IIM Indore welcomed the new batch of Post Graduate Programme and Post Graduate Programme in Management (HR) on July 02, 2019. The four day induction programme started on July 1 with the registration of participants.
Programme | Female | Male | Grand Total |
PGP | 199 | 277 | 476 |
PGPH | 12 | 13 | 25 |
IPM | 47 | 63 | 110 |
Grand Total | 258 | 353 | 611 |
The inauguration took place on July 02, 2019 with the tree plantation ceremony at the campus. This was followed by the welcome speech by Professor Himanshu Rai, Director, IIM Indore. Professor Rai congratulated the participants for making it to IIM Indore and shared how the three P’s (purpose, passion and perseverance) help in success. ‘Always remember the ‘purpose’ of why you’re here; remain ‘passionate’ about what you’re going to do here—what you want to achieve here; and always remember that perseverance is required to achieve your goals and dreams’, he said. He advised the students to work hard and note that education always makes one humble. ‘Remember that the more you learn, the more you come to know how ignorant you’re about your surroundings. Be compassionate and keen to learn new things’, he concluded.
The induction programme was graced by the presence of Mr. Madhav Kalyan, CEO, J P Morgan India. Professor Rai interacted with Mr. Kalyan, wherein he shared some interesting insights of his professional journey. Here’s a summary of the Q&A:
Himanshu Rai: Why did you go for an MBA?
Madhav Kalyan: After my engineering, I was working in a company and we’d induction programme for around two years—during which we worked in different departments learning various skills. I realised that one needs to be passionate about at least one thing which he/she really wants to do. For that, I needed an expertise in one thing. Adding an expertise always matters in any profession. This made sense and I took test and I enrolled in MBA.
HR: So from being a engineering student to an MBA, working for a company in Pune to J P Morgan… How’s this journey been?
MK: While in college we always focus on getting a good placement, and so I also joined a company. However, working there I realised I need to cease new opportunities and learn as much as possible from various segments and departments as well. So in the process of accelerating my learning I also switched a job and kept working on different designations—enhancing my knowledge in bank management, operations, clearing, managing a shop floor, etc. I believe that things start falling in place once you start following your passion. I went from being an entry level employee of a start-up team to becoming the co-head of International Banking in the company. This was a growth I might not even have thought of while starting my career. My passion to learn new things also provided me opportunities to travel the world and learn their market culture and work patterns. This has definitely been an interesting journey with lot of learning.
HR: So each of the different jobs you did, bought some element of satisfaction. How do you define success and how has it changed over years?
MK: Life is so uncertain. You may not even realise when you find something new and take it for granted and move on. For me, the way I look at success is happiness first, process leading to success is also happiness. Happiness in college is getting a good job. After MBA, getting a job of your choice is happiness. After working in a company, doing what you like is success. Definition of success keeps changing with circumstances. One needs to just dream passionately, break the path of achieving that dream in pieces and step by step achieve those little goals—that’s success.
HR: Sometimes we get obsessed with the goals and we stop acknowledging the journey we went through to achieve the goal or the milestone. The same happens with our personal lives. If you start associating your self-worth with just the titles or the degrees you have gained, you might be happy for a moment or twice. Self-worth should rather come from deep within, it should go beyond the titles and degrees in this changing world. So how in this tremendously evolving world, you think Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and other technology would affect the business?
MK: Technology has definitely evolved at a rapid rate. The youth today needs to understand China—at our age we looked up to USA. I travel to China thrice a year and have watched it really closely. The country has evolved in every segment—infrastructure, work culture, development, automobiles, technology, etc. The youth of India now needs to understand how to deal with China as a partner and leader in different things.
Also, with developing technology, one needs to understand how to treat information as an asset—at an individual level as well. Any information today is borderless, seamless and travels easily from one place to another—one should know how to add value to the information, what to share and not, how to harness it.
HR: As we’re becoming technologically more proficient and lifespan is increasing, what do you plan your life today that you’ve a meaningful life later?
MK: No single set of skills would prepare you for a longer period. Some people do this well, like the athletes, actors, who know their careers have a shelf life. They tend to look for a second career. In professional careers, people who remain updated keep progressing. I would advise the students to always develop a set of soft skills like team work, decision making, etc.—for life isn’t just grades and placements and modelling and engineering. Learn time management, or the art of negotiation—pick a soft skill beyond professional expertise. Also, always think of contributing something back to the society and nation—make the world a happy place.
HR: Yes, one should always acknowledge the privileged life we have and always focus on giving something back to the country—for we owe the nation. The developed world today is going back to being minimalistic. Do you think it’s the same in India?
MK: Yes, the move towards asset life models is a trend that we look up to. Our parents aimed at getting a home of their own. We also look forward to the same. However, youth today doesn’t focus on getting a home or a car. Cars are becoming liabilities due to parking issues. We tend to go back to bicycles and living a minimalistic life.
The session also witnessed certificate distribution to the top 5 percentile of the PGP and IPM students. This was followed by briefing by Professor Prabin Panigrahi, Chair, PGP who discussed about the Institute and its norms. The second half of the day witnessed Safety on Campus briefing by Safety Officer Mr. Jigar Kantharia. Col. Gururaj Gopinath Pamidi (Retd.), CAO also interacted with the new batch. Professor Sneha Thapliyal, Chair, Hostel and Students Affairs also discussed life on campus.
The day concluded with faculty and participants interaction in the evening.