Chief Guest Padma Bhushan recipient Baba Kalyani delivers special address on ‘Seizing India’s Moment’
31 March, 2023, Bengaluru: “India as a country is today at the forefront and has emerged as a major force to reckon with. You, as young professionals equipped with learnings from a premier business school, must assume the role of catalysts or agents of change and impress on others the need to think differently. As individuals, we must stop expecting others, including the Government or society, to change first. We must instead make ourselves the pivots of change”, said Chief Guest Padma Bhushan recipient Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge Limited (BFL), during his special address on ‘Seizing India’s Moment’ at IIM Bangalore’s Convocation ceremony, this evening.
IIMB hosted its 48th Convocation on 31st March 2023 (Friday). Degrees were awarded to the students of the Doctor 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), in the presence of the Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore, the Director, IIM Bangalore, Deans, faculty and staff of IIMB.
A total of 673 students from various programmes graduated this evening. The programme-wise details are as follows: 16 Doctoral Programme (PhD) students; 73 from Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM); 73 from Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP); 39 from Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGP-BA), and 472 from Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP).
The proud families of the graduating students, having made the trip to Bengaluru to capture the happy moment, kept cheering the students. Overall, the day was one of celebration of achievements and accomplishments for the graduating students, who saw their sincere efforts and dedication came to fruition.
Gold medallists: The awards included gold medals for Best All Round Performance, First Rank and Second Rank. This year, a total of eight students won the gold medals.
In the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) 2021-2023, Mridul Sureka is the first rank holder, while Puranjay Singhal is the second rank holder.
Anurag Rathi 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) 2021-2023 combined.
For the Post Graduate Programme in Business Analytics (PGP-BA) 2021-2023, Sarthak Jain is the first rank holder.
In Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP) 2022-2023, Pankaj Jindal is the first rank holder and Adarsh Unny is the Best All Round Performer.
In Post Graduate Programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM) 2021-2023, Manshul Arora is the first rank holder, while Amit Pareek is the Best All Round Performer.
For the detailed profiles of the gold medallists, please click here.
Chief Guest’s address
The Chief Guest of IIMB’s 48th Convocation, Baba Kalyani, is also the Founding Chairman of Pratham Pune Education Foundation, an NGO. A recipient of various prestigious awards and recognition, he is member of several committees and councils of the Government of India, as well as Co-chairman and member of national and international business forums. He is the Founding President of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers and a Member of the International Advisory Committee of Robert Bosch GmbH.
In his inspiring and thought-provoking address, Baba Kalyani pointed out that one of the biggest takeaways from the 2020-2021 Covid-stricken period was India’s ability to come together at a time of crisis, break all silos and work with a common-purpose and a collective will. “All of this is truly massive transformation happening at a very high velocity. Leveraging the aspiration, energy and knowledge of the youth of India, like you all, our country is poised to be a world leader in emerging technologies, futuristic domains and thus at the cusp of recording an exponential and transformational economic growth. As individuals and professionals, we all need to play a constructive role in accelerating this transition to a Modern India, with focus on building technology, healthcare, agriculture, among others. Remember, innovation and entrepreneurship will take us to the highroad of success.”
He added that the Vision of India as a global leader can be transformed into reality with collective responsibility. “As young professionals, you must also bear in your minds that you are all graduating from the hollowed corridors of an Institute of National Importance and of high global repute. Each one of you is looked up to by every Indian, with respect and reverence. However, with this comes great responsibility on each one of you, that is to live up to the expectations of every citizen of India. Therefore, you have to work very hard to justify this legacy.”
He urged the young students to be professionally competent and keep themselves abreast with the latest developments in various fields. “This will make you adequately equipped to exploit the cutting-edge technologies in whichever field you choose to be in. Your challenge is to harness the skills and knowledge acquired here at IIM Bangalore and make a difference in whatever manner you can. You must also enjoy each and every step that you take. I wish that you have an exhilarating career ahead of you with a sense of freedom, a sense of purpose and full of happiness.”
Chairperson’s message
Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore, shared his message in which he highlighted the achievements of the institute, detailing its rankings, partnerships and more. “IIM Bangalore takes pride in doing things differently and has upheld its rich tradition of building platforms that encourage knowledge and experience sharing. Serving as Chairperson of this top-rated school has given me the opportunity to contribute towards institution building. IIMB is considered by all as a precious jewel, shining on many dimensions…and it is moving in the right direction to shine brighter. Our faculty, student, and other stakeholders, our strong focus on research, especially in research relevant to the times as well as our strong global presence and deep engagements with international networks, continue to do us proud. All our academic programmes are very highly placed in top global rankings. A special word for our alumni too, who are global leaders and are proving to be instrumental in transforming the world. IIM Bangalore’s partnerships with other leading national and global organizations enhance the value of the school as a leading hub for management studies and research.”
He had a special word of appreciation for IIMB’s initiatives towards entrepreneurial learning. “Entrepreneurship is today an integral part of IIMB’s academic agenda. Not only do we encourage entrepreneurship, we are also dedicated to the cause of building women leaders and women entrepreneurs. NSRCEL’s Women Start-up Programme and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women have received tremendous response…and are going strong.”
Speaking of IIMB’s constant efforts to reinvent itself to stay relevant and contribute towards nation building, he said, “This direction includes programmes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship, MBA degree in Business Analytics, programmes in Healthcare and Hospital Management, Aerospace and Aviation, and more. We also continue to be a leader in management education in India in offering Massive Open Online Courses. As we bask in the glory of fifty years of excellence, I welcome all of you to partner with us on our journey towards staying ahead of competition and being a management school with a difference.”
To the graduating students he said, “Dear students, you are committed, active and energetic. As you stand on the threshold of starting a new journey, I urge you all to make the best use of the great takeaways from your time here with us. I wish you all the very best and hope you continue to live out your dreams with courage and conviction, with a deep commitment to creating social impact and making the world a better place for all of us.”
Director’s address
Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, highlighted some of the achievements and accomplishments of the institute, with special focus on programmes, centres, events, digital learning initiatives, the entrepreneurship hub NSRCEL, placements as well as the feats of the students, faculty and alumni. He also discussed the institute’s plans regarding celebrating 50 glorious years of excellence since it was established. “We are planning to celebrate ‘Foundation Week’ this year instead of just ‘Foundation Day’ like all years.”
“I thank and congratulate all our stakeholders who continue to contribute towards our aim for academic excellence, supporting entrepreneurship and nation-building, making deep social impact using technology-enabled education, enhancing the quality of research, and emphasizing excellence. They have been integral to scaling up in terms of student intake in all programmes, deepening our engagement with the alumni, improving infrastructure, and improving administration and governance.”
Wishing the graduating students success, he said: “Work hard and change things for the better. Your generation is tech savvy, entrepreneurial and global. Use your IIMB experience to the fullest and be socially conscious. Take responsibility as well as challenges, stay connected with family and the world around you. Make giving back a habit. And please remain fit – both physically and mentally.”
Golden Jubilee: Commemorative Special Postal Cover
Earlier in the day, to mark the Golden Jubilee of IIM Bangalore, India Post released a Commemorative Special Postal Cover, which has been designed by IIMB along with India Post. Some of the special covers have a cancellation mark and will be part of the collectors’ items in philatelic clubs of India.
The special postal cover was released by Ms Kaiya Arora, IPoS, Director of Postal Services (HQ), Karnataka Circle, and handed over to Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty and Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, in the presence of senior faculty members of IIMB.
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