Beyond academics and entrepreneurial initiatives, life at IIM Calcutta is shaped by a wide spectrum of student-run cultural, academic, and competitive events that give the campus its distinctive identity.
The 7 Lakes Fest (7LF)—IIM Calcutta’s flagship cultural festival—is the largest annual event on campus. Organised entirely by student committees, the multi-day festival features performances, competitions, and large-scale logistics coordinated across diverse teams. Gaining selection into the organising group is highly competitive and regarded as a significant leadership responsibility.
Academic and entrepreneurial exposure forms another major aspect of student life. Events such as Mandi provide first-year students with hands-on experience in real-market sales scenarios, strengthening negotiation and marketing skills. Genesis, the institute’s entrepreneurship event, hosts workshops, panel discussions, and pitching sessions with invited speakers. The E-Cell Business Carnival further encourages idea generation and early-stage business problem-solving.
A number of longstanding internal traditions enhance the sense of community on campus. Competitions like Section Wars and World War foster camaraderie and group identity. The annual Sangharsh sports meet—an inter-IIM event featuring IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore—rotates across campuses and includes a wide range of athletic contests. Social events such as the Freshers’ Party, Jobbers’ Night, and IR Party celebrate key academic and placement milestones, while hostel-level gatherings remain a hallmark of campus life.
Several major annual events also bring together industry experts, alumni, and students. The National Conclave on Entrepreneurship, organised in partnership with the IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, hosts discussions on innovation and the evolving startup ecosystem. Lattice, the business symposium led by MBAEx (PGPEX) students, features speaker sessions, competitions, and alumni interactions. Trilytics, conducted jointly by students of the PGDBA programme from IIM Calcutta, IIT Kharagpur, and ISI Kolkata, showcases workshops, case competitions, and talks on analytics and emerging technologies.
The Institute Lecture Series (ILS) enriches academic discourse throughout the year. Distinguished speakers from diverse disciplines share insights on leadership, policy, society, and contemporary challenges. The most recent lecture—the 36th in the series—delivered during IIM Calcutta’s 65th Foundation Day, focused on leadership and purpose in today’s rapidly transforming world.
Together, these activities highlight the institute’s commitment to fostering well-rounded development, blending academic depth with cultural vibrancy and leadership-building experiences for its students.