IIM Sambalpur and MCL collaboration aims to introduce AI and ML-powered innovations in coal operations and management systems
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur has trained 500 corporate executives in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in partnership with Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), with an aim to introduce more technology-driven practices in the coal sector.
The two organizations recently signed an agreement under which executives from various divisions of MCL will receive specialized training in AI and ML. The program is expected to help improve operational efficiency, business development and process management within the company.
The agreement was signed by Shri Keshav Rao, Director (HR), MCL, and Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, in the presence of senior officials of both institutions, including Shri Uday Anant Kaore, CMD, Shikha Bhardwaj, Executive MBA Chair, IIM Sambalpur.
IIM Sambalpur’s AI, ML Program 2026
The partnership is seen as an important step in preparing MCL’s workforce for rapid digital transformation in the mining and energy sectors. Through this program, executives will be introduced to practical applications of AI and machine learning that can support better decision-making and smarter operational systems.
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Commenting on the partnership, Mahadeo Jaiswal said, “IIM Sambalpur is committed to advancing innovation-driven management education and developing future-ready leaders in the AI era. This partnership with MCL reflects our shared vision of leveraging AI and machine learning to transform organizations through knowledge, technology-driven growth, and strategic capability building.”
The institute also highlighted that it has already integrated AI education across all functional areas for students and is one of the first governing institutions to implement AI-focused learning on such a large scale.
Aiming to modernize the coal business
For MCL, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, the partnership comes at a time when the industry is increasingly turning to digital technologies to streamline operations and improve productivity.
Officials involved in the initiative said the training program will help executives understand how emerging technologies can be used in core business functions, operational planning and management systems.
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The partnership also highlights the growing role of educational institutions in helping industries adapt to technological change through executive learning and professional development programs.
innovation and technology
Over the past few years, IIM Sambalpur has aggressively expanded its focus on innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship and technology-driven education. The institute’s permanent campus, spread over around 200 acres, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024.
Apart from its flagship MBA programme, the institute offers courses in Business Analytics, FinTech Management, Data Science and AI, Executive MBA and PhD. We have also launched initiatives to support start-ups, promote sustainable development and encourage entrepreneurship in the region.
With its new partnership with MCL, IIM Sambalpur hopes to further strengthen its engagement with industry while promoting the use of advanced technologies in traditional sectors such as coal and mining.
