IIM Visakhapatnam Inaugurates Centre of Excellence in Entrepreneurial Skills and Policy with MEPSC Support
The Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam (IIMV) today inaugurated the Centre of Excellence in Entrepreneurial Skills and Policy (CEESP), established with collaboration and funding support from the Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC). The Centre was inaugurated by Shri Shrinivas V. Dempo, Vice Chairman, Dempo Group of Companies and Chairman, MEPSC, in the presence of faculty, staff, students, and industry representatives.
In his inaugural address, Shri Dempo underscored the importance of resilience, conviction, and collaboration in the entrepreneurial journey. Emphasizing that failure is an essential stepping stone to success, he urged students to analyse setbacks, learn from them, and return stronger. He noted that while today’s entrepreneurs benefit from a robust startup ecosystem, access to funding, and institutional support, determination and risk-taking remain decisive. Calling for a shift from competition to collaboration, he highlighted that meaningful partnerships amplify impact. Referring to opportunities in Artificial Intelligence, climate solutions, clean energy, and health and mental wellness, he described uncertainty and volatility as the “new normal” and encouraged young innovators to prioritize adaptability and long-term credibility over short-term visibility. Expressing confidence in the new Centre, he said it would guide aspiring entrepreneurs from ideation and execution to scaling and commercialization, while providing mentorship and ecosystem support.
Prof. M Chandrasekhar, Director, IIM Visakhapatnam, thanked Shri Dempo and MEPSC leadership for their trust in IIMV and reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to making the initiative a significant contributor to entrepreneurship promotion and policy support for government and key stakeholders.
Col. Anil Pokhriyal, CEO, MEPSC, thanked the Centre Coordinators Prof. Kalyan and Prof. Shameem for their role in enabling the collaboration, and also acknowledged the Director and the IIMV team for their continued support. He emphasized that a Centre of Excellence is ultimately about people and continuous improvement, and expressed confidence that the shared commitment of MEPSC and IIMV would translate into impactful research, execution-focused programs, and meaningful policy interventions.
Shri Suresh Dutt Tripathi, Director (Board), MEPSC, stressed the need for India’s youth to become job creators rather than job seekers, and highlighted the timeliness of the CoE in advancing the cause of entrepreneurial national development. He underlined that the true leverage comes from aligning entrepreneurial skills with policy insight to convert aspiration into sustainable, scalable enterprise outcomes.
On this occasion, Shri Rama Shankar Pandey – Director (Board) MEPSC, via virtual address, conveyed his happiness in seeing this centre coming live and hoped to see larger collaborations and intellectual outcomes which may help shape mass entrepreneurship in the country.
Pre-inauguration, MEPSC dignitaries led by Sh. Shrinivas Dempo, interacted with IIMV faculty. Following the inauguration, the delegation interacted with select startups and entrepreneurs supported by IIMV FIELD and MEPSC, reviewed their product and service offerings, and held detailed closed-door discussions on the near-term priorities of the Centre to make entrepreneurship more accessible and democratic.
The Centre of Excellence on Entrepreneurial Skills and Policy is envisioned as a platform for research-driven capability building, evidence-based policy inputs, startup mentoring, and ecosystem engagement, reinforcing IIM Visakhapatnam’s role in shaping India’s next generation of entrepreneurs and enterprise leaders.
