The 2023-24 cohort includes 15 students with international work experience
25 MARCH, 2023: In his keynote address at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), this morning, the Chief Guest, Amith Parameshwara, alumnus of the very first batch of the Executive Post Graduate Programme (EPGP) and former Managing Director, Accenture Strategy and Consulting, said what he values most about IIMB is the fact that it places trust and faith in all its students and cherishes the success of all its alumni.
“In the short period of just 15 years, the EPGP has grown tremendously in global rankings like FT, Bloomberg and QS, and in the roles that its alumni now occupy. As a school, IIMB is just 50 years old, but it has made a remarkable name for itself,” he said.
Cautioning students against resting on their laurels, he said they must prepare for the challenges they are sure to face in their professional lives. Offering pointers to navigate these challenges, Amith told students to develop a strong sense of community and support one another while at IIMB and beyond. “Character is always revealed during a crisis. Reinvent yourself every 10 years; develop grit, resilience and equanimity that are required while handling complex situations; focus on your mental and physical health.”
Welcoming the 15th cohort of the programme to the hallowed portals of IIMB and the intense programme, Prof. Ashis Mishra, Chairperson, Admissions and Financial Aid, congratulated the students for making it to the prestigious and globally top-ranked programme. “We received 718 applications and selected 75 students. So, in a way, you are the chosen ones,” he said. Offering an overview of the composition of the batch, he said the average work experience of the batch is seven years and 15 students have international experience. Seventy students come from an engineering background but have worked in sectors as diverse as BFSI, Manufacturing, IT Services, Defense, Oil/ Energy/ Petroleum etc.
Prof. Rajendra K Bandi, Dean Administration, congratulated the students for having made the “right choice” in coming to IIMB and told them they are truly special as they are the golden jubilee batch of the institute. “This is also the first batch where all of you will be living on campus thanks to the new hostels that we have here for you. Enjoy your stay here by interacting and networking with students of other programmes.”
“Leverage one of India’s best learning environments”
IIMB Director Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, encouraged the students to bring their wide industry exposure and experience to the class through their perspectives and insights. He told them to make the most of all learning activities on campus – seminars, guest lectures, workshops on campus. “Participate in all these events and organize such events of your own,” he said. To get the best advantage of an MBA programme, students must come prepared to class every single day, he said. Drawing attention to the case-study method followed at IIMB, he told students to take their course work seriously and work systematically. He also pointed out that IIMB has a zero-tolerance policy for things such as plagiarism, discriminatory behaviour, bullying, or inappropriate behaviour of any kind, and urged them to contribute to keeping the community spirit on campus healthy and vibrant.
Observing that the Indian economy is poised for exciting times, Prof. RT Krishnan spoke of opportunities for qualified MBA graduates from “one of the top management institutes in the country, which offers one of the best learning experiences.”
“Have a clear and structured plan for yourself that includes what you will do here as a student and what you want to do in your career, and work with the Office of Career Development Services at IIMB to execute this plan,” he said.
Transformative learning
Prof. Ashok Thampy, Chairperson, EPGP and faculty in the Finance & Accounting area, said he looked forward to interactions with the cohort. “Over the last 15 years, the EPGP has been going from strength to strength. Global and national rankings are a testament to this growth. We have 1000+ alumni. As many of you are making a pivot in your career through this programme, do ensure that your one-year at IIMB a transformative experience. Change involves pressure; it calls for effort, but it also promises growth,” he said, adding that working and delivering in teams was an important aspect of the programme.
Describing the EPGP as “one of the finest programmes in the world,” Prof. Rahul Dé, Dean Programmes, encouraged the EPGP students to interact with the students of other programmes on campus and leverage the rich learning experience at IIMB. “In what is unique to IIMB, you will get the opportunity to choose from over 50 electives, along with students from our other programmes, so enrich your learning with this opportunity,” he said, adding that IIMB valued integrity above all.
Earlier in the morning, the ceremonial lamp to inaugurate the programme was lit by a student, the chief guest, the IIMB Director and his faculty colleagues.
IIMB’s Chief Administrative Officer Colonel (Retd) SD Aravendan, Hostel Officer Komala Devi, Vanitha Anand and the EPGP Office team were among those who were a part of the inauguration.
The inauguration included a 20-minute Q&A session on course content, curriculum review, choice of electives, and career prospects for students as well as responsible use of AI by organisations and the regulatory role of governments in this space.
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