About the Lecture Series

The C. K. Prahalad Memorial Lecture Series is a prestigious annual academic initiative instituted by the School of Business, ITM University, Gwalior, to honour the life, work, and enduring intellectual legacy of Dr. Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad (1941–2010)—one of the most influential management thinkers of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

The lecture series serves as a national and international platform for strategic thought leadership, bringing together eminent scholars, industry leaders, policymakers, and practitioners. Its core objective is to preserve, reinterpret, and advance Prof. Prahalad’s ideas on strategy, innovation, global competitiveness, and inclusive economic development, while inspiring students and managers to think boldly and responsibly.

About Dr. C. K. Prahalad

Dr. C. K. Prahalad was a globally renowned management scholar and Paul and Ruth McCracken Distinguished University Professor of Corporate Strategy at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. Born in Coimbatore on 8 August 1941, he studied physics at Madras University, worked briefly as a manager with Union Carbide, and later earned his PhD from Harvard University.

Over a distinguished academic career spanning several decades, Prof. Prahalad reshaped global thinking on business strategy, multinational management, innovation, and economic development. His influence extended far beyond academia, impacting CEOs of global corporations, leaders of non-governmental organizations, public policymakers, and entrepreneurs across the world. Known for his intellectual honesty and clarity, he consistently challenged managerial complacency and conventional wisdom.

His Intellectual Contributions

Prof. Prahalad rose to global prominence with two seminal articles published in Harvard Business Review—Strategic Intent (1989) and The Core Competence of the Corporation (1990), co-authored with Gary Hamel. These works fundamentally altered how organizations conceptualize competitive advantage and long-term strategy.

Among his most influential contributions are:
  • Core Competencies: Reframing firms as portfolios of capabilities rather than portfolios of businesses.
  • Strategic Intent: Emphasizing ambition, resource leverage, and long-term competitive focus.
  • Co-Creation of Value: Redefining the role of customers as active participants in value creation.
  • Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP): Demonstrating how inclusive business models can profitably serve low-income markets.

His books—including The Multinational Mission, Competing for the Future, The Future of Competition, and The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid—are regarded as foundational texts in management education worldwide.

His Concern for Inclusive Growth

Prof. Prahalad was deeply influenced by the contrast between the global prosperity he observed and the poverty he had witnessed during his early life in India. This concern culminated in his landmark work, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits (2004).

The book challenged two dominant assumptions: that the poor are irrelevant to business strategy, and that profit-making is incompatible with social good. Prof. Prahalad argued convincingly that the world’s poorest populations represent vast untapped markets, and that innovation, affordability, and scale could simultaneously drive poverty alleviation and sustainable corporate growth.

His Thinking and Philosophy

Prof. Prahalad encouraged organizations to view the developing world not as a follower but as a source of innovation and creativity. He spoke in clear, accessible language that resonated with practicing managers, making his ideas easier to understand and implement.

Rather than promoting a single overarching theory, he continuously adapted his thinking to emerging global challenges. His strength lay in big-picture thinking, intellectual humility, and a relentless focus on execution. In the classical Indian tradition, he was a true Guru—committed to sharing knowledge, stimulating critical thinking, and empowering his audience.

Global Recognition and Legacy

Prof. Prahalad won the McKinsey Prize four times for the best article published in Harvard Business Review and received honorary doctorates from leading universities in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. His work has been widely recognized by The Economist, BusinessWeek, Fast Company, and Amazon Editors as among the most influential business literature of modern times.

He also served as a member of the United Nations Blue Ribbon Commission on Private Sector and Development, further underscoring his global impact on policy and practice.

Evolution of the Lecture Series at ITM University

ITM University, Gwalior instituted this lecture series under the theme: Remembering C. K. Prahalad: The Management Guru.

The series has grown into a flagship academic event of the School of Business, reflecting Prof. Prahalad’s interdisciplinary and globally relevant approach to management.

Speakers – Past Editions

Prof. N. Ravichandran
Former Director, Indian Institute of Management Indore; Professor (Retd.), IIM Ahmedabad

A distinguished academic leader and management educator, widely respected for his work in operations, strategy, and case-based pedagogy, and for institutional leadership that strengthened management education and executive learning in India.

Dr. Jatinder (Jeet) N. D. Gupta,
Eminent Scholar of Management of Technology, Professor of Information Systems, Industrial & Systems Engineering, and Engineering Management

University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). An internationally acclaimed scholar in management of technology and enterprise systems, known for influential research on technology-enabled strategy, global innovation, and interdisciplinary applications of information systems.

Rishikesha T. Krishnan,
Professor, Corporate Strategy & Policy, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

A leading authority on innovation and strategy, author of From Jugaad to Systematic Innovation, and recipient of the Dewang Mehta Award for Best Teacher in Strategic Management.

Venguswamy Ramaswamy
Global Head – iON, Tata Consultancy Services

A pioneer in consulting and SMB solutions, recognized internationally for integrating innovation with quality and new business models.

Debashish Ghosh
CEO, Times Business Solutions Limited

A seasoned leader in technology and digital transformation with deep expertise in strategy, marketing, and platform innovation.

Arun Kumar Jain
Professor of Strategy, International Management & Corporate Governance, Indian Institute of Management Lucknow

An internationally acclaimed strategy scholar-consultant, author of award-winning books, and keynote speaker at leading global institutions including the World Bank, OECD, UNCTAD, and the European Union.

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