Term Zero at Great Lakes set to conclude with a dynamic season finale

Chennai, 27 July 2020: Term Zero, Great Lakes’ unique online learning series, to support the current and incoming batch was conceptualized to allow students to get insights and perspectives from the world’s best faculty and CXOs leading Fortune 500 companies, globally. This series is aimed at enabling students to acquire key skills for a rewarding tenure at Great Lakes. Term Zero is designed to enhance student preparedness within the scope of academic and placement preparation. 

Term Zero is Great Lakes’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With on-site learning suspended (following recommended safety protocols and regulations set forth by authorities), Term Zero aims to engage incoming and current students with the faculty and with each other, prepare for future recruitment and gain insight into the world of management from various corporate and academic leaders. Term Zero also takes advantage of Great Lakes’ online learning platform, Great Learning, to smoothly facilitate sessions and provide a top-notch online infrastructure for the students. 

Term Zero kicked off in May with the Global Thought Leader Series, which saw eminent academics from universities such as Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Chicago Booth, Kellogg and NYU, among others, conducting lectures on a number of topics from leadership, design thinking and innovation to valuation and the business of trust. The academics also interacted with the students by taking their questions. The series ran alongside the CXO Connect, a series of webinars by globally renowned CXOs of leading companies such as Accenture, TCS and Infosys, who spoke about the issues that corporations and their employees face today and the ways in which they are working on overcoming these issues. 

The final series of speaker talks will commence in the last week of July, as a celebration of the successful completion of Term Zero. This series sees sessions with leaders from varied backgrounds, including sports, real estate and construction, healthcare and entertainment. 

The finale will kick off on the 28th of July with Dr Sudhakar (Sid) Balachandran, Director, MBA Program – University of Illinois, Chicago. Dr Balachandran has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a PhD from Harvard University. Prior to joining UIC, Dr Balachandran was the Assistant Dean for Teaching Excellence, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. On the professional front, he has vast business experience as a management consultant and corporate executive.

This will be followed by the final session of Great Lakes’ annual Successful Women in Management (SWIM) series on the 29th of July. Having already hosted PepsiCo’s Indra Nooyi and Apollo Hospital Enterprise’s Preetha Reddy, this session will see Dr Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the Chairman and MD of Biocon speak to the students.

The series will continue with T.T. Durai, the former CEO of the National Kidney Foundation, Singapore addressing the students on the 30th of July. There will also be two days of Sangamitra, Great Lakes’ annual cultural fest (conducted online this year) on the 29th of July, and the 31st of July for the alumni and the current students respectively.

N Srinivasan, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of India Cements Limited and former Chairman of the International Cricket Council will co-host a session with cricketing legend and former captain of the Indian National Team, Rahul Dravid on the 1st of August. 

On 2nd August, R. Madhavan, renowned actor, writer and film producer, who has appeared in films across numerous languages such as Alaipayuthey, 3 Idiots and Anbe Sivam among many others, is set to interact with the students in another promising live session.  

The series will also see Dr Vijay Govindarajan, the Coxe Distinguished Professor at Dartmouth University's Tuck School of Business, and the author of Reverse Innovation, a New York Times Bestseller interacting with the students of Great Lakes. Dr Govindarajan served as General Electric's (GE) first Chief Innovation Consultant and Professor in Residence and worked closely with their then CEO, Jeff Immelt. He has published more than twenty articles in top academic journals and has spoken at forums such as TED and the World Economic Forum at Davos. Dr VG (as he is popularly known) will deliver his lecture on August 6th.

The current and incoming students at Great Lakes have responded very positively to Term Zero. A number of them particularly enjoyed the Thought Leaders series which gave them the opportunity to interact with top academics in business education. The professors, in return, offered a clearer understanding of the future of the MBA, how the COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the way humans have to conduct their lives, let alone in the workplace or at school, as well as the theoretical approaches to management and business. The CXOs offered a different point of view to the students; a more application-oriented approach to the coronavirus and its impact on the workplace. They also spoke about the importance of the MBA at the workplace and how it enables future managers to have a methodical and practical approach to issues. The SWIM leaders, in particular, offered important insights into the gender dynamics in the workplace and emphasized the importance of adaptability.

