Sourav Arora, that I knew! We will miss you Sourav…

The tall, handsome yet shy, soft spoken, desirous of learning, willingness to put that extra effort, still, with an amount of self doubt, trying to find the better way ahead was Sourav Arora. Though emotional, as I got to know, his outwardly projection of smile and softness was anti-thesis of his well built physique. He was a gentle-giant.

His desire to improve himself was manifested in his sending his write-ups to me on issues of interest to him, seeking my feedback. He would not let go of it, if I did not respond. Whenever I came back from my tour, the moment he spotted me, he would remind me that he is waiting for the feedback on a particular article that he had sent.

When on Sunday afternoon, I received information about sudden demise of Sourav, I went through my journey of life of last two years that I have known Sourav – from my first interaction in Ludhiana to the graduation ceremony at IWSB that I photographed while he was awarded the degree.

I pay my humble respects to his departed soul and also pray to almighty to give all strength to his parents and family to withstand and overcome the grief of the loss. God bless.

Sourav receiving the degree

Daring to be sitting in front

Saurabh at the batch farewell

Saurabh at the batch farewell

sitting with friends – outbound 2011

helping as always – lifting the bench – outbound 2011

Being at the back, yet supporting

At times sticking his neck out to lead

Ready to tango

I pray that each one us has strength to face the reality and have confidence in oneself.

“Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” – William James

“Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option” – gabrielita

Lovingly,
sreeni

http://www.sreeni.org

——————– Tribute by batchmate —————– Raj Kumar Gupta

Today, 7th May 2012, 9:00AM, while entering at IWSB gate, I came across a shocking news. One of our batch mate and a lovely friend Saurabh Arora is no more with us. I could not digest the news, but Rajeev told me that it is true. All those moments of last two years, when Saurabh was with us, were in my eyes, flowing with tears. I can easily recall first meeting with him, first argument , first hug , first drink and first TT match with him and all those memorable moments when he was happy N sad. I can recall that how he sweated during presentation, how much he was happy, when he got his first job and when he got increment in his salary and when he got Ludhiyana posting. He was very dedicated person. He accepted all mistakes and guilty. He wanted to be a fit person and he was. He was never a follower of ego, He always believed in us.

He was emotional too. Very often I found him very emotional for his parents, for his friend.

I can only say about Saurabh that he had strong physique and pure heart.

May god give strength to his members and his soul rest in Peace!!!!Farewell

We’ll miss you!!!
————————————————-By Arun Kumar Mourya, Batchmate

You were an amazing friend to me and lovable guy by all.

Though you are not physically with us but you will be alive in our prayers, hearts and mind. I truly believe wherever you are you will always spread happiness around you and create a pleasant atmosphere.

Though your journey with us was too short but it was the most pleasant experience for each one of us.
————————————————-By Syed Inamullarsh Qadri, batchmate
How can I so easily forget a person with whom I spent two precious years of my life….

Person whom I met first time and felt he is living in his own world, but actually a hesitant to interact with an unknown at first place. Strong, athletic and manly one wishes to be, but still gentle, sober and shy. Typical food lover of Parathas and Punjabi music, smart in casuals but strikingly elegant in formals, that was our beloved Sourav.

His always smiling face and portraying himself as a mature but actually curious to learn always will be remembered by me. His favourite line, to overshadow his own childish heart, was, “Grow Up” which he used to say lot of times to many people.

I remember his summer internship presentation when he sweated heavily, but the effort he had put to bring perfection in it was tremendous. His joy crossed all limits when he got placed. Always ready to help known or unknown persons.

He use to get involved with heart and soul in any task, evidently the repetition of song tracks in the hostel room he use to replay for hours and days. While I am writing this tribute in his memory, his photo with bull horns on his head with Vicky and Tarun revolves in front of my eyes.

