IIMA launches Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method
IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) inaugurated the Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning (MMCoECML) on August 30, 2025. The Centre has been established with support from Mr. Madan Mohan Mohanka, an IIMA alumnus of the PGP 1967 batch and Chairman, Tega Industries Limited.
Shri Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, was the Chief Guest of the program held to launch the centre. Professor Srikant Datar, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard Business School, delivered the keynote address through video-conferencing. Shri Joshi was joined by Mr. Madan Mohanka, Chairman, Tega Industries Limited; Mr. Pankaj Patel, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIMA; Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; and Professor Saral Mukherjee, Chairperson, Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning.
Harvard Dean Dr Srikant Datar on Case Method in Age of AI and LLMs
Delivering the keynote address via video conferencing, Dr Srikant Datar, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard Business School, reflected on his time spent at IIMA and how the case study method played a vital role in transforming his career.
In his address, Dr Datar said that the Case Method remains relevant in Age of AI and LLMs. “I firmly believe that the case method of teaching and learning will remain relevant even in today’s age of artificial intelligence and large language models,” he said. “The case method is a powerful tool which offers immense benefits to both the students and faculty. It helps in faculty development by ensuring that the faculty remains close to practice and enhances students’ learning even outside the classroom,” he further added.
Case Method, integral to IIMA’s Pedagogy
The Case Method, pioneered at Harvard Business School in the 1920s, has been one of the most influential pedagogical innovations in management education. Over the past century, the method has spread globally, becoming a cornerstone of management training in leading institutions such as INSEAD, Ivey, and IIM Ahmedabad.
The case method has been integral to IIMA’s pedagogical approach since its inception. This new Centre has been established to take forward that legacy and to promote research, teaching, and training in the case method of learning. The case-based pedagogy helps students to experience real-world business scenarios and solve complex industry problems. It brings the classroom alive with real-world dilemmas, blurs the line between theory and practice, and transforms students from passive recipients of knowledge to active participants in their own learning journey. They assume the role of the decision maker and evaluate multiple perspectives before arriving at a conclusion because learning through the case method teaches students how to think, not what to think.
The Case Method has faced some criticism for being time-intensive, overly reliant on anecdotal examples, and sometimes disconnected from the rapidly evolving business environment. In the age of AI, the method faces new challenges. Ensuring that students don’t rely solely on AI-powered analysis for the classroom discussions is a big challenge for case teachers.
Shri Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, Other Experts hail new IIMA centre
Shri Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, congratulated IIMA for establishing the Centre and said, “Today’s world demands leaders who are flexible and can take decision in an uncertain environment. The case method of teaching and learning cultivates these very qualities in learners. The establishment of this Centre will enhance not only student learning but also the teaching practices of faculty. In today’s geo-political context, it is imperative for India to strengthen its self-reliance through innovation, adoption of new technologies, and by nurturing more job creators rather than job seekers. I am confident that IIM Ahmedabad will play a pivotal role in driving this transformation.”
Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Mr. Madan Mohanka, an IIMA alumnus of the PGP 1967 batch and Chairman, Tega Industries Limited, described this milestone as the spirit of the Guru Shishya Parampara and attributed it to the tireless efforts of many, including his teachers, Professor Gajanan R Kulkarni and Professor V. L. Mote, who were among the founding faculty members credited with bringing the case method of pedagogy from Harvard Business School to IIMA.
Speaking during the event, Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said, “The case method of learning was pioneered in India by IIMA, shaping leaders who can think critically and view challenges from multiple perspectives. The establishment of this Centre will strengthen our ability to innovate in case pedagogy and serve as a hub for research, collaboration, and faculty development in this field.”
Dr Saral Mukherjee, Chairperson, Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning
Speaking on the launch, Dr Saral Mukherjee, Chairperson of the newly-inaugurated Centre, said, “With the inauguration of the centre devoted to strengthening the case pedagogy, IIMA wishes to support young academics and doctoral students in exploring how they can craft transformative learning experiences for the next generation of management students.”
An outstanding teacher with many awards, Dr Saral Mukherjee is an Associate Professor in the Operations & Decision Sciences Area at IIM Ahmedabad. He has been awarded the ‘Marti Mannariah Gurunath Outstanding Teacher Award’ in 2014-2021 and the ‘SRK Distinguished PGPX Faculty Award’ in 2017, 2020 and 2021. He has published a book on Operations Strategy titled “Elephants and Cheetahs: The Beauty of Operations” as a part of the IIMA Business Book Series. He has served as the Chairperson of the Placement Committee, Chairperson of IIM Ahmedabad Case Centre and Dean (Alumni and External Relations) apart from other administrative roles.
The IIMA Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning will be involved in training faculty members to excel as case method instructors and supporting the development of cases through funding, research assistance, reviewing, and editing. Additionally, it will undertake research on case pedagogy and propagate the case methodology.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for latest updates on Indian management education.
IIMA launches Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method
IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) inaugurated the Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning (MMCoECML) on August 30, 2025. The Centre has been established with support from Mr. Madan Mohan Mohanka, an IIMA alumnus of the PGP 1967 batch and Chairman, Tega Industries Limited.
