Poornaprajna Institute of Management (PIM), Udupi, successfully hosted a one-day National Conference on “Innovations for the Future Economy: Synergies in Management, Commerce, and Information Technology” at its campus on 18 December 2025.
The conference was inaugurated by Dr. Gururaj Kidiyooru, Professor and Dean (Academics), T.A.P. Institute of Management, Manipal, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his inaugural address, Dr. Kidiyooru highlighted the critical role of innovation in shaping contemporary business practices, illustrating his points with relevant real-world examples from the corporate domain. He underscored the growing importance of research in academic institutions and observed that countries such as the United States have long embraced a strong research culture, resulting in sustained innovation and global leadership. He expressed satisfaction in noting that India currently ranks third globally in research publications, following the USA and China. Emphasizing the significance of academic conferences, he remarked that such platforms enable researchers to identify potential collaborators, engage in interdisciplinary research, and contribute meaningfully to knowledge creation. He further noted that conference publications offer students valuable opportunities for academic visibility and career advancement.
The inaugural session was presided over by Dr. G. S. Chandrashekhar, Honorary Secretary of Poornaprajna Institute of Management. In his presidential address, he elaborated on the paradigm shift in the academic ecosystem. He pointed out that while earlier education systems primarily emphasized examination performance, the contemporary academic landscape places increasing importance on quality research and innovation. He acknowledged the visionary establishment of the Poornaprajna Institute of Scientific Research (PPISR), Bengaluru, in 1990, at a time when research culture was still nascent in India. Today, PPISR stands recognized as one of the country’s premier research institutions. Dr. Chandrashekhar reaffirmed the management’s commitment to providing quality education aimed at transforming students into skilled professionals with strong ethical values and cultural sensitivity.
Dr. P. S. Aithal, Director, PIM, extended a warm welcome to the gathering. Prof. Venugopala Rao A. S., Convener of the Conference, presented the Prelude to the Conference, outlining its theme and objectives, while Dr. Bharath V, also Convener, proposed the Vote of Thanks. The inaugural ceremony was graced by the release of the Book of Abstracts of the National Conference, along with the Proceedings of the International Conference on Indian Knowledge Systems held in November 2025. The programme commenced with a soulful
invocation rendered by the MCA student team led by Ms. Bhargavi. Prof. Ramakrishna Nayak from the department of MBA compeered the program.
The academic sessions featured invited talks by eminent scholars, including Dr. Gururaj Kidiyooru, Dr. Ganesh Bhat, Research Professor, Srinivas University, Mangaluru; Dr. Mahesh K. M., Principal, Jain Evening College, Bengaluru; Dr. Narayana Bhat, Research Professor, Srinivas University, Mangaluru; and Dr. Ganesh Aithal, Former Vice Principal, SMVITM, Bantakal. The conference concluded with the presentation of 35 contributed research papers, reflecting diverse perspectives and emerging trends across management, commerce, and information technology.
