Bengaluru, NFAPost: After a gap of two years, IIM Bangalore organised 47th Convocation which witnessed 690 students graduating from the college, with nine winning gold medals.
Degrees were awarded to the students of the Doctoral of Philosophy (PhD) programme and the MBA programmes – the Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM), Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP), Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGP-BA) and Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP).
This year the graduating students were present at the ceremony on campus, following all Covid protocols.
Gold medallists: The awards included gold medals for Best All Round Performance, First Rank and Second Rank. This year, a total of nine students won the gold medals.
In the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) 2020-2022, Pratyush Goel is the first rank holder, while Aviruddh Jain and Priyank Dedhia are the second rank holders.
Mythili K is the Gold Medallist for Best All Round Performance for Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) and Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGP-BA) 2020-2022 combined.
For the inaugural graduating batch of the Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGP-BA) 2020-2022, Jeevan Nagaraj is the first rank holder.
In Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP) 2021-2022, Bendi Ashok Kumar is the first rank holder and Renganathan Sekar is the Best All Round Performer.
In Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM) 2020-2022, Rohan Bajla is the first rank holder, while Umesh D is the Best All Round Performer.
The programme-wise details are as follows.
Doctoral Programme (PhD): 11 students, Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP): 488, Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP): 76, Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM): 75, and Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGP-BA): 40.
Delivering the Chief Guest’s address, AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody advised the students not to expect anything more from this world, except what they were willing to take from it, and what they would be obliged to give back to it.
“How you plan to make your choices is the defining factor, as when you choose your path, you see all dots falling in place. You need to finally end up loving what you do, otherwise you will not stay the course. It has to be a calling, a passion that sustains you. Reject mediocrity and believe in yourself. If you love something you will excel in it, and money will follow,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
She also urged the students to think forward. “Look at what you would want to be 15 years from now. Think where you would like to excel and be thought of as a leader in 15 years. And then, prepare a plan that gradually and consistently gets you up there,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
Zia J Moday also pointed out that an important element in all this is patience. “You have to go one step at a time. Instant gratification is short term. It will not allow you to lay the bricks of your own foundation for a long termed sustained career,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
She also pointed out that the students’ vision will make a difference to the world. “Your reputation is of paramount importance. Ultimately, what you are remembered for is your market standing in your community. That is achieved by consistent values, without compromising core values,” she said.
AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody shared some of the lessons she learnt while facing different challenges in life.
“I learnt to believe in myself, go the extra mile and work that extra hour, be convinced of recognition if I did job right, and not to let go of my vision and my dream. Perseverance and patience, together with hard work, will ultimately be rewarded,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
Highlighting the importance of being a role model to future generations, she said create for yourself a sense of purpose, a sense of lasting identity.
“More than what you are, what you can leave behind is something which will make the world a better place. It will also make youngsters believe in you and rise up to achieve the same bar that you set for yourself. Remember that short-term passion does not sustain. It is the long-term vision that is needed for success,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
So, she highlighted that as you are learning and growing, be part of the journey not only for yourself, but also for friends and colleagues who have been with you through the years.
“Moreover, keep an eye – as you grow older – on youngsters who are going to be part of the institute that you are graduating from today,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
She went on to stress on personal branding. “Your reputation should be at the top of your priority. Reputation can be built with constant commitment. Moreover, you have to be overprepared as your biggest enemy is time. You need to sacrifice time. Without that, you will not be able to command domain, after which it is about building trust. You have to build a reserve of values and spread those values around, ruthlessly and relentlessly,” she said.
Her talk also explored the importance of EQ. “Collaboration is the key. Today there is a war for talent, and talent has won. Be the person in the room that everyone wants to talk to,” she said.
Resilience is also something that AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody holds in high esteem, and she said there is the possibility of failure, but get up and rise gain.
“The important thing is the learning: ponder over what you could have done better, learn how to overcome challenges and make sure to put those learnings to work,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
She also covered the topic of work/life balance. “There is nothing like a perfect work/life balance. Everything gets measured by what you prioritise, and sometimes sacrifice, in the road to success. Dear students, once you achieve, please give back to the community, by way of philanthropy. Leadership means being a role model in not only what you achieve as a career, but also as a community citizen,” said AZB & Partners Cofounder and Managing Partner Zia J. Mody.
