The Pillai Aviation Experience Center has been set up at Pillai University, Navi Mumbai. The center was inaugurated by captain B.V.J.K. Sharma, chief executive officer of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) at an event held at the university. The center is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to fostering experiential learning and preparing students for careers in the aviation industry, bridging the gap between classroom learning and professional practice.
Following the inauguration, Captain Sharma also participated in Launchpad 2026, an Industry Orientation Programme hosted by the School of Business at Pillai University for first-year undergraduate students.
The programme featured keynote sessions by Captain Sharma alongside Dr. Samir Karkhanis, Chief Executive Officer of Yangpoo University Partners, Amit Naik, Director at Deloitte India and Fenil Vadakken, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer for Emerging Markets at the Institute of Analytics, United Kingdom. The programme aimed to provide students with industry insights and future-focused learning as they begin their journey towards careers in business and aviation.
Speaking on the occasion, Captain Sharma said, “My interaction with students was both energising and inspiring, and that India’s aviation story would be written not just through new airports and modern infrastructure but through the people who would operate, manage and lead them.” He noted, “The demand for skilled, industry-ready professionals had never been greater as India continued to expand its aviation ecosystem, and commended Dr. K.M. Vasudevan Pillai, Dr. Daphne Pillai and the Pillai University team for the forward-looking initiative.”