Aside from the leadership insights, Term Zero’s online classes on data science, innovation, business ethics and programming helped the students, especially those from a STEM background, gain a basic understanding of economic, statistical, operations and management concepts, which will be fully expanded upon in various modules over the academic year. 

Term Zero is set to conclude in August with the students well-prepared and enthused to begin their journey at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai. 

12th International Entrepreneurship Conference held at Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai

·       The conference was hosted in collaboration with Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) & AIC – Great Lakes Balachandran Incubator

·       The Chief Guest was Shri. Alex Paul Menon, IAS, Ex. CEO - Chhattisgarh InfoTech Promotion Society (Host Institution of 36inc) Special Secretary - Government of Chhattisgarh, The Guests of Honour were Mr. Chandu Nair Entrepreneur - Advisor, facilitator & Investor Co-founder - Scope e-Knowledge Center & Dr. Murugesan Velayutham , Vice Chancellor - Annamalai University                                                                       

Chennai, February 20, 2020: Great Lakes Institute of Management, one of India’s premier B-school, recently hosted its 12th International Entrepreneurship Conference at the campus premises. The theme of this year’s conference was UNICORNS, ZEBRAS, OR….?! EXPONENTIAL - VIRTUOUS - PROSPEROUS

The event witnessed eminent industry professionals, senior academicians and students’ participation.

The Chief Guest was Shri. Alex Paul Menon, IAS, Ex. CEO - Chhattisgarh InfoTech Promotion Society (Host Institution of 36inc) Special Secretary - Government of Chhattisgarh, The Guests of Honour were Mr. Chandu Nair, Entrepreneur - Advisor, facilitator & Investor Co-founder - Scope e-Knowledge Center & Dr. Murugesan Velayutham , Vice Chancellor - Annamalai University

The International Entrepreneurship conference, an annual conference, was hosted by the Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) & AIC – Great Lakes Balachandran Incubator (AGBI). The conference acts as a platform to highlight innovations by budding entrepreneurs that helps them attain their goals effectively. The conference also encompasses the outlook of academicians and corporates to share their views on the current Entrepreneurial challenges.

The conference over-view & welcome speech was presented by Mr. Saurabh Chaubey, CEO, AIC – Great Lakes Balachandran Incubator (AGBI).

At the inaugural ceremony, Dr Bala V Balachandran, Founder, Chairman & Dean Emeritus, Great Lakes Institute of Management welcomed the chief guests and participants. In his inaugural address, Dr Bala said, "The world is changing & business education is undergoing a huge disruption. B-schools across the globe are evolving in terms of their methodology, with many of them shunning the brick & mortar model. E-learning has gained huge prominence and have today become an important aspect of classroom learning. With the changing dynamics, ideology & technology adaption I believe that B-schools are now ready to lead the industry, while the vice-versa has been happening for a long time.”

Talking about entrepreneurship, in the country, Dr Bala further added, “We don’t have to look for inspiration anywhere else, but in our own country. India is home to so many inspirational & successful businessmen, and yet there is an apprehension when it comes to starting a venture. That is because of the risk involved in starting a business & the fear of its failure. Hence, here at Great Lakes, we have the AGBI (AIC – Great Lakes Balachandran Incubator) that is a step-by-step guide to all the ideas and innovations that want to leave a mark in the society. It gives me immense pleasure in knowing that Great Lakes is one of the first B-Schools in the country that would have start-ups graduate from its premises in the coming year. ”

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Dr Suresh Ramanathan, Dean & Principal, Great Lakes Institute of Management, elaborating on the concept of the event, in his welcome address, said, “It gives me great joy to stand here today to celebrate the spirit of Entrepreneurship in the centenary year. We have seen a huge change in the mindset of people, starting from my generation to this generation today. Gone are the days when job security & stability meant everything. This new and young generation is hungry & eager to do something different whilst having control of what they are doing. It is important to understand that entrepreneurship is not just about wealth creation, but also about using it to do something transformational for the betterment of the society.”

