The Athenaeum Effect

17th March 2007 morning. I wake up in the guest apartment in Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tirchy. A humble attempt of learning made by myself and Nishi had brought us here. Athenaeum 07, a national symposium organized by BIM aimed at gathering academicians to discuss and deliberate topics on contemporary management research – Human Resources Management & IT Management. I reminded myself of the time when I stood before the notice board at ASB reading the Athenaeum notice four months ago and how I and Nishi had planned to work together. Our efforts had paid off. We were here today to present our paper, “Employer Branding – Branding for the future”.

BIM student organizers where always around. There was Balaji, Bibek and Archana who always made sure we were comfortable. As we reached the Symposium hall, driving around the gigantic BHEL complex, we had started to appreciate the relevance and appropriateness of the event. We were informed that ours would be the fourth paper to be presented. The symposium began…. As academicians and scholars presented papers, we felt like dwarfs or more like children looking at the ocean watching the elders swim. There was Amber Raza, Lecturer at Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology who had come all the way from Pakistan to share her views on Occupational stress, there was Colin Funk who had come from Canada to talk about creative capacity and tere were eminent academicians present their papers. Archana said our presentation went well. We didn’t think of that at all. It was a different experience. It was not a B-fest!!!

In the evening after the presentation sessions for the day was over, there was this Plenary session about fostering innovation and creativity in the work place. We were blessed to listen to Mr. G. D. Sharma, Vice President and Head-HR, Larsen & Toubro, Dr. R Karthikeyan, Director, Gemba Management Consulting Pvt.Ltd, Mr. Raja Shanmugham, VP – Testing Services, MindTree, and S. Anand, Deputy GM, HR, Tablets India Ltd. talk about how organizations go about managing and fostering talent. This part was what I liked the most. It was just awesome.

As the first day comes to a close, I am already waiting for tomorrow. We are sure that when we return home to ASB, we’ll bring with us a great experience. This opportunity was the best I’ve ever gotten so far… Thanks to Shobhana mam, Deepak sir, Krishnan sir and Somnath sir for their encouragement and support. Let’s keep it going. Learning is unending. We just have to look forward.

Checkin in to blogworld and i'm sentimental

First blog guys.. first time.. i'm new to this stuff, so forgive the blushes..

Anyways...27 days to go to the end of the first year and i'm already depressed..
wat will i do without u guys for company? nine months hav gone by can u believe it?? NINE MONTHS!!!

I bet half of ya still remember the ice-breaker we had.. i do...
'nd how bout the communications workshop?? cool was the word..

first term?? think the trip to thirumurthy falls... think utsav.. think NGO (BC)

second term?? think PRAGATI.. thats a memory for a life time huh?

this third term?? here's a thought, our seniors are leavin... and next year, we try to fill in their BIG shoes

And to the seniors, i have one thing to say- DO COME BACK ONCE IN A WHILE..

Thats all for now.. watch this space for more..
Non-sentimental its gonne be for sure.

Touche' to Amrita! :)

I think it struck me during the Marketing Research class last night (hope I’m not gonna get stereotyped as someone getting inspiration only from classrooms! :) making me a truly unique phenomenan!) but I guess when you’ve fought enough to get your brain ticking at 10.15 P.M in the night to absorb what exploratory/descriptive/causal research are (yea: I did listen! :) ), you’re alert enough to gain perspective, also!

Our Deepak Sir (roll of drums, now!) was constantly exhorting us to ‘stay with them’ and ‘hang in there’… while they rush through some 140 slides in 70 min. ‘park the thought in your mind: Im sure it’ll all come together sometime’… (very familiar phrases, Im sure.. especially for the Seniors! :) ) and I suddenly felt, that there really isn’t any reason the poor man should sweat it out, shouting, at 9 P.M in the night: for a whole 2 hours, or why our Seniors should sit through lectures they could probably take themselves… standing up at 10.45 P.M to talk about what they did close to a year ago…. All for what? Don’t see us thanking them on bended knee or handing them a free lunch… :) As Sir, said it : t’was a sheer ‘labour of love’…. :) And this, people, my claim is: ‘happens only in Amrita’

I think it should’ve been us begging them to update us on research methodology (and Im not responsible for what one may read from that statement….N on an unconnected-note: I kinda…am really bad… at QMM…) I think this just descended on us: a whole schedule, structure, course outline and resources on the server that may have endangered a Professor’s electronic security ;)

I guess what Im getting at, is… This kind of thing, where people go an extra-mile for us.. for really no apparent reason… Is something only the culture at Amrita will nurture and appreciate…. This alone, is the standpoint, from which you can begin to see why ASB would, will differ from other B-Schools… because we here, have a heart. :)

Now what would have happened if we hadn’t been offered this tutorial? Would we have even realized that there’s so much we are missing out on until we began our Summer Internships? Now, all of us are left with a distinctly thankful feeling after having listened to our Seniors’ experience… that in some handed-down way…we are more equipped to handle our own Summer Projects.(and this from a person looking for a project in Finance…)

A heart that is in the right place can hold the key… All of us have the power to make a positive difference… All it takes is a little thought… and a willingness to help… It can make all the difference in the world….As it has now.

As long we are able to see this, and implement this in our (daily?) lives, I think we’ve pretty much imbibed what ASB would want us to be, as Managers… After all.. Managing is all about being ‘human’…:) Think about it, people…

So until later then, ciao! Have a nice day! :)