO, PGP MAX, and PGP MFAB cohorts, the summit provided a premier platform to celebrate ISB’s twenty-five-year legacy while projecting a modernised vision for global management education. By facilitating direct intellectual exchange between today’s preeminent decision-makers and tomorrow’s business executives, the Mohali edition of the ISB Leadership Summit 2026 successfully synthesised ISB’s new brand era with actionable insights for an unbound Indian economy.
Over the past quarter century, ISB has evolved into a globally recognised business school, with its programmes, research, faculty and alumni contributing across industries and geographies. Its distinctive one-year PGP, research-driven approach and engagement with industry and society have been central to the School’sevolution.