The Chief Guest, Shri. Alex Paul Menon, IAS, Ex. CEO - Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (Host Institution of 36inc) Special Secretary - Government of Chhattisgarh in his address, spoke about his experience of setting up & creating a start-up ecosystem in Chhattisgarh. Addressing the conference, he said, “It is an honour to be here today amongst esteemed personalities like Dr Bala. With my experience, I believe that entrepreneurship should be a part of lifestyle. A successful society is a progress machine. It takes raw material of innovation and produces human advancement. ”

The guest of honour, Mr. Chandu Nair, Entrepreneur - Advisor, facilitator & Investor Co-founder - Scope e-Knowledge Center, in his address, said, “In my era, Unicorn just meant a mythical creature, but today they represent successful startups. Taking into account my experience of being with about 12 start-ups, I truly believe that change in our country, for all the challenges is possible through entrepreneurship. So what is holding back graduates students from being entrepreneurs? The risk involved. I believe that entrepreneurship gives one the power to control one’s destiny. India is the third largest start-up eco-system in the world following the US and China. Tamil Nadu is number one in terms of incubators and according to National Business Incubation Association; incubated startups have 87% chance of survival. Statistically speaking, taking the incubation route is beneficial for start-ups I am thrilled to see that AGBI at Great Lakes is offering a chance to not just be job seeks but also be job creators. ”

The guest of honour, Dr. Murugesan Velayutham, Vice Chancellor - Annamalai University, in his speech about faculty development said, “The 21^st century is not about secure jobs and guaranteed employment. With the dynamically changing world, demographics and technology Today, Knowledge Creation, Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship have gained prominence. What is the reason? The answer is: our growing population. India will soon out number China in terms of population and job creation for the youths of the country would be important. This why entrepreneurship comes to the rescue, providing all with an opportunity to be self-sufficient.”

A memorandum of understanding was also signed at the conference with Anna Malai University for a yearly endowment series.

During the conference, the winners of various competitions organized throughout the year were presented with awards and cash prizes. The winners of the Business Plan Competition, Hyperion were given Narasinga Rao Memorial Award of INR 1 lac. Mr Narsinga Rao, an alumnus of Great Lakes Institute of Management, 2004-05 Pioneer batch had over 21 years of experience in the IT industry and more than 12 years of experience as the COO & Co-founder of SSI limited. The prize money is supported by Mr. Narasinga Rao’s family, Mr. Narasinga Rao’s batch mates and Dr. Bala V Balachandran.

Great Lakes Institute of Management hosts first-ever Business Analytics, Supply Chain and Consulting conference – BASCCON

 

·       The theme of the conference was 'Transformational challenges in The VUCA World’

·       The chief guests for the events were Mr Santosh K Misra IAS, CEO Tamil Nadu eGovernance Agency and Commissioner – eGovernance & Mr Anantha Sayana, Chief Digital Officer, Larsen & Toubro

·       An MoU was signed to support and collaborate on research pertaining to analytics and emerging technologies

22 November 2019, Chennai: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, a premier B-school in the country hosted the first-ever Business Analytics, Supply Chain and Consulting conference at its premises – BASCCON 2019. The theme of the conference was 'Transformational challenges in The VUCA World’ with twelve speakers from top corporates across the country addressing the event. These speakers shared their experiences and anecdotes around the world transforming with analytics.