On papers Sourav was my roommate in the first year. On the very first day when he entered GN Hostel room he seems in haste and left his luggage there and then left the room himself. In the evening he came back, his first full long sentence with me was’ “I am going to change my room and stay with my friend in ground floor”. Although I didn’t asked the reason for his decision but he excused himself with sentence that amused me, “yaar mein apni chhezun kaa dhaan nahi rakhta hun, Vicky rakhega.” I guess it was meant not to offend me. I felt that guy was emotionally attached to his friends. He never wanted to leave the one whom he loved. He always felt comfortable in company of his close friends.

Nothing to comment on his step he took but, yes he created a scar on the cheerful memories that we all had with IWSB for two precious years. He will be always remembered for his untimely death in our chats and write ups.

“Do what you love, Love whatever you do” – R.Sreenivasan, Director IWSB : Welcome address at the Convocation 2012

A photo by Vasu.. on Flickr.

Distinguished guests, students of the Class of 2012, parents and all the family members of the Graduating Class, members of the IWSB Board, the media, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the IWSB’s Third Convocation and Graduation Ceremony.   At the outset, I would like to welcome our Chief Guest, Deep Kalra, Founder and CEO, MakeMyTrip.com. I welcome, one and all present here, this evening.

——–

The pioneer of online travel in India, Deep Kalra founded MakeMyTrip in April, 2000. Drawing on his experience from his years at GE Capital, AMF Bowling Inc. and ABN AMRO Bank, under his stewardship, MakeMyTrip has become the largest online travel company, as well as the largest e-commerce business in India.

Deep is a member of the Executive Council of NASSCOM and chairs the NASSCOM Internet Working Group. He is also a Charter Member of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) and serves on the Board of TiE, New Delhi. Deep is also a member of CII’s Tourism sub-committee and a regular speaker at numerous internet and travel conferences across the world. He currently serves as an independent Director for IndiaMart.com, a leading B2B website. Deep is also a founding member of “I am Gurgaon”, an NGO focused on the improving the quality of life in Gurgaon.

Deep holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi (1990), and a MBA (PGDM) degree from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (1992). His interests include adventure sports, swimming, yoga, quizzing and traveling to places off the beaten path.

Deep is one of the faces of the transformational India and it is an honour and a privilege to have him with us today. I welcome you Sir, as the Chief Guest of today’s occasion.
———-

 

A photo by Vasu.. on Flickr.

I would also like to welcome our Chairman, R.Satya Narayanan, Vice-chairman Mr. Gautam Puri and Members of the IWSB Board who have come down specially to be with us today. Thank you all for coming.

It is a very special moment for us with 59 students of the Class of 2012 graduating today. The students at the IWSB have a very pivotal role to play in the progress of the school and the Class of 2012 have shouldered their responsibility in an excellent manner. I would like to highlight some of the achievements of the last academic year.

 

CURRICULUM

Our focus at IWSB has been to offer a curriculum that stokes entrepreneurial thinking and leadership, and also in tune with the fast changing global business trends and this has been one of our significant strengths. Our students benefit from this exposure and the industry values this a lot.

We have had over hundred entrepreneurial leaders coming to the campus during their two years as part of our ‘My Journey series’ every week. Each one, when they experienced the incisive questioning about minute details of running business by students, during the interactions and Q&A, have always asked me and our faculty, what do we do to foster this kind of spirit among students? Thanks to the faculty who have made this happen.

Some of the notable new courses offered to the students this year include  -Financial Engineering, Managing Entrepreneurial Firms and Family Business, International Marketing, Retail Management.

NEN, National Entrepreneurship Network, has selected IWSB as their academic incubation campus for designing new programs. IWSB and NEN are working closesly on this front for the coming academic year.

Also the TYE, The young entrepreneurs program, with TIE that is designed and executed by IWSB has successfully completed its second year. We are in talks to offering this to the college going youth too across the country where we will technology to a great extent.

IWSB continues to use technology to aid teaching. We have extensively used WEBINARs as the means to reach to vast student population across the country in facilitating understanding of business and entrepreneurship. We have significant road map ahead in this direction.

