Governor of Karnataka Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot lauds IIMB for contributions to business, govt and society
1 March, 2023, Bengaluru: “India’s economy is today the world’s fifth biggest. It has been made possible because of people like you also, and your innovative ideas. You are the talent who will shape India. The start-ups set up by youngsters like you have impacted our economy and has attracted investments from giants in the country. Money is not a constraint anymore. By thinking out-of-the-box you can realize your full potential. You also have the stamp of IIMB, hence sky is the limit,” declared the Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankar, in his keynote address at IIM Bangalore, here today. He visited the IIM Bangalore campus at Bannerghatta Road to inaugurate the MDC Block of the second campus in Jigani, virtually, in the presence of the Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot.
Prof. Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, introduced the dignitaries and said: “Today, we are here to inaugurate the Management Development Centre building, in the new 110-acre IIM Bangalore second campus at Mahanthalingapura, Jigani (about 25 km south of our existing campus at Bannerghatta Road). This new MDC encompasses 84 rooms for stay and three classrooms (total capacity 160) and 10 discussion rooms, other than reading and dining areas. The MDC is beautifully designed to fit in with the hilly terrain at the site. The total cost of this project borne by the Institute is Rs. 55 crores, and this has been fully funded by our internally generated accruals, without taking any funds from the government. This project is especially important due to it being the first construction undertaken in the new campus. It will be our focus to make this campus sustainable.”
Watch video of the MDC building here: https://youtu.be/XMWBcOQ96lw
After the virtual inauguration, Shri Dhankar addressed the faculty, staff and students of IIM Bangalore. Calling himself a ‘product of education’, he added that education changed his life. He advised the students to avoid stress, be enterprising, and not fear failure. “Brilliant ideas need to be spoken about, and more importantly, implemented. Be proud Indians and uphold the fair name of our country’s governance, democratic polity and institutions, and the reputation of our country.”
He had a special word for alumni of academic institutions who, he said, help an institution blossom. “There should be a confederation of alumni associations which can then act as thinktanks.” In this regard, he spoke highly of Rajit Punhani, Secretary, Rajya Sabha, who is an alumnus of IIMB, who he said has successfully led various flagship Government programs at the federal and state levels.
Calling the country’s youth the “warriors for 2047”, he said: “We are devising a strategy to invite students from institutes like yours to visit the Parliament and observe its proceedings and in the long run, serve the larger democracy.”
His talk was followed by a Q&A session, moderated by Prof. Rahul Dé, Dean, Programmes, IIMB. During this session, addressing one of the queries, the VP said that the permanent nature of the Rajya Sabha gives the Upper House of the Parliament its relevance in the present parliamentary discourse. “The Rajya Sabha provides a spinal stability to our democratic polity,” he said.
Karnataka Governor Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot congratulated IIMB for having made a significant contribution to the Indian economy from the time it was set up in 1973. “NSRCEL, the start-up hub at IIMB, has given boost to entrepreneurship in the country. IIMB’s digital initiatives such as the MOOCs, its courses on Business Analytics, Hospital Management, etc., its initiatives under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan in Karnataka, deserve a special mention. I also congratulate IIMB for the programs and activities it conducted to celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ – 75 years of India’s Independence. With such positive steps in the right direction, when we celebrate 100 years of independence, the country will be on one of the top spots in every sphere,” he said.
Earlier in the session, in his welcome address, Dr. Devi Shetty, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore, thanked the Government for its innovative New Education Policy, which, he said, would result in “a giant leap for the Indian economy by year 2047”. Highlighting the achievements of the Institute, he said, “We are constantly reinventing ourselves to stay relevant and contribute towards nation building. Our alumni are global leaders who are instrumental in transforming the world. We are on an exciting trajectory of growth and the second campus is an important step towards our commitment to stay relevant with the times. I welcome all the stakeholders to partner with the Institute on its journey towards excellence.”
Col (Retd) S.D. Aravendan, Chief Administrative Officer, IIMB, proposed the vote of thanks. IIMB students, faculty, alumni and staff attended the event.
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