Program Director, MBA Business Analytics, Dr Vaidy Jayaraman, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, gave the welcome address and emphasized on the importance of Business Analytics in the near future. The chief guests for the events were Mr Santosh K Misra IAS, CEO Tamil Nadu eGovernance Agency and Commissioner – eGovernance & Mr Anantha Sayana, Chief Digital Officer, Larsen & Toubro

Mr Santosh K Misra IAS CEO Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency and Commissioner e-Governance and Dr Suresh Ramanathan, Dean & Principal, Great Lakes Institute of Management, signed an MoU to support and collaborate on research pertaining to analytics and emerging technologies namely Blockchain, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr Bala V Balachandran, Founder, Chairman & Dean Emeritus, Great Lakes Institute of Management, said, “Great Lakes is the very first B-School to introduce business analytics as majors. Like German engineering, Swiss Chocolate a new term for India is going to be- Indian Techie.” He further added, “New inventions in analytics would address a massive issue of unemployment and underemployment in India.”

Sharing his thoughts, Dr Suresh Ramanathan, Dean & Principal, Great Lakes Institute of Management, said, “Today's businesses are so agile that all you need is an early adopter and then everyone else adopts. It is necessary to be agile, fast, nimble and spontaneous in the way we are. To quote a famous article -'Unbundling the Corporation' which talks about the idea that a business can succeed if it focuses one of the three- either scale or R & D and innovate or customer services. Furthermore, the notion is that not all can be performed at the same time. However, it turns out that today's business models are completely transforming that whole notion and The Big-Bang Disruption says all three are possible with low-cost experimentations.”                

They key note address was delivered by the Chief Guest Mr Santosh K Misra IAS, CEO Tamil Nadu eGovernance Agency and Commissioner – eGovernance, where he accentuated on the significance of innovating & thinking out of the box. He was a part of the first panel discussion on 'Architecting Analytics to be a Game Changer - Leaders View' along with noted speakers such as Mr Rajan Sethuraman, CEO Latent View Analytics, and Mr Narayanan Ramaswamy, Partner and Head, Education KPMG.

The second panel discussion  on the topic 'Staying in tune with the changing time - Analytics' by Mr Srinivasan Sundararajan Technology Advisor, GAS Technologies, Mr Anurag Mehrota, President & MD, Ford India, Dr K Ganesh, Global Lead, Supply Chain Management, McKinsey, and Dr Uppiliappan Gopalam, Chief Operating Officer, Kals Group.

The third panel discussion’s theme was 'Design Thinking - Paradigm approach to unlock opportunities' by Dr Anbu Rathinavel, Partner Chief Design Officer, Intellect Design Arena Head – School of Design Thinking, Mr Shailu Tipparaju, Chairman, Colosseum Group, Mr Amardeep Devadason, Senior Vice president Global Outsourcing Solutions, R.R. Donnelley, and Mr Anand, Vice President & Head Global Innovation Centre, Frost & Sullivan.

In conclusion with a valedictory function, Mr Anantha Sayana, Chief Digital Officer, Larsen & Toubro, talked about how an organization can become successful by concentrating on four key points- Focus on Customer, Focus on Operational effectiveness, Focus on Innovation and Focus on applying technology to improve efficiency.

Atal - Great Lakes - Balachandran – Incubation Center (AGBI) launched

·       Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai is one of the four B-Schools in the country to receive this grant

·       The event was graced by Dr Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Ayog, Dr. TV Somanathan I.A.S, Principal Secretary, Planning & development, Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Shailendra Tipparaju Vice Chairman, Advisory Board – AGBI, Founder-Colosseum Group &President TIE Chicago and Mr. Arvind Purushothaman, SVP & Head, Cloud and Data, Virtusa

·       AGBI-Virtusa Centre of Excellence (CoE) in AI-ML and IoT was also inaugurated and an MoU was signed

18 November 2019, Chennai: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, a premier B-school in the country in association with Atal Innovation Mission today launched Atal - Great Lakes - Balachandran – Incubation (AGBI) Center in its premises. Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai is one of the only four B-Schools in the country to receive this grant.

