IIM Bangalore Students Win Top Prize in Air India's SOAR Program

IIM Bangalore got first position in Air India SOAR(Spirit of Aviation Reimagined) program, Team Horizon from IIM-Bangalore won the first position followed by team JMH from IMT Ghaziabad as first runner up, Republic of restless, IIM-Shilong and Horizon, IIFT were declared joint winners for the position of second runner up. Over 27 Top B-schools competed eyeing the first prize.

This program by Air India is a part of its 5 year revamp program, through this program the company aims to build a pipeline of future leaders and bright minds from the top B schools in India.

Since its start in August 2023, SOAR has attracted a huge following, with more than 7,100 registrants from B-schools throughout the nation. Following the evaluation of the presentations, 12 final teams, each with three members, were chosen to compete in the grand final, which took place on Monday in Gurugram. participants brainstormed for an entire day to find solutions to the real-world issues facing the airline industry, such as marketing, luggage coordination, technology, and cultural issues.

The winners were given cash prizes, Stays in Taj hotels and return flight tickets for Paris/London for the team who stood first. Runner up team was awarded a cash prize and a stay in Taj hotels and return flight tickets to Goa/Kerala and the second runner-up was given a complimentary stay in Taj hotel and cash prize.

The program is a part of the airline's outreach program, which is one of the most important parts of its revamp plan which is designed by Vihaan.AI. The program will also help the company create a new image amongst the youth of the country

A statement by Dr Suresh Dutt Tripathi, Chief Human Resources Officer, Air India, said "Air India is actively reimagining its role in the aviation sector, and our journey to top campuses in the country is more than just a recruitment drive. We are inviting the brightest young minds to join us on this exciting journey of innovation and leadership in aviation. We are consistently encouraging excellence and working to shape the future of aviation. SOAR is a platform which benefits industry, academia and students simultaneously,".