IIM Nagpur Conducts Illume 5.0 – Industry-Academia Interaction Event

ILLUME 5.0
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IIM Nagpur Conducts Illume 5.0 – Industry-Academia Interaction EventFeb 7, 2021

ILLUME 5.0

The Indian Institute of Management Nagpur (IIMN) successfully conducted the latest edition of its industry-academia interaction event – ILLUME 5.0. The event, conducted annually to facilitate dialogue between industry practitioners, students and academics, focused on ‘Leadership in Crisis’ as the theme for its fifth edition.

The online event commenced with the welcome address by Prof. Bhimaraya Metri, Director IIMN. In his speech, Prof. Metri emphasized on the need for a robust educational foundation for fostering good leadership. He mentioned that a crisis is the acid test for a leader, and it is imperative that managers look towards inspiring figures to derive leadership lessons.

The Chief Guest for Illume 5.0 was Mr. Shiv Shivakumar (Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy & Business Development, Aditya Birla Group). Mr. Shivakumar, who has recently penned an enlightening book ‘The Right Choice: Resolving 10 Career Dilemmas for Extraordinary Success’, noted that the IIMN logo incorporating a book, signified knowledge and insight, and truly captured the spirit of the current times. In an engaging address, he offered many examples of leadership in crisis – from the decisive actions of then-PM PV Narasimha Rao during the 1991 Indian economy crisis, to Steve Jobs’ disruptive mindset that allowed Apple to return from the brink of bankruptcy. He also shared some personal experiences from his stints at Unilever, PepsiCo and Nokia, highlighting how tough but competent leadership, a willingness to take risks, and having a clear definition of success guides leaders during critical situations. The address was followed by an interactive segment with the students.

The next guest for the event was Mr Manish Sharma – CEO, Panasonic India and South Asia. Mr. Sharma shared his insights and learnings from his journey at Panasonic, elaborating on the organization’s journey and growth as an electronics giant, as well as current opportunities for growth in India. He also explained how the business realigned its priorities in the face of the CoViD-19 pandemic – developing a step-wise approach to ensuring employee safety, followed by refreshing their strategy to sustain growth.

An insightful address by Ms. Debjani Ghosh – President, NASSCOM, followed Mr. Sharma’s session. The first woman to head the industry association in its three decades, Ms. Ghosh presented a clear picture of what makes a good leader. She said that leadership needs to be redefined in a world disrupted by the pandemic. Leaders need to inspire trust and hope, Ms. Ghosh said, and that leaders are defined by their humility, and willingness to expand their own horizons of knowledge.

This was followed by an interaction between Prof. Ranjitha GP (Faculty, Marketing Area, IIMN) and Mr. Kanwaljeet Jawa, (CEO & MD, Daikin India). The session focused on how every crisis is an opportunity – and how a crisis such as the current one gives businesses time to turn around, reassess and re-strategize. Mr. Kamal Bali – President and MD, Volvo Group, India, was the Chief Guest for the Valedictory Function of Illume 5.0. In a comprehensive address, Mr. Bali opined that these unprecedented times offer the chance for India to enter a new decade of innovation and growth. He detailed how, even in the face of crisis, things are looking up for the Indian economy, with a special thrust on developing the manufacturing sector as a prime contributor to the growth. Mr. Bali shared that India has the potential to establish itself as a manufacturing powerhouse by creating the right domestic ecosystem, firm-level competitiveness, and gearing up to cater to a global ecosystem. All the speakers entertained questions from IIMN students after their respective sessions – allowing students to gain new perspectives and learn from seasoned industry leaders from domains as diverse as electronics, automobiles and IT.

The day-long event was concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Fareed Ahmad Sheik, President of the Students’ Affairs Council, IIMN. In his concluding remarks, Prof. Metri congratulated the student body of IIM Nagpur for successfully conducting the event entirely in the online mode.