The Indian Institute of Management Nagpur (IIMN) welcomed its sixth batch of the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) in Management, in a virtually conducted event on July 30, 2020. The event was graced by Mr Manu Midha, Head, Middle East Business, OYO Arabia who joined the meeting from the UAE; and attended by IIMN faculty, staff, senior students, and students of the Batch of 2020-22 from all over the country, along with their family members, from their respective homes. The ceremony marked the beginning of the orientation programme for the new batch.
Prof. Varsha Khandker, Chairperson, Admissions, began the event by describing the challenges that the Admissions team overcame, in order to complete the process smoothly under the prevailing pandemic situation. She mentioned that while entirely online, the process remained as objective, robust and rigorous as it has been for preceding batches, for over 1.5 lakh aspirants to IIM Nagpur this year. Supported in no small measure by the faculty, staff and IT team at IIM Nagpur that rose up to the challenge, the entire process – right from the first shortlist to the personal interviews and student verification – was conducted seamlessly, and has brought to IIM Nagpur a batch diverse in many respects. Prof Khandker commended the incoming batch for adapting easily to the process, and expressed her hope that the enthusiasm should sustain for the entirety of the programme.
Prof Khandker then welcomed the Chief Guest for the ceremony, Mr Manu Midha with a tree plantation certificate. Mr Midha is an IIT Kharagpur and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus (Class of 2010) who has worked with JPMorgan Chase, Infibeam, Souq.com and BuildABazaar before joining OYO, and teaches e-commerce and digital marketing at IIMA. In his address, Mr Midha related to the audience the factors that contribute to success in life. He emphasized that professional success is a product of hard work, continuous knowledge seeking, and the ability to make risk-weighted career choices with a long-term perspective. Professional success, however, would cease to have meaning unless one also focuses on health, family, and nurturing constructive relationships with one’s peers and the larger society. Mr Midha mentioned that especially in present conditions, the relationships that we have forged, are more helpful than any material accomplishments. Individuals seeking success in all aspects should learn to focus on the right input at the right time, in order to develop holistically.
Prof. L S Murty, Director, IIM Nagpur, then took the forum to address the students. He began by congratulating the students and their parents, mentioning that the IIMN campus is all set to welcome the students, as soon as it is deemed permissible by the administration. He expressed his admiration for all the stakeholders involved in completing the admissions process even under the prevailing constraints, highlighting that the adaptability displayed by everyone is key in handling a crisis. Speaking to the parents, Prof. Murty exhorted them to provide a conducive environment for their wards’ learning, while they attend classes from home. He also advised the students to be at their professional best from the very first day, following etiquette and practicing honesty in interactions, as they would in a physical classroom. He stressed on the importance of using the Internet constructively, forming virtual connections with batchmates and faculty members, and using the time and solitude at their disposal as an opportunity to evolve. He appealed to the students to reflect upon the motto of the Institute, explaining that they are on an inspired journey towards truth, to be explored through individual reflection, as well as collective discourse. He expressed his hope to meet students in-person soon, and convene at the new campus currently under construction, at the earliest.
Prof. Deeparghya Mukherjee, PGP Chairperson addressed the students after Prof. Murty. Mentioning that a considerable proportion of the batch had nearly two years of work experience, he was hopeful that students would make the most of this opportunity. While the coursework would be rigorous, he said, their time at IIMN would also offer plenty of chances to enjoy in a new milieu, and create lasting memories. He then proceeded to announce the names of the awardees of the Certificates of Merit (term-wise toppers from each section) and the Director’s Merit Certificates (top 5 percent of the batch) among the PGP 2019-21 Batch. The Certificates of Merit were awarded to Kanna Dheepankar S, and Eina Gupta. Kanna Dheepankar S and Eina Gupta were also the recipients of the Director’s Merit List Certificates, along with Ayushman Banerjee, Piyush Alankar and Jeel Jagdish Patel.
The event was followed by an interaction between students of both batches. The orientation programme for the incoming batch is scheduled from July 31st to August 3, during which the students will be acquainted with the various aspects of the programme, and the Institute as a whole. Students will interact with faculty and staff members of the Institute in virtual sessions that will take them through Institute processes and facilities, preparatory modules for PGP, interactions with alumni, and workshops that will prepare them for their two-year-long journey at IIM Nagpur.