The facility, of over 10,000 sq. feet was  inaugurated in the presence of Padmashree Dr Bala V Balachandar, Founder, Chairman of the board & Dean Emeritus, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Mr. Mohan Lakhamraju, Vice Chairman & CEO, Great Lakes Institute of Management and Dr Suresh Ramanathan, Dean & Principal, Great Lakes Institute of Management. The event was also graced Dr Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Ayog, Dr. TV Somanathan I.A.S, Principal Secretary, Planning & development, Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Shailendra Tipparaju Vice Chairman, Advisory Board – AGBI, Founder-Colosseum Group &President TIE Chicago and Mr. Arvind Purushothaman, SVP & Head, Cloud and Data, Virtusa

Sharing his thoughts on the new incubation center, Dr Bala V Balachandar, Founder, Chairman of the board & Dean Emeritus, Great Lakes Institute of Management, said, “At Great Lakes Institute of Management, we strive to make an impact in the competitive world by doing things differently. The launch of this incubation center is a dream come true for me. Great Lakes would be one of the first B-Schools and perhaps the first in the world from where entrepreneurs will graduate. We will succeed with humility, integrity and character. We will bring all our forces together and achieve more. ”

Speaking on the launch of AGBI, Dr Ramanan Ramanathan, Mission Director of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Ayog, said, “It is a matter of great pride and honor for me to be here. India is a country of 1.3bn people, out which 115mn youngsters will be joining workplaces in the next 5-10 years. As technology makes progress every day, the cost of innovation is coming down, thus creating virtually zero cost for fostering ideas. With technology, we can re-imagine the world one is living in. It is important to take up entrepreneurship to make a mark in the world whilst contributing to the betterment of the society. India needs socio-economic progress, which can be achieved by start-ups that aim at solving problems. Goal of education should not be job seeking, but problem solving. With Atal Innovation Mission and Great Lakes partnership, we hope to give wings to ideas that will make a difference in the lives of people. ”

Dr. TV Somanathan I.A.S, Principal Secretary, Planning & development, Government of Tamil Nadu, said, “A few years ago words like Angel, Incubator and Unicorn just had only dictionary meaning, today they are all terms used in the start-up industry. India has today become a hub of start-ups and the sector is thriving. India ranks 3^rd in most number of business incubators after China and the US. Amongst a large number of start-ups in the country, it is important that we focus & nurture ideas that will have a positive social impact.”

Another interesting development is the collaboration between Great Lakes Institute of Management and Virtusa named, “The AGBI-Virtusa Centre of Excellence (CoE) in AI-ML and IoT”. Virtusa signed an agreement MOU to fund a part of the total cost of the lab over a 3-year period, beginning November 2019, amounts to be mutually agreed on the merits.

“Innovation has been thriving. Virtusa, Great Lakes Institute of Management and the Great Lakes incubator are synergistically aligned. It is proposed that the collaboration between the organizations culminate in the setting up of a design lab comprising of an AIM-LAB – a Lab devoted exclusively to leveraging technologies such as AI, IoT, ML, Algorithmic Analytics and Blockchain, and a prototyping lab. We hope to make the best out of this fruitful partnership.” said, Mr. Aravind Purushothaman, SVP & Head, Cloud & Head, Virtusa.

The new block, which will house the incubation center, is named ‘ARR Lakhamraju Block’ in fond memory of (Late) Mr. ARR Lakhamraju, father of two members of the board of Great Lakes, Mr Mohan Lakhamraju and Mr. Gautam Lakhamraju. The event was be attended by alumni of Great Lakes along with various successful entrepreneurs whose ideas were conceptualized in the incubator. 

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai signs MoU with Mamallapuram Town Panchayat to promote cleanliness

·       The MoU was signed as part of Great Lakes’ ‘Karma Yoga’ program- a CSR initiative

11 November 2019, Chennai: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, a premier B-school in the country, as a part of its Karma Yoga initiative with Nitin Wires signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mamallapuram Town Panchayat to promote cleanliness  & create awareness about waste management at the beach.