She concluded by explaining that if the students wanted to be successful, they must respect one rule – not to lie to themselves. “Always stress test yourself with the highest bar. Never waste time, never stop being curious, never stop dreaming, never stop wanting to grow and never ever stop loving what you do. We hope to hear all of you becoming great citizens, not only of our country but of the world. Dream and let IIMB be proud of all the dreams that you make actual,” she said.
IIM Bangalore Board of Governors Chairperson Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty highlighted the achievements of the institute, detailing its rankings, partnerships, the digital learning initiative IIMBx, internationalisation initiatives, and contributions from the alumni.
He lauded the institute and all its stakeholders to have adapted so well in the face of the pandemic and the last two years of uncertainty and change, at the same time sustaining the excellent academic standards.
“Congratulations to everyone for adapting to the digital medium so quickly and so well. The students proved to be agile, flexible, adaptable and compassionate learners. The faculty authored thought leadership articles, especially on subjects like telemedicine, AI, different aspects of healthcare,” he said.
IIM Bangalore Board of Governors Chairperson Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty also said IIM Bangalore has also associated with NGOs, in their individual capacities or as part of the institute, to address the healthcare and other needs of the underprivileged members of the population during the pandemic.
“Several start-ups from NSRCEL responded proactively to tackle the challenge posed by the pandemic using their ideas, technology and expertise. Always quick to respond to challenges, IIM Bangalore offered student exchange also in the virtual mode. Among the various other steps taken, IIMB has adopted stringent safety measures, holds regular testing and vaccination camps and ensures the safety and wellbeing of its community,”he added.
To the graduating students he said they have seen the turmoil that the entire world faced in the last two years, and how the people had to change and adapt.
“So, this is my message for you today: embrace change, do not resist it. Seize any opportunity that arises from a rapidly shifting environment, and always try to change things for the better. Never ever compromise on honesty or transparency. Have a deep understanding of technological trends and their implications. I am sure that you will grow into a vital unit of the generation that will shape India’s destiny – by improving the lives of fellow citizens and enhancing our country’s position in the world,” said IIM Bangalore Board of Governors Chairperson Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty.
IIM Bangalore Director Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan highlighted some of the achievements and accomplishments of the institute, with special focus on programmes, centres, events, the entrepreneurship hub NSRCEL, placements as well as the feats of the students and faculty. He also listed some of the achievements of the school’s alumni and thanked donors for their generous support.
Expressing his gratitude to all those who are helping IIMB achieve the vision it has set for itself, the Director shared some of the future plans.
“IIM Bangalore has proved to be a world-class management school, both in terms of governance as well as in its pursuit of scholarly activities. The school is well-poised to serve the society through superior and relevant knowledge. We plan to start undergraduate programmes in 2023,” said IIM Bangalore Director Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan.
Given the orientation of the education policy, IIM Bangalore Director Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan said the institute is currently looking at four disciplines in which it will start undergraduate programmes: Economics, Psychology & Behavioural Science, Data Science, and Environmental Sustainability.
“The philosophy of these programmes will be liberal arts-oriented, so we will focus a lot on critical thinking, leadership, developing all-round skills; but surely it will have a focus on strong academic inputs as well. We have a new campus land, which is about 25 km south of the current campus, so we plan to develop the undergraduate programmes at the new campus,” said IIM Bangalore Director Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan.
He urged the graduating students not to lose their enthusiasm or compromise on honesty, as they progressed further in their careers.
“Focus on creating solutions and not dwelling on problems. Get involved in areas which currently have several shortcomings, like our healthcare system, education system, etc. In India, we have basic ‘quality of life’ issues, and many of them need to be addressed,” said IIM Bangalore Director Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan.
He also said there is the issue of availability of drinking water or sewage processing. “You can take an issue like this where there is so much to be done. So, I would generally recommend that you focus on solving the visible problems that affect the quality of life in India; that’s a great place to start,” said IIM Bangalore Director Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan.
