IIM Jammu inaugurates International Painters Symposium 2026, showcasing creative leadership and global cultural exchange

JAMMU: The Indian Institute of Management Jammu inaugurated the six-day International Painters Symposium 2026, being held from 12th to 17th January 2026, positioning the campus as a vibrant hub for creative leadership, cultural integration, and interdisciplinary learning. The symposium brings together eminent painters from India and abroad for immersive artistic engagement, collaborative creation, and intercultural dialogue.

The Inaugural Ceremony of the International Painters Symposium was inaugurated by Shri Kavinder Gupta Ji, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, Union Territory of Ladakh, on 12 January 2026 at the IIM Jammu Jagti Campus, in the august presence of Padmashri Dr. Milind P. Kamble Ji, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu, who presided over the ceremony. Shri Shriram Dandekar, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd. and former Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu, attended as the Guest of Honour, while Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, also graced the occasion.

The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT of Ladakh Shri Kavinder Gupta Ji was warmly received by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu; Padmashri Dr. Milind P. Kamble, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu; and Guest of Honour Shri Shriram Dandekar, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd. and former Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu. He planted a sapling in the courtyard area and given a comphrensive tour of the campus at IIM Jammu, symbolizing sustainability and growth, followed by the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, Saraswati Vandana, and the National Anthem, marking the formal commencement of the programme.

On the eve of the International Painting Workshop, the International Painting Brochure was unveiled by Shri Kavinder Gupta Ji, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT of Ladakh, in the august presence of Padmashri Dr. Milind P. Kamble Ji, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu, who presided over the ceremony. Shri Shriram Dandekar, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd. and Former Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour, while Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, was also present on the momentous occasion.

Addressing the gathering at the International Painters Symposium 2026: Brushstrokes Beyond Borders, Chief GuestKavinder Gupta, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT of Ladakh, extended warm greetings to Padmashri Dr Milind Kamble, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu, Guest of Honor, Shri Shriram S. Dandekar, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Kokuyo Camlin, Professor B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, Shri Kamlesh K. Gandhi, Professor Shyam Narayan Lal, Chairperson, Anandam and Prof. Brigadier ( Retd.) Neeraj Soni, Co- Chairperson, Anandam, IIM Jammu, the participating painters, media representatives, faculty members, staff, and students of IIM Jammu. He remarked that the International Painters symposium 2026 was not merely a cultural programme, but a meaningful celebration of learning and values.

Appreciating the campus infrastructure, modern classrooms, and library, he observed that IIM Jammu stands not only as a management institute but as a knowledge institution. Referring to the tree plantation initiative, he highlighted the shared responsibility of education and environmental consciousness.The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT Of Ladakh, Shri Kavinder Gupta Ji, noted the institute’s inspiring growth from a small cohort to over 1,400 students, calling it reflective of IIM Jammu’s academic and institutional vision. He emphasized that when artists come together in such a setting, learning transcends the mind to engage the heart, body, and soul, reinforcing the idea that creativity is the soul of leadership and ethics its foundation.

He placed the symposium within the larger national context under the visionary leadership of Narendra Modi,  Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, referring to the expansion of premier institutions and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He also shared developmental milestones in Ladakh, including enhanced budgets and the establishment of its first medical college, and expressed confidence in IIM Jammu’s role as a catalyst for regional and national transformation.Concluding, he aligned the symposium with NEP 2020, describing art as a universal language that strengthens India’s soft power, and urged students to see the event as a reflection for lifelong contribution to the nation, beyond degrees or titles.

Addressing the gathering at the International Painters Symposium 2026: Brushstrokes Beyond Borders, Shri Shriram Dandekar, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd, and Guest of Honour, extended warm greetings to all dignitaries, artists, faculty members, students, and guests, and conveyed his best wishes for the grand success of the symposium.Reflecting on the journey of the institute, he recalled IIM Jammu’s early days when it operated from the Jammu Engineering College as a temporary campus. He noted with appreciation that the institute today has a student strength of over 1,400, a testament to its remarkable growth and steady progress in a short span of time.He lauded the multi-dimensional approach adopted by IIM Jammu in building a holistic academic ecosystem that integrates management education with creativity, culture, and infrastructure development.

Acknowledging institutional leadership, he commended Padmashri Dr Milind Kamble, Chairman, BoG, IIM Jammu for steering the institute to new heights, and appreciated Professor B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu and his colleagues for their collective efforts across various academic and administrative roles.He also highlighted the institute’s modern library and efficient academic management, noting that these strengths have contributed significantly to IIM Jammu’s rising reputation and rankings. Concluding his address, he wished the institute continued success and extended his best wishes to students for excellent placements and fulfilling professional journeys.

