WeSchool Hosts Annual Alumni Meet 2025 Celebrating Legacy, Leadership and Lifelong Bonds

Mumbai, December 24, 2025: Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool), Mumbai brought together its illustrious alumni, faculty members, students, and leaders from across generations at the Annual Alumni Meet 2025, an evening that celebrated shared memories, leadership journeys, and the enduring bond between the institute and its alumni.
One of the most evocative moments of the evening was the recreation of the iconic “Ambika Sheraton,” a small chai tapri located just outside the erstwhile Sion campus of Welingkar Institute, fondly remembered by former students and faculty alike. Known for its endless cups of chai and conversations that shaped friendships and ideas, the Ambika Sheraton was recreated in the WeSchool foyer, creating a wave of nostalgia and reaffirming the institution’s belief that some of the strongest institutional bonds are also reinforced outside classrooms, over conversations and connections.
The celebrations began with a special “Match of Legends” cricket match. The friendly match brought together alumni, faculty, and students, symbolising teamwork, sportsmanship, and the vibrant spirit that continues to define the WeSchool community.
A key highlight of the evening was the Power Hour Fireside Chat with distinguished Alumni and an inspiring talk by Captain Raghu Raman, who addressed alumni and students on leadership, organisational culture, and the challenges of scaling institutions. Drawing from his experience across the armed forces and the corporate world, Captain Raman emphasised the role of people, behaviour, and example-driven leadership.
Captain Raghu Raman, leadership consultant, Adani Group, said, “Institutions are not built by funds; they are built by people. You should never ever ask someone to do something that you cannot demonstrate physically. Troops will not do what you tell them to do. Troops will do what you do. Layer after layer of governance and bureaucracy slows organisations down, and very often 50% to 60% percent of our energy goes into battling internal issues rather than external challenges. If organisations want to scale, leaders must create a shared reality where people know each other as human beings and not just as designations, because leadership is about behaviour, example, and the stories people choose to follow.”
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool), said, “ WeSchool’s growth did not happen by default but by design, driven by co-creation, co-production, and the belief that we may be constrained by land, but we are never constrained by mind.” He attributed WeSchool’s success in a big way to the WeSchool alumni who have stood like pillars of strength. He also fondly acknowledged alumni associated with and working at WeSchool as well as the global alumni present for the alumni meet.
 
The evening also featured student performances, Alumni awards, alumni networking, and a rooftop celebration with music and dinner, bringing the formal celebrations to a warm and energetic close while reinforcing the institution’s commitment to lifelong alumni engagement.
The Annual Alumni Meet 2025 culminated with the Pride of Welingkar Awards, recognising alumni who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, entrepreneurship, social impact, and sustained contribution across industries and geographies.
The Corporate Excellence Award recipients included Nitin Nabar (MMS 1987–89), Shriram Balasubramaniam (MMM 1994–97), Amit Kapur (MMS 1997–99), Mayuresh Kore (MMS 2000–02), Avishek Purkayastha (PGDM e-Biz 2002–04), Kedar Rele (MMM 2003–06), Shreyas Dukle (MIM 2003–06), Shekhar Joshi (MFM 2004–07), Sharad Sadadekar (MIM 2004–07), Bhushan Soman (PGDBM Finance 2005–07), Abhijit Kulkarni (PGDM 2006–08), Siddhi Shah (MMS 2007–09), Rahul Dedhia (MMS 2007–09), and Nilesh Rathod (MMS 2009–11).
The Women Leader Award was presented to Vaishali Srivastava (PGDM 1998–2000), Tina Kabra (PGDM 1999–2001), Shiksha Sethia (PGDM 2002–04), Sonali Puri (MMS 2005–07), Renuka Gowda (MHRDM 2007–10), Swapna Sundaram Iyer (PGDM e-Biz 2007–09), and Rohini Remje (MHRDM 2019–20).
The Entrepreneurial Success Award winners included Gaurav Kumar (PGDM 1998–2000), Dr. Nishant S. Mehta (MFM 2005–08), Aasim Merchant (PGDM e-Biz 2005–07), Avanti Ubhayakar (PGDM 2005–07), Ninad Thakre (PGDM BD 2008–10), Rishabh Nagwekkar (MMS 2012–14), and Siddhant Khare (PGDM e-Biz 2017–19).
The Social Entrepreneurship Award was conferred on Tanul Mohod (Business Design 2012–14), while the Super Achievers’ Award was presented to Dr. Sanjay Salunkhe (MMS 1989–91).