A photo by Vasu.. on Flickr.

The Curriculum Review Committee, chaired by Academic Dean, Prof. Veeresh Sharma will soon release a draft of their recommendations that are currently being reviewed by faculty, area leaders and others. We hope to have the final recommendation of the committee in the next couple of weeks and we wish to implement in the coming academic year.

ENTREPRENEURIAL Endeavors and companies on Campus

We have been very delighted to have quite a few entrepreneurial talent on the campus. Our 2012 graduating batch saw -

-         JMD Pratza by kanu Mangotra in the food space

-         Arete Investors by Rishab Pruthi, Gaurav and Kriti Kankani

-         NOW by Sumeet Sharma, Arpit Kala in the convenience shopping

-         Antral by Sumit Gunjan and Arvind in education

and

-         Maharani by Anurag from the first year  in handicrafts exports

I am sure we will see many more emerging in the coming year

 

A photo by Vasu.. on Flickr.

FACULTY

IWSB has been able to make a mark among the Young B-schools (IIMA research report of last year) in the short span of time, only because of outstanding faculty. Each of our faculty bring with them a deep passion and commitment to facilitating and bringing the best out of our students. They walk the talk. We have faculty like, Prof Navneet, who runs an integrated Marketing communication firm on the campus. We have entrepreneurial faculty to facilitate entrepreneurial students.

Our recent faculty achievements and publications in top ranked journals, by Prof Raju Mazumdar in finance area, Case publication of Prof Krishna in marketing, are testimony to the excellence that we pursue in business education.

Our permanent faculty figure stands at 14 and have had equal number of visiting scholars too who have contributed immensely to every student who is graduating from IWSB.

India Immersion Program and Exchange programs

IWSB is getting recognized as No.1 entrepreneurial campus in India and abroad too. Apart from NEN naming IWSB among the top 7 entrepreneurial campus for the third year running, world class business schools are touching down at IWSB campus. We have had informal exchange agreements for this year with a couple overseas universities and corporate bodies on India Immersion, which we will be formalizing this year. We should have about half a dozen of these agreements in the coming year for Student, Faculty exchange and research initiatives.

We have hosted two universities –

• State University of New York, with 18 students and faculty;
• University Leadership team from San Diego State

On corporate leadership front in India Immersion, we have hosted –

• A dozen business leaders from Hitachi, Japan
• Leaders Quest brings Five hundred BCG consultants to India that Satya and I would address, of whom 15 will invest a day with our students on April 23 and 24 this year. I am looking forward to the batch on the campus and also Alumni, including this graduating batch to take advantage of this program

We are working on introducing FIELD program modules across the two years, of which this year, they started with Live projects/ The Experiential Learning Programme, that provided students an opportunity to work for companies, apart from the typical internship programme. All of the participating companies have reported a high customer satisfaction. Many of these projects are implemented. Our students continue to work on projects for not-for-profit organizations with similarly great results.

EVENTS

Events at IWSB serve multi purpose objectives. The students augment their class room learning with several learning events outside the classroom. The various student clubs organised events like the –

-         Shodhyatras

-         Eduthon: A 10Km Run for educating underprivileged

-         Rangmanch – The dramatics society

-         IWPL – The Sports Club

-         Tasveer- The Art and Culture Society

-         Blood donation camps

The enthusiastic celebrations of events like Holi, Dandia, Diwali, Krishnashtami and painting competitions brought the entire IWSB community together as a family.

E-Bootcamp, which we launched last year, will be an annual tradition for the School along with the Annual Business Plan competition, Srijan.

These events serve as a platform for the students to interact with industry leaders, and academicians apart from interacting with contemporaries from other institutions.

AWARDS

Our students and alumni participated in several national and international competitions and have brought laurels to the school. Notable mentions include

-         Jaydeep (Alum PG10) – A winner at IIT Mumbai, has been invited for Stanford University’s Social entrepreneurship Summit in April

-         Anurag – Business plan competitions at IIT Kanpur, Mumbai and a few other places

I congratulate each one of you for your efforts and success.