More than 100 students from Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai campus gathered at the beach premises at 6.30 AM on a Sunday morning and actively participated in the cleanliness drive. Nylon dustbins for waste segregation were placed at vantage points for people to dispose-off waste. These waste bins were provided by Nitin Wires. The students also created awareness amongst people on the harmful effects of plastic and sustainable means to waste management & segregation.

Sharing his thoughts on the initiative, Sahil Deswal, Student of Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai, PGDM 2020 batch, said, “At Great Lakes, we as students are taught to give back to people. As a part of our Karma Yoga program, we strive to make meaning contributions towards the betterment of the society. Beaches are one of the most polluted and littered places. With the current plastic ban policy coming into effect, we thought it was important to educate people about ill effects of using plastics and create awareness about garbage segregation.”

Commenting on the occasion, Dr Suresh Ramanathan, Dean & Principal, Great Lakes Institute of Management, said, “It is important to instill a sense of responsibility towards environment in students from grassroots level. Such students with compassion will make the best leaders in future. Given the current climate change scenario, across the globe, it is vital for us to promote sustainable practices that will be for the greater good of the environment. Mamallapuram, a UNESCO heritage site is one of the most visited tourist attractions around Chennai and therefore it is imperative for us to protect it today for future generations.”

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai in association with Atal Innovation Mission to launch Atal - Great Lakes - Balachandran – Incubation Center

·       Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai is one of the four B-Schools in the country to receive this grant. 

04 November 2019, Chennai: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, a premier B-school in the country in association with Atal Innovation Mission will launch Atal - Great Lakes - Balachandran – Incubation (AGBI) Center in its premises. Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai is one of the only four B-Schools in the country to receive this grant.

The facility, of over 10,000 sq. feet will be inaugurated on 18 November 2019 in the presence of Padmashree Dr Bala V Balachandar, Founder, Chairman of the board & Dean Emeritus, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Mr. Mohan Lakhamraju, Vice Chairman & CEO, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Dr Suresh Ramanathan, Dean & Principal, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Mr. Lakshmi Narayanan, Vice Chairman, Cognizant and Mr. R Ramanan, CEO, Atal Innovation Mission with the rank of Additional Secretary of Govt. of India.

The new block, which will house the incubation center, is named ‘ARR Lakhamraju Block’ in the fond memory of Late Mr. ARR Lakhamraju, the father of two members of the board, Mr Mohan Lakhamraju and Mr. Gautam Lakhamraju.

The event will be attended by alumni of the institution along with various successful entrepreneurs whose ideas were conceptualized in the incubator. The event would also witness innovative concepts & ideas from first time entrepreneurs, which can be later incubated in AGBI. The students of the graduating classes will also be provided with a platform to share their thoughts with AGBI and selected business plans will be allowed to set up shop at the incubation center.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative by the Government to promote culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India. Its aim is to promote innovation and revolutionize entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country. It develops new policies and programmes for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy and provides a platform along with collaboration opportunities to various stakeholders in the entrepreneurial space.

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, Convocation 2019 presided over by Mr Suresh Narayanan, Chairman & MD, Nestlé India Ltd.

May, 2019, New Delhi: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, a premier management institute in the country, held its 8th Annual Convocation for the Class of 2019 at Airforce Auditorium, Subroto Park, New Delhi with 239 students successfully graduating in a ceremony graced by Chief Guest, Mr Suresh Narayanan, Chairman & MD, Nestlé India Ltd.

The graduating class of 2019 was elated to receive their convocation address and graduation certificates from Mr Narayanan, a veteran in the FMCG industry, who has held Top Leadership positions at Nestlé Singapore, Philippines and Egypt, Mr Narayanan joined Nestlé India as Chairman & MD in 2015. He not only brought Nestlé India successfully out of the Maggi crisis, but also, in a span of a year, helpedMaggi noodles fully regained its marketing share.