Shri Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, was the Chief Guest of the program held to launch the centre. Professor Srikant Datar, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard Business School, delivered the keynote address through video-conferencing. Shri Joshi was joined by Mr. Madan Mohanka, Chairman, Tega Industries Limited; Mr. Pankaj Patel, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIMA; Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA; and Professor Saral Mukherjee, Chairperson, Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning.
Harvard Dean Dr Srikant Datar on Case Method in Age of AI and LLMs
Delivering the keynote address via video conferencing, Dr Srikant Datar, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard Business School, reflected on his time spent at IIMA and how the case study method played a vital role in transforming his career.
In his address, Dr Datar said that the Case Method remains relevant in Age of AI and LLMs. “I firmly believe that the case method of teaching and learning will remain relevant even in today’s age of artificial intelligence and large language models,” he said. “The case method is a powerful tool which offers immense benefits to both the students and faculty. It helps in faculty development by ensuring that the faculty remains close to practice and enhances students’ learning even outside the classroom,” he further added.
Case Method, integral to IIMA’s Pedagogy
The Case Method, pioneered at Harvard Business School in the 1920s, has been one of the most influential pedagogical innovations in management education. Over the past century, the method has spread globally, becoming a cornerstone of management training in leading institutions such as INSEAD, Ivey, and IIM Ahmedabad.
The case method has been integral to IIMA’s pedagogical approach since its inception. This new Centre has been established to take forward that legacy and to promote research, teaching, and training in the case method of learning. The case-based pedagogy helps students to experience real-world business scenarios and solve complex industry problems. It brings the classroom alive with real-world dilemmas, blurs the line between theory and practice, and transforms students from passive recipients of knowledge to active participants in their own learning journey. They assume the role of the decision maker and evaluate multiple perspectives before arriving at a conclusion because learning through the case method teaches students how to think, not what to think.
The Case Method has faced some criticism for being time-intensive, overly reliant on anecdotal examples, and sometimes disconnected from the rapidly evolving business environment. In the age of AI, the method faces new challenges. Ensuring that students don’t rely solely on AI-powered analysis for the classroom discussions is a big challenge for case teachers.
Shri Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, Other Experts hail new IIMA centre
Shri Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, congratulated IIMA for establishing the Centre and said, “Today’s world demands leaders who are flexible and can take decision in an uncertain environment. The case method of teaching and learning cultivates these very qualities in learners. The establishment of this Centre will enhance not only student learning but also the teaching practices of faculty. In today’s geo-political context, it is imperative for India to strengthen its self-reliance through innovation, adoption of new technologies, and by nurturing more job creators rather than job seekers. I am confident that IIM Ahmedabad will play a pivotal role in driving this transformation.”
Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Mr. Madan Mohanka, an IIMA alumnus of the PGP 1967 batch and Chairman, Tega Industries Limited, described this milestone as the spirit of the Guru Shishya Parampara and attributed it to the tireless efforts of many, including his teachers, Professor Gajanan R Kulkarni and Professor V. L. Mote, who were among the founding faculty members credited with bringing the case method of pedagogy from Harvard Business School to IIMA.
Speaking during the event, Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said, “The case method of learning was pioneered in India by IIMA, shaping leaders who can think critically and view challenges from multiple perspectives. The establishment of this Centre will strengthen our ability to innovate in case pedagogy and serve as a hub for research, collaboration, and faculty development in this field.”
Dr Saral Mukherjee, Chairperson, Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning
Speaking on the launch, Dr Saral Mukherjee, Chairperson of the newly-inaugurated Centre, said, “With the inauguration of the centre devoted to strengthening the case pedagogy, IIMA wishes to support young academics and doctoral students in exploring how they can craft transformative learning experiences for the next generation of management students.”
An outstanding teacher with many awards, Dr Saral Mukherjee is an Associate Professor in the Operations & Decision Sciences Area at IIM Ahmedabad. He has been awarded the ‘Marti Mannariah Gurunath Outstanding Teacher Award’ in 2014-2021 and the ‘SRK Distinguished PGPX Faculty Award’ in 2017, 2020 and 2021. He has published a book on Operations Strategy titled “Elephants and Cheetahs: The Beauty of Operations” as a part of the IIMA Business Book Series. He has served as the Chairperson of the Placement Committee, Chairperson of IIM Ahmedabad Case Centre and Dean (Alumni and External Relations) apart from other administrative roles.
The IIMA Madan Mohanka Centre of Excellence in Case Method of Learning will be involved in training faculty members to excel as case method instructors and supporting the development of cases through funding, research assistance, reviewing, and editing. Additionally, it will undertake research on case pedagogy and propagate the case methodology.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for latest updates on Indian management education.
To further strengthen its case method pedagogy for the changing business and learning environment, IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) has launched a new Centre of Excellence in Case Method. Speaking on the launch, Harvard Dean Dr Srikant Datar said that the Case Method remains relevant in the Age of AI and LLMs. Shri Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India added that today’s world demands leaders who are flexible and can take decision in an uncertain environment, and case method cultivates these qualities in learners. Professor Saral Mukherjee is the Chairperson of the new IIMA case centre.