New Delhi/ Sambalpur: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur, one of India’s premier B-Schools, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Retailers Association of India (RAI) to strengthen retail education, skill development, and research through enhanced industry-academia collaboration. The initiative seeks to establish a dynamic learning platform that helps students grasp the evolving retail landscape, gain hands-on experience, and develop skills aligned with current industry needs.
The MoU was signed by IIM Sambalpur director Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal and RAI’s director of Retail Learning & Member Relationship, Lawrence Fernandes, in the presence of faculty members, students, and RAI representatives. Under the agreement, IIM-Sambalpur will receive academic membership from RAI, granting it access to RAI’s extensive industry network and a host of collaborative opportunities. The partnership will also enable the institute to participate in prominent retail forums and events such as the Retail Leadership Summit, ReTechCon, and the Retail HR Tech Summit, providing students and faculty valuable exposure to emerging trends, innovations, and best practices in the retail sector.
Additionally, RAI will collaborate with IIM-Sambalpur in organising the institute’s Annual Retail Conclave and extend support in providing international exposure to students and faculty through curated industry visits and interactions with leading global retailers. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Jaiswal said, “This partnership marks the beginning of a new era of the ‘Brand in India’ concept in management education, aimed at nurturing responsible, skilled, and innovation-driven industry leaders.” We believe that management education must remain closely linked to real-world practice, and this MoU will empower our students to gain firsthand learning experiences from the retail industry.” RAI CEO Kumar Rajagopalan said, “Retail in India is at a defining moment — expanding rapidly, embracing technology, and innovating new formats every day. Through this collaboration with IIM-Sambalpur, RAI furthers its mission to bridge the gap between industry and academia, ensuring that future leaders are equipped with the right skills, exposure, and mindset to shape the future of modern retail. This partnership goes beyond education; it is about co-creating pathways that strengthen India’s retail ecosystem and make it truly future-ready.”
The partnership highlights IIM Sambalpur’s commitment to fostering industry-driven learning models and RAI’s dedication to promoting retail excellence through education, training, and skill development. Together, the two institutions aim to nurture future-ready managers capable of leading India’s dynamic retail sector toward sustained growth and global competitiveness.