The IWSB Excellence Scholars symbolize the extraordinary ability, leadership, commitment and quality of participation of the PGP students in the IWSB campus life. I congratulate each one of them for a well-deserved recognition.

PLACEMENTS

The IWSB graduates continue to script new success stories as far as placements go. The increased interest amongst young and fast growing companies, who see IWSB graduates as tailor-made for them, and also increase in leading national and international recruiters, is a testament to the rich entrepreneurial leadership talent at the school.

As is the news, a couple of our students will be placed internationally.

A formal announcement on the placements, once completed in the next couple of weeks, will be made. I would like to thank our friends in the industry for their continued association with the school.

CONCLUSION

While we have made considerable progress on several fronts, being a school in infancy, we still have a long way to go. The Board and industry have been a solid source of support in our work. The Faculty – Resident and the Visiting Faculty have contributed significantly to the development of the school. The resident faculty and management staff at the IWSB have always stood out with their innovative ideas and dedication in building this school. I look forward to building on these contributions.

A photo by Vasu.. on Flickr.

Now a few words for the graduating class -

I congratulate each one of you for completing the two arduous years successfully at the IWSB. I do hear many of you sharing, how these two years have been transformational. I still can vividly recall the outbound we went two years ago on our induction program as you all entered the institution. Congratulations to the Scholars of Excellence and those who have made it to the Awards List too. We are very proud of you. I wish you all the best as you embark on the journey of realizing your dreams. As you set about charting new career paths, I urge all of you to pursue what you enjoy and enjoy whatever you pursue. I am sure you will be of immense value to the organizations that you contribute and also to the society at large. You are, and will always be, an integral part of the IWSB family, and we look forward to sharing in the joys of your accomplishments as corporate leaders, entrepreneurial leaders and worthy citizens of this world.

I leave you with a quote from our ancient literature –

“You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.”

And I quote Swami Vivekananda –

“Just believe in yourself, the world will be at your feet”

I look forward to seeing you all again and again on the campus! When the new batch walks in, we wish to have all our Alumni for the re-union sometime in October! I am sure I will see you all being there sharing your experiences and insights with the new batch.

Our wishes and love with you all, for ever!

Thank you.

“Embrace the mindset of endeavour and not that of entitlement” – Satya, Chairman, Board of Governers, IWSB, at Third Annual Convocation of IWSB, 2012.

Deep Kalra, Founder MakeMyTrip.com; Satya, Chairman, BOG, IWSB at the 3rd convocation of IWSB

Satya, Founder CL Educate (formerly Career Launcher), as the Chairman BOG, Indus World school of Business delivered a short but very impacting address -

I still vividly recall Azim Premji, addressing us on our convocation at IIM Bangalore, two decades ago. Today, Deep is on the campus to address you. Azim, was heading Wipro, then known for consumer goods and not as much for technology. Perhaps Wipro was just of the size of MakeMyTrip today, that Deep has founded and anchored.

I would just like to share my biggest learning in life.

PLEASE EMBRACE THE MINDSET OF ENDEAVOR AND NOT THE MINDSET OF ENTITLEMENT.

Entrepreneurship dismantles all these entitlements.

We may have got many degrees from best of the schools; our parents may be well known; all these do not hold water.

What is that you can move by what you are; nothing is very sacrosanct than endeavor. At the end of the day, I recall the mindset of endeavor. We are recognized by what we deliver at the end of the day!

You should be known by your religiosity of the day. If I don’t move the moon, the day has not been worthwhile.

Attitude and Work-ethic beget what you deserve.

Thanks and Best wishes.

An ideal idol

An actor from a small atelier,

An autodidact bellwether.

A benignant man for poor,

A biddable son for father.

He is a supporting hand,

His celerity shakes the land.