Delivering the convocation address, Mr Suresh Narayanan shared the wisdom gathered over the three decades of his corporate life experience, summarized in the 10 principles. The 10c’s principles, as he calls them comprised of Clarity, Competence, Credibility, Courage, Concentration, Constraints, Compassion, Creativity, Continuous Learning and Contentment.  He encouraged students to be passionate, to work hard, to be highly knowledgeable, and focus on building credibility, as in the tough trenches, a person is recognized by the quality of work and not by the degrees earned. He inspired them to have the courage to do the right things even against all odds, to respect human values, and be remembered as a leader by people for how he makes them feel and not for how many targets he achieves. He advised them to concentrate on the job at hand and to embrace creativity as a part of the spirit. He told them that the constraints are unnecessary barriers that we build in our lives, so one should remove mental blocks, prioritize and have time for recreation. He concluded his speech by adding that “the learning never ends and as we move ahead in life we should be thankful and must exhibit gratitude, keeping aside our ego”. 

Congratulating the graduating batch through a video message, Padmashri awardee Dr Bala V Balachandran, Founder, Dean and Chairman, Great Lakes Institute of Management, advised them to not be afraid of taking the toughest job. “As, if you manage to accomplish the task, you will always be remembered as a hero and if you fail, then you would have learnt a lot from the experience and you would be known for exhibiting courage,” said Dr Bala.  Dr Bala shared with them his golden rules for a successful career, saying, “one should follow one’s Passion with Compassion and should always try to succeed with integrity”. He told them to always have the winning attitude as it’s the attitude that matters and not aptitude. “During this transformation from learning stage to professional stage, uncertainties are inevitable but always remember that “winners never quit and quitters never win”, opined Dr Bala.

Dr Debashis Sanyal, Director, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon then took over the lectern and listed the highlights of the institute’s developments. Receiving the prestigious AMBA (Association of MBA’s) accreditation, being ranked among the top 5 emerging business schools by the NHRDN, liaisons with reputed foreign institutes such as ESCP Europe Business School and University of Texas, were the key milestones achieved by the institute. Concluding his report, Dr Sanyal urged the students, “to keep learning and growing, remembering and giving back to parents, the institute and teachers, and to the society, for the success you achieve in life.”

Concluding the day’s proceedings, Mr Mohan Lakhamraju, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Great Lakes Institute of Management, addressed the graduates by describing a newfound acronym to MBA – Mastery, Belongingness, Attitude. Mastery comes from developing an expertise in a particular aspect and learning to do it well. Belongingness comes from developing meaningful relationships with people and maintaining those relationships. The right attitude is necessary to stay positive and do things the right way. With this message, he conveyed his compliments to the graduates and brought the convocation ceremony to closure.

As a part of the convocation ceremony, a number of academic honors were handed to the meritorious students. In the PGPM batch, gold medals were awarded to Kothekar Pushkar Waman for academic excellence and to Bruno Varghese Nellisery for being the Dr Bala V Balachandran outstanding performer. In PGDM batch, gold medals were awarded to Hari Shrushth Shukla for academic excellence, and Garima Gupta for being the Dr Bala V Balachandran outstanding performer.

The graduating class of 2019 witnessed the excellent placement season for Great Lakes, Gurgaon, where the companies across diverse industries participated in the final recruitment process offering high quality profiles for both the programs. Some of the leading companies that participated in the process were Aditya Birla Financial Services, ADP, Axis Bank, Boston Analytics, Cognizant, Deloitte, Fractal Analytics, KPMG, NIIT Technologies, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles and so on. For the one year PGPM batch, the highest CTC offered was 17.02 lakhs p.a. and average was 11.21 lakhs p.a. while for the PGDM batch, highest CTC offered was 14.55 lakhs p.a. and the average CTC was 9.1 lakhs p.a.