In his address, Dr. Milind Kamble, Chairman, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Management Jammu, emphasised that the International Painters’ Symposium 2026 was not merely a creative engagement, but a reaffirmation of the Institute’s commitment to holistic cultural development. He highlighted the vital role of art and culture in shaping an inclusive, reflective, and humane academic ecosystem, values that the IIM Jammu campus actively promotes alongside world-class education.He noted that the participation of 21 International painters from diverse artistic disciplines enriched the learning environment by fostering visual thinking and meaningful interactions between artists and students, bridging artistic expression with professional and academic pursuits.

Such engagements, he remarked, transform IIM Jammu into a globally visible knowledge hub, a centre of ideas and innovation, and a significant step towards the vision of Viksit Bharat.He expressed his gratitude to all the dignitaries and organisers for curating an inspiring event and reaffirmed that IIM Jammu will continue to contribute actively to the growth and development of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

At the International Painters Symposium 2026 – Brushstrokes Beyond Borders, Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, delivered a warm welcome address reflecting the institute’s ethos of inclusivity, creativity and nation-building. He expressed it as a privilege to welcome Shri Kavinder Gupta Ji, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, UT of Ladakh, and conveyed best wishes on his first visit to the campus. He also welcomed Shri Shriram Dandekar, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Kokuyo Camlin, appreciating his admiration for the campus and its evolving academic and cultural ecosystem.

He expressed deep gratitude to Padmashri Dr. Milind Kamble, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu, acknowledging his visionary guidance and unwavering support in the institute’s growth journey.Reflecting on the evolution of art at IIM Jammu, he recalled early collaborations with eminent artists including Shri Kamlesh K. Gandhi, which enabled live painting initiatives, Basohli art exposure and cultural engagement. He emphasized that instead of procuring commercial artwork, the institute has consciously invited artists to co-create a living artistic legacy on campus.

He reaffirmed IIM Jammu’s mission to nurture ethical, socially responsible entrepreneurs and highlighted impactful initiatives such as the Centre for Innovation and Transformation in Governance (CITaG) and YUVA – Young Entrepreneurs Development Abhiyan, along with strong collaborations with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. With campuses in Jammu and Srinagar, he reiterated the institute’s commitment to contributing to Ladakh’s development.Welcoming the dignitaries and artists, he reiterated IIM Jammu’s focus on building a multidisciplinary academic ecosystem integrating creativity, Indian knowledge traditions, innovation and societal responsibility. He noted that the institute’s engagement with visual arts has matured through structured painting workshops, including contemporary workshops in November 2025 and a Basohli workshop in December 2025, which together strengthened experiential learning and formed the academic foundation for the International Painters Symposium 2026.

The symposium was formally introduced by Prof. Shyam Narayan Lal, Chairman, Anandam: The Centre for Happiness, IIM Jammu, who set the tone for the programme. Present on the occasion was Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean, Faculty and Research, IIM Jammu.

Internationally Renowned Painter, Shri Kamlesh K. Gandhi, Curator of the Symposium, welcomed the gathering and introduced the participating painters at the International Painters Symposium 2026: Brushstrokes Beyond Borders. He highlighted the symposium’s journey from a state-level initiative to a global platform and appreciated IIM Jammu’s immersive learning environment. Acknowledging the leadership of Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, and the support of Kokuyo Camlin Ltd., he expressed confidence that the artists’ creations would further enrich the campus’ creative ecosystem.

The Symposium features eminent painters including Tapan Kumar Dash, Anjani Reddy, Kamlesh Kumar Gandhi, Santosh Verma, Dr. Vidhyasagar Upadhyay, Svetlana Kravchenko, Krishna Setty, Ajay Samir, Pradeep Naik, Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Hina Bhatt, Shrikant Kadam, Prof. Rajan S. Fulari, Binoy Varghese, Vinay Sharma, Dhananjay Thakur, Dr. Anup K. Chand, Niladri Paul, Dr. Chaminda Gamage, and Dr. Sunil K. Vishwakarma, representing diverse national and international artistic traditions.

With participation of 21 eminent international and national painters, 25 emerging artists, and 90 art students, the symposium emerged as one of the largest collaborative artistic platforms hosted by an academic institution in the region.

On the eve, the Language Lab, The Akshar, The Communication Lab, IIM Jammu, was inaugurated by Padmashri Dr. Milind P. Kamble, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Jammu, in the august presence of Shri Shriram S. Dandekar, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd., and Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu.On the momentous occasion, Dr. Apurva, Dr. Gaana J., and Cmdr (R) Kesavan Baskkaran, ChiefAdministrative Officer, IIM Jammu, were also present, along with students.

The inaugural proceedings included inauguration of the symposium venue, visit to academic facilities, plantation drive, lighting of the ceremonial lamp, felicitation of dignitaries, and interaction with the participating artists. The vote of thanks was proposed by Brigadier (Prof.) Neeraj Soni, Co-Chairperson, Anandam, IIM Jammu.  The inaugural ceremony culminated with the national anthem. Organized under the aegis of Ānandam: The Centre for Happiness and the Painting Club of IIM Jammu, the Symposium reaffirms IIM Jammu’s role as a pioneering institution integrating management education with cultural excellence, creative leadership, and societal impact.