Dheeraj Sharma IIM Rohtak Director Leads Landmark Global Discourse at AGBA 2025
- siddhantmca
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Introduction: Global Spotlight on Dheeraj Sharma, IIM Rohtak
At the 21st Academy of Global Business Advancement (AGBA) World Congress held in Bangkok from July 2–4, 2025, Prof. Dheeraj Sharma, IIM Rohtak Director, emerged as a central figure. Honored with the Distinguished Global Thought Leader Award 2025, Prof. Sharma elevated India’s academic and policy influence on a global stage, highlighting his leadership in management education, interdisciplinary research, and cultural studies.
Acknowledging Global Excellence: Dheeraj Sharma’s Award
The AGBA Congress recognized Dheeraj Sharma of IIM Rohtak for his enduring contributions to management thought leadership. With over 250 peer-reviewed publications and 12 authored books, Prof. Sharma has created a strong global academic footprint.
His latest work, "The Power of Movies," launched at the congress, explores how cinema shapes societal values, consumer identity, and economic behavior. The book's copies sold out at the venue, signaling global resonance with his themes of cultural influence and psychology.
Keynote That Captivated: How Cinema Shapes the Ideal Self
In his keynote address, Prof. Dheeraj Sharma introduced the concept of the “actual self” vs. “ideal self,” analyzing how films guide societal aspirations. “Movies are more than entertainment—they influence billions by setting aspirational benchmarks,” he stated.
Cinema's role in shaping behavioral trends and influencing global markets.
Demand generation through psychological aspiration models.
A call to academia for deeper research into media’s role in policymaking and development.
His insights bridged media studies, behavioral economics, and business psychology—emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary research in modern management.
AGBA Congress 2025: A Global Confluence of Innovation
The event featured:
275+ research papers
Scholars from 33+ countries and 128 universities
Discussions on AI ethics, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and emerging markets
Speakers included global academic leaders like:
Kyle S. Wells (Utah Tech University)
Prof. Hermann Lassleben (Germany)
Viput Ongaskul (Thailand)
Christopher J. Marquette (USA)
Prof. Sharma’s speech added a critical cultural layer to these discussions—linking popular media’s societal role with global business practices.
Inviting Global Scholars: IIM Rohtak as an Innovation Hub
Reinforcing IIM Rohtak’s global vision, Prof. Sharma extended open invitations to international scholars to join the institute as visiting faculty. The initiative supports:
Cross-border collaboration
Knowledge exchange
Global curriculum innovation
This move reflects Prof. Sharma’s intent to position IIM Rohtak as a world-class research and leadership institution that embraces both academic rigor and societal relevance.
Bridging Academia, Culture, and Policy
What sets Dheeraj Sharma, IIM Rohtak Director, apart is his ability to translate research into actionable societal insights. His research shows:
How marketers leverage the “ideal self” archetype to shape buying behavior.
The role of cinema in establishing aspirational lifestyles, influencing everything from brand preferences to national identity.
This nuanced understanding of culture-economy intersection gives policymakers and businesses a new lens to craft strategies that resonate.
Elevating India’s Global Academic Identity
Under Prof. Sharma’s leadership, IIM Rohtak is:
Leading real-world impact studies (e.g., Mann Ki Baat survey)
Launching globally relevant academic discourse
Hosting international faculty collaborations
His AGBA award cements his role as a torchbearer of India’s academic diplomacy, showing that impactful scholarship must not only explain the world but transform it for the better.
Final Thought: Why Dheeraj Sharma at IIM Rohtak Matters
Prof. Dheeraj Sharma’s thought leadership isn’t confined to academia. His work exemplifies the future of education—interdisciplinary, globally aware, socially grounded, and media-savvy.
As director of IIM Rohtak, his transformative vision is making the institute a beacon of global excellence, pushing Indian academia into the international spotlight where research meets relevance.
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