He bowdlerizes the governing,

He assuages the living.

Some call him callow,

Others call, bootless and shallow.

Some uses billingsgate for him,

Says, acting is his bailiwick not vim. 

He is chary of these blackguards,

He never castigates them.

He hears the caterwaul of backwards,

He provides a carapace to them.

Some says, his life is brackish,

Howsoever it is; he is truly an artistic bellwether.

By: M.A.K. Pathan

Tap rural potential – ‘B-schools should help new entrepreneurs’

The winds of liberalisation have not touched much of rural India, especially as far as creating an environment for entrepreneurship is concerned. In the hinterland, the process of registering and getting the certificates and various other permissions to embark on a start-up is still so slow and full of corrupt intermediaries that many budding entrepreneurs run out of patience and give up. There is a solution: instituting a time-bound process. If no objection is received within a specified period, the applicant should be allowed to assume formalities have been completed. Rural areas also face an acute shortage of skilled workforce. The establishment of the National Skill Development Corporation, or NSDC, has done little to ameliorate the situation. For instance, in Gujarat more than 70 per cent of positions for faculty in government polytechnics have not been filled. This lackadaisical attitude is thwarting the development of appropriate skills at the grassroot level. Anil K. Gupta Non-availability of power for long stretches is another factor that puts rural entrepreneurs at a major disadvantage. In Uttarakhand, for instance, entrepreneurs in Khatima get electricity for only three to four hours a day and that too with frequently fluctuating voltage. For entrepreneurs in remote areas, transporting goods is yet one more headache. They often have to use passenger buses. There are schemes to facilitate rural transportation, but there is no helpline or clearing house to assist entrepreneurs at this task.

Some of these problems may be intractable, but there is still much the government can do to encourage entrepreneurs. For instance, every Collector and Project Development Officer should hold a weekly clearing house for entrepreneurs to sort out all their problems right away or before the next meeting. The workshop facilities of industrial training institutes and polytechnics, as well as those of engineering, agricultural, pharmacy and other colleges should be made available to entrepreneurs at night at concessional rates. There should also be a network of common workshop facilities for highquality fabrication, design and manufacture in every taluka. Retired engineers from the Army and other public and private sector units should be invited to these workshops. B-schools should be encouraged to help entrepreneurs both in developing their plans and getting finance. District-level innovation venture funds should be set up to encourage investments in risky enterprises.

The Honey Bee Network and the National Innovation Foundation, or NIF, which identify and nurture grassroots innovation in the country, can play a very useful role by linking innovation, investment and enterprise through its large network of innovators. Unfortunately, there is very little angel funding and incubation support at the districtlevel, and very little mentoring by the existing entrepreneurs or industry associations. But things can be changed by getting the relevant agencies more energised and setting them time-bound goals. We need retired bureaucrats and managers to offer their experienced services for free or on some basis of deferred payment to budding entrepreneurs.

Anil K. Gupta . The author is the founder of Honey Bee Network and Vice Chairman of the National Innovation Foundation

Original post on: http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/anil-k.-gupta-entrepreneurship-start-ups-rural-potential/1/15483.html

“Once you figure out what is your MOZZO! You will make it” – Mr. Deep Kalra, Founder and CEO, MakeMyTrip.com @ 3rd convocation 2012, IWSB

Deep Kalra, Founder MakeMyTrip.com, Guest of honour for 3rd Convocation at IWSB is being felicitated by the Dean - Acads, Prof Veeresh Sharma

I commend and congratulate the faculty for creating the environment, that has seen these youngsters blossom and take off.

I also congratulate Parents! You need to be proud of your young wards that are going to make a difference to the world.

It is a special day when Tendulkar got his hundredth hundred. You will remember your special day. You will look back with contentment and joy. Some of you were so eager, that you wanted to grab the certificate from me or even forgot to get the photo clicked. Keep that enthusiasm going!

