The IIMB–Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies Welcomes Its First Cohort
A new chapter in IIM Bangalore’s history began today as the IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies welcomed its inaugural cohort of undergraduate students.
The journey to this moment has been several years in the making — from the laying of the campus foundations and the vision for a new kind of undergraduate education, to the establishment of the School, the landmark partnership with the Tata Trusts, and finally, the arrival of its first students.
From Vision to Institution
IIMB’s foray into full-time undergraduate education took a significant step forward with the signing of a landmark MoU with the Tata Trusts to establish the IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies.
The MoU was signed in Mumbai on 21 August by Mr. Noel Tata, Chairman, Tata Trusts, and Dr. Devi Shetty, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore, in the presence of Mr. Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Tata Trusts, and Prof. U Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIM Bangalore.
The Tata Trusts’ philanthropic support will contribute to the establishment and initial development of the School, including its academic infrastructure, research capabilities and long-term institutional development. The partnership will also support strategic direction, policy formulation and governance oversight.
The School is being conceived around multidisciplinary learning, research and innovation, with an emphasis on preparing young people for a world increasingly shaped by technology, data and artificial intelligence.
Its dedicated residential campus in the Jigani-Anekal area brings academic, research and student life together in a purpose-built environment. The School initially offers two four-year programmes: BSc (Hons) in Data Sciences with a minor in Economics, and BSc (Hons) in Economics with a minor in Data Sciences. Future programmes are envisaged in areas including sustainability and psychology.
The campus itself has been designed with sustainability and accessibility in mind, alongside modern academic and residential infrastructure. The School’s academic and research ambitions extend to multidisciplinary work at the intersection of areas such as AI, data science, algorithmic design, Indian Knowledge Systems and applied business learning.
As Prof. Dinesh Kumar has noted, the School is being created at a time when AI is reshaping business, government and society. The ambition is therefore not simply to create another undergraduate programme, but to build an ecosystem where students can engage deeply with the defining challenges of an AI-driven world.
An Overwhelming Response
The first cohort was selected from an extraordinary pool of more than 12,000 applications from across India.
Just 80 students make up the inaugural batch, with 40 students each enrolling in the BSc (Hons) programmes in Data Sciences and Economics.
For these students, the significance goes beyond being part of a new programme. They are the first undergraduate students in IIM Bangalore’s history and the first to call the new Jigani campus home.
Bringing the IIMB Community Together
The arrival of the first cohort was marked today by a Campus Integration Run from IIMB’s Bannerghatta Road campus to the new undergraduate campus in Jigani.
Led by Prof. Sourav Mukherji, Dean, Faculty, the run brought together alumni Prahlad Srinivasan, Saurav Barma and Chinmay Lote; PGP students Vaibhav Krishna Singh Raghav and Amritash Bharadwaj; exchange students Jasper Clemens and Elias Demme; and Sanchet Sharma, Manager, Doctoral Programme Office.
More than a fitness activity, the run offered a simple and symbolic way of connecting the established IIMB community with its newest members. Alumni, students, faculty and staff came together across the two campuses on a day that marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Institute.
The spirit of integration extended beyond the IIMB community itself, with Mr. Maeippan, father of an IIMB undergraduate student, also joining the run and adding a particularly personal touch to the occasion.
From the first foundations of the campus to the arrival of its first students, the IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies has moved from an idea to a living institution.
For IIM Bangalore, it is the beginning of a new chapter in institution-building. For its first 80 undergraduate students, it is the beginning of their own IIMB story — and, in many ways, the first page of the School’s history.
