India First PEVC Centre of Excellence Launch IIM Bangalore | Game-Changing Initiative

Witness the Launch of India First PEVC Centre of Excellence at IIM Bangalore – a visionary step in private equity and venture capital education, research, and industry leadership.

India First PEVC Centre of Excellence Launch IIM Bangalore marked a historic moment in India’s finance education landscape on August 6, 2025, when the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) officially inaugurated the Tony James Centre for Private Equity and Venture Capital. As India’s first Global Centre of Excellence dedicated to PEVC, this landmark initiative is poised to reshape the investment ecosystem by bridging academia, industry, and policy with forward-looking thought leadership.

An Ambitious Vision Unfolds

• Conceptualized during IIMB’s golden jubilee celebrations and formalized via a memorandum of understanding in August 2024, the centre is backed by a transformative alumni contribution of ₹17.5 crore from PGP ’94 Gold Medallist Mathew Cyriac, who now chairs Florintree Advisors
• Named in honour of Hamilton Evans “Tony” James, former President, COO, and Executive Vice Chairman of Blackstone, the centre carries the legacy of one of the most revered figures in global alternative investments

Driving Forces: Research, Education & Collaboration

The Tony James Centre for Private Equity and Venture Capital is structured as a dynamic engine for PEVC scholarship:

• Chaired by Professor Ashok Thampy—holding the endowed Florintree Chair in Private Equity and Venture Capital—the centre will spearhead cutting-edge research, develop high-impact curriculum, and facilitate deep industry-academia dialogue
• Core pillars include hosting global experts, offering advanced electives, launching an annual lecture series, supporting student scholarships, and forging policy-relevant discussions to nurture globally competitive talent

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A Showcase of Global Convergence

The inauguration brought together some of the most influential voices in PEVC:

• Mathew Cyriac emphasized: “This is a commitment to a future where Indian talent leads global investing conversations,” underlining the centre as both tribute and forward-looking investment in India’s potential
• Professor Ashok Thampy described the centre as a “catalytic force” in shaping the future of PEVC in India and beyond through research, teaching, and industry engagement
• Vivek Pandit, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, hailed the centre as a testament to mentorship, philanthropy, and the deepening academic-industry synergy. He shared data showing India accounts for just 2 % of global private capital deployment, despite contributing nearly 20 % of the working-age population and about 10 % of global incremental GDP—underscoring the significant growth potential
• Sanjiv Mehta, Executive Chairman, L Catterton India, stressed the immense capital required to sustain India’s economic trajectory, noting that while private equity remains a small fraction, its latent capacity makes this launch particularly timely
• Tony James, via virtual address, reflected on his journey—hired his first Indian recruit in Bangalore, recalled India’s early days in embracing private equity—and noted the importance of PEVC as a growth driver, enhancing access to capital, scale, and competitiveness. He supported the centre’s mission to bring an Indian perspective to global thought leadership

Impact on India’s PEVC Landscape

• The centre arrives as India’s investment momentum accelerates—VC investments reached $4 billion in Q2 2024, while PE deal volumes accounted for 57 % of total deals in July 2024, amounting to $8.4 billion
• With investments like ₹17.5 crore from alumni, naming of faculty-honouring classrooms, and robust scholarship programmes, the initiative strengthens IIMB’s research capabilities and its global academic standing

Education, Engagement & Empowerment

The centre’s offerings include:

• Research & Curriculum: Comprehensive case studies, electives, and modules tailored to PEVC dynamics.
• Scholarships: Supporting PGP and PhD finance students, fostering elite talent pipelines
• Events & Thought Leadership: Annual lectures, roundtables, and networking forums amplifying global expertise.
• Faculty Legacy: Honouring mentors—Professors Prakash G. Apte, Prasanna Chandra, S. Sundararajan, and George Varughese—through named classrooms that celebrate academic lineage

Strategic Synergies: External & Internal Networking

Embedding this story within educational ecosystems, readers can explore:

• Related NCERT Courses: Complement your learning with richly curated lessons on finance fundamentals—explore our [NCERT Courses].
• Current Affairs Hub: Stay updated—especially on economic and PE news—via our [Current Affairs section].
• Notes & MCQs: Dive deeper with targeted [Notes] and practice assessments within [MCQ]’s.
• Engaging Videos: Watch expert breakdowns and interviews in our [Videos] library.
• Syllabus Guides: Navigate global finance curriculum planning in our [Syllabus] section.
• Free Downloads: Access helpful NCERT PDFs and structured mind maps through our [Downloads].

Additionally, schools looking to connect with seasoned educational developers can reach out via Mart Ind Infotech, the trusted solution provider for schools’ tech and outreach needs.

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Expert Perspective

Industry insiders across academia and practice have weighed in:

• A senior PE executive noted, “This centre stands to amplify India’s voice in global capital dialogues.”
• A veteran finance professor commented on the importance of ethical education: “Developing talent grounded in integrity will define the future of value creation in India.”

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FAQs

1. What is India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launched at IIM Bangalore?
   It refers to the Tony James Centre—the first dedicated centre for private equity and venture capital excellence in India.
2. Who funded India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore?
   PGP ’94 alumnus Mathew Cyriac contributed ₹17.5 crore, the largest individual alumni donation in IIMB’s history.
3. Why is the name “Tony James” significant in India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore?
   Tony James, former President and COO of Blackstone, is revered in global PEVC; naming signifies thought leadership and global perspective.
4. Who leads the new IIMB PEVC Centre focused as India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore?
   Professor Ashok Thampy heads the centre as the Florintree Chair Professor in PEVC.
5. What are key objectives of India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore?
   To drive research, education, industry collaboration, scholarships, and policy discourse in PEVC.
6. Which experts spoke at India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore?
   Speakers included Mathew Cyriac, Vivek Pandit, Sanjiv Mehta, and Tony James himself.
7. How will India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore impact students?
   Students will benefit from scholarships, electives, case-based learning, and industry interaction.
8. What legacy elements are part of India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore?
   Four classrooms are named after influential faculty—Prof. Apte, Chandra, Sundararajan, and Varughese—to honor their legacy.
9. How does the centre fit India’s larger PE and VC investment trends?
   It arrives at a time when India sees surging PE/VC investments, signaling the need for advanced institutional capacity.
10. How does India first PEVC Centre of Excellence launch IIM Bangalore relate to broader learning resources?
    It complements educational resources like NCERT courses, current affairs, notes, MCQs, videos, syllabus support, downloads, and mind maps—available across our learning portals.