Satya and I have some karmic connect. We both started at the same time. I got to know that we graduated from the same institution, St. Stephen’s college, just a year apart! Then our connection at TIE and today, I am here.

This is the second convocation ceremony I am attending. The first one was when I passed out of IIMA! Today is a special day for me too, as I am giving my first convocation address as a chief guest.

At the end of this ceremony, flinging of your caps will happen. Is this the culmination or a beginning?

It is the beginning of your career, in one of the brightest times of India. You have had wonderful two years on IWSB campus – going through the grind, ups and downs – courses, my journey interactions with over 100 leaders and so on.. You are experiencing a WOW moment now!

It is an opportune time for me to share a few lessons that I have learnt thus far, which could be of value to you in your journey ahead –

• Learning never stops.
  • Formal education may have, but the amount you learn from your peers, colleagues, market place and environment would continue. You need to be keen. You need to figure out every moment, the secrets of success and keep incorporating in your script as you travel.

• Discover what makes you tick, what makes you happy.
  • The sooner you realize the sooner you make it happen. People talk about ‘getting into the zone’.
  • Before parents get worried, chart your untreaded path. It took me eight years to figure out what I want to. And here I am in front of you. Had I not found out my ‘love’, perhaps I would not have been here sharing my learning.
  • Create opportunities and grab opportunities. If you do what you really love, sky is the limit. Once you figure out what is your ‘Mozza’, you will make it.
  • It is not necessary that you have to become an entrepreneur. I do see a few of you are keen. You can use your degree as a noose or as a ropeway to higher goals. There are many of my classmates who have joined big corporates – one of my batch mates will soon be a CEO of Wipro. Finding your calling is the key.
• Life ahead will get tougher. I keep promising my family that I will slow down. But the journey becomes so exciting that you get hooked on.
  • Next 10 years you should look forward to work hard and sweat it out. Gather whatever you can to strengthen your armory.
  • Subsequent 10 years you will start working smarter along being harder.
  • Then perhaps being smarter will suffice
• READING is the key
  • I keep reading and re-reading. Do not give up. Books like ‘Seven Habits of highly effective people, I must have read a dozen times. Every reading as I progress in life makes a new meaning. I keep applying in new ways and in new places too.
• Value of Analytics
  • In the businessworld and the decision support systems that you will create or use, Analytics will play a very important role. You use analytics all the time to understand behaviours and create opportunities. You should focus on it. Every one has got data! How you analyze and make a meaning out of it will derive and drive your business.
• Resilience Vs Stubbornness – Back yourself and your instincts
  • There is a fine line between the two. There have been at least two occasions in my early years of MakeMyTrip, that I thought of hanging up my towel.- 9/11 happened and SARS followed. The travel world collapsed. Tough times they were. We kept going…
  • If I look at people around me, Satya (founder CL Educate); or Sanjeev Bikhchandani (founder Naukri), who delivered last years Convocation address here at IWSB, all have the same trait – of bouncing back with passion and perseverance.
  • Back yourself and your instincts – Be yourself. It may take a little longer, but you will reach your path and the journey will continue to be wonderful one.

I would like to conclude this precious address by quoting one of my favourites – Jeff Bejos, The founder of Amazon –

“WORK HARD! HAVE FUN! MAKE HISTORY! TWO OUT OF THREE IS NOT AN OPTION”

Best of luck!

PG12 @ IWSB – Exploring Self and taking off in the real world!

PG12 @ IWSB – Exploring Self and taking off in the real world!, a set on Flickr.

The PG12 batch took off into the real world with the culmination of the graduation and convocation ceremony on the beautiful and enriching campus of IWSB.

I vividly recall meeting each one of you, the graduating students; at your respective cities much before your were selected and stepped into the campus. It has been enriching journey for me too.

Here is the pictorial journey of your last two years in the campus that you enriched with your presence.

Await my blog posting in a day or two. Pardon me for being late as I am on the move.

Thanks to each one of you. Love you.