The new batch of PGP at Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore, began its session on June 30, 2009. The induction program at this MBA School was indeed different from other MBA schools in tone and tenor. IIM Indore organized a two-day conference on ‘Journey of Excellence’, so that the new MBA program students get inspired and learn from people coming from different walks of life who have made a significant contribution to the society.
“There can be no better way to begin a new session than to expose the new batch of students to a range of people whose success can be an inspiration to be a better human being before one aspires to become a better manager,” Director of IIM Indore, Prof N Ravichandran said.
On the first day of commencements, the students of the IIM Indore were received by eminent guests like Deepak Pental, the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University; Jayshree Raveendran, founder and managing trustee of Ability Foundation, Chennai; K Pandia Rajan, Managing Director of MAFOI Management Consultant; Mahesh Buch (IAS), Chairman of Center for Human Settlements and Environment, Bhopal and Gopal Subramanium, Solicitor General of India – Supreme Court, New Delhi.
The students also met a number of guests on the next day who apprised them with personal and real life experiences. Those who addressed freshers on the second day include Swami Brahmvihariji of Akshardham, New Delhi; D. Murali, Deputy Editor, The Hindu Business Line, Chennai and M. Damodaran, Chief Representative and Advisor, ING Group, Netherlands.
Deepak Pental, while speaking on excellence in education, said, “Research in India is taken only as a means of survival and not as means of achieving excellence. We can not be a winner unless sustained efforts are made in this direction.” Jayshree Raveendran, taking the issue forward spoke on excellence in social life.
K Pandia Rajan shared his thoughts on excellence in entrepreneurship with the IIM Indore MBA program students and emphasized that a MBA degree should not become a deterrent in their way of becoming an entrepreneur. “Rather it should open up new avenues for you,” he said. Mahesh Buch (IAS), who came to the MBA School from Bhopal, shared his views on administration. The first day of the conference came to a close with a thought provoking talk given by Gopal Subramanium. He spoke on excellence in public life and called upon the young minds to confront the realities. Late in the evening, a play Tukke pe Tukka was organized at the IIM Indore campus.
Day two of the conference began with a talk from Swami Brahmvihariji of Akshardham, New Delhi. He said that true happiness manifests in giving. “If you can not give, try to forgive at least,” he said. He reiterated that without values, ethics, and principles no management education can take us far.
Swami Brahmvihariji’s talk was followed by a speech on excellence in journalism by D. Murali, a journalist from Chennai. The conference came to an end by an insightful talk by M. Damodaran from ING Group, Netherlands, who shared his valuable thoughts on excellence in wealth creation with the new MBA program students of IIM Indore.
The message towards the end of the conference, held at IIM Indore, was loud and clear –excellence does not happen overnight, excellence is a journey and this journey has its own ups and downs, highs and lows, and those who achieve excellence are able to do so by sheer hard work, determination, perseverance and on top of that a belief in some core values that come from an individual’s inner voice.
