ROHTAK: Prof. Dheeraj P. Sharma, Director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Rohtak, was honored with the AGBA 2026 Distinguished Innovative Academic Leader Award at the 22nd World Congress of the Academy for Global Business Advancement (AGBA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.The award, recognized as one of the most prestigious by AGBA, was given in recognition of Prof. Sharma in business education, research and academic leadership. The honor was given at the opening ceremony of the three-day international conference, which brought together delegates from 22 countries, 104 universities and several international organizations.The highlight of the event was the international launch of Prof. Sharma’s book, Understanding Indian Youth: The Gen Z Propensities. The book explores the aspirations, trends and behaviors of India’s Generation Z and examines the impact of this emerging demographic on education, business and society.In a keynote address, Prof. Sharma emphasized the importance of understanding the younger generations in an increasingly digital and fast-changing world. He added that Generation Z is more informed, digitally connected and driven by experience, purpose and flexibility rather than traditional methods and time commitments.The AGBA World Congress, which is taking place from July 2-4, is organized by IIM Rohtak in collaboration with top international universities. The conference focuses on the theme “Business Development and Marketing in the Global and Digitalized Era.”The opening sessions featured discussions on global uncertainty and global tensions in the business landscape, where participants also explored opportunities to promote business, hospitality and tourism in the world’s most challenging environments.