Impressions from October

The Aadhaar Conference Showcases UID Opportunities

In a country over one billion-strong, a system which provides a Unique Identification (UID) tool for each citizen opens up many economic and social opportunities, especially in the unorganised sectors. The Aadhaar Conference, held at the ISB campus on October 22, showcased a buffet of ideas on the potential of the UID through panel discussions and a competition where participants presented their ideas on how to tap the opportunities thrown open by this initiative. According to Raman Taneja, Technology Head, IFMR Rural Finance, besides opening up certain possibilities, the biometric identification tool, which is a critical feature of the UID, can potentially reduce the incidence of fraud in the financial sector. The present system which relies on the signature and pin number, poses certain security issues that can be mitigated through the UID. This conference was organised jointly by The Identity Initiative (IDI) and the Wadhwani Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (WCED) at the ISB. The Identity Initiative (IDI) was launched by the Srini Raju Centre for IT and the Networked Economy (SRITNE) at the ISB, to facilitate research on the impact of the UID project. To know more about the IDI and SRITNE’s role in the initiative, please visit www.isb.edu/SRITNE/IDI/.

ISB Students Conduct Workshop in Bihar to Empower NGOs

During the recent term break, as part of an ongoing outreach initiative, a group of ISB students travelled to Patna to conduct a workshop on basic business and management skills for nonprofit organisations. Their objective: to help NGOs gain entrepreneurial skills. “Diffusion 2011,” the two-day event, was jointly organised by the Wadhwani Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (WCED), the Net Impact Club at ISB and the Central University of Bihar (CUB). The workshop incorporated case studies, lectures, and panel discussions to convey management practices that NGOs can leverage upon when building their scale and efficiency. The Net Impact Club is committed towards making a positive social impact by applying business skills to solve social problems. The team plans to make this model of training more sustainable and self-driven, and is working towards expanding its reach in the future. For more information on “Diffusion 2011” visit their blog, http://blogs.isb.edu/wced/2011/10/12/diffusion-2011-patna-business-skills-for-social-impact/#more-275.

Vice Admiral Speaks on India’s Coastal Riches

While the economic opportunities of India’s shallow West coast have been recognised, the asset value of the East coast is only beginning to gain appreciation. This was one of the ideas presented by Vice Admiral Anup Singh, Flag-Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Indian Navy in his address to ISB students on the "Exclusive Economic Zones and Untapped Mineral Wealth of Peninsular India." The sheer depth of the Eastern basin presents enormous oil and gas reserves, besides providing a conducive environment to create core national assets such as shipyards and ports. Yet, this is only one part of the story.

India is also one of the few countries in the world blessed by both monsoons. Moreover, the Indian coast also experiences sunshine throughout the year. A combination of this puts India in a position where wind, solar and hydro energy can be harnessed in abundance. “This translates to zero investment and plentiful recyclable energy,” explained Vice Admiral Singh.

ISB Announces the Founding Class of its Young Leaders Programme

The ISB is all set to embark on yet another initiative – this time targeted at India’s bright and promising college students. The Young Leaders Programme (YLP) will welcome its Founding Class, comprising of 45 talented college students, on campus in 2012. These candidates have an opportunity to fast-track their careers by receiving pre-admission to ISB’s Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP). Prior to commencing the PGP, students are required to complete one year and nine months of work experience. During that time, they will be mentored by ISB’s senior faculty through a structured and meticulous learning process, which includes four intensive weekend programmes on the ISB campus at a gap of six months each. For more information on the YLP, please visit http://isb.edu/pgp/ylp.shtml.

Team ISB Wins “Exchequer 2011”

The ISB team, comprising Ritesh Mangla, Piyush Bansal, Ankit Aggarwal, Rajkumar Vinod Vachher and Amit Tyagi, all students of the PGP Class of 2012, emerged as the “Wizards of Finance” and winners at “Exchequer 2011,” a competition organised by BETA, the Finance and Investments Club of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA), in association with UBS, a global financial services firm.

The competition, aimed to bring together some of the best Indian B-school students in the field of finance, tested the teams across four broad areas of finance such as capital markets, investment banking, private equity and strategic finance. In addition to this, the participants put to test their business acumen, ability to think on their feet as well as their quantitative, analytical and communications skills.

ISB students have performed consistently well in competitions this year. Just last month, a team from ISB emerged as “National Champions” at the "8th National Competition for Management Students (NCMS) 2011."

Retail Conclave Celebrates Consumerism with Conscience

“Mercado 2011,” ISB’s very own Retail Conclave, brought a touch of glamour to the campus, besides providing the community with a chance to indulge in some retail therapy, albeit with a meaningful cause. As part of the “Retail Trigger” competition, six student teams from various B-schools across India, set up their stalls and competed to sell merchandise including bags, garments and candles sourced from various NGOs. The conclave also showcased a panel discussion on “Redefining Retail: Future and Emerging Trends.” “Mercado 2011” ended with a fashion show that was organised by ISB students, which showcased apparel from local designers and stores. For more details, visit http://www.isb.edu/media/UsrSiteNewsMgmt.aspx?TopicID=745.

Professor S Ramnarayan Co-Authors Book on Organisation Development

Professor S Ramnarayan, Clinical Professor of Business, ISB has co-authored “Organization Development: Accelerating Learning and Transformation” with Professor T V Rao, Chairman, T.V.Rao Learning Systems Pvt Ltd. In this book, Professors Ramnarayan and Rao build on the foundation of their extensive research with organisations over several decades and explore issues in Organisation Development (OD) such as altering mindsets, overcoming silo thinking, bringing about cultural change, as well as building managerial and organisational capability for future competitiveness. The book features contributions from academic, corporate and consulting organisations and focuses on issues relevant to India and the emerging markets.

ISB Collaborates with the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) to Work on Energy Efficiency

The ISB is proud to announce the launch of yet another initiative. The Centre for Emerging Markets Solutions at the ISB and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) have established the CPI-ISB Energy and Environment Programme with a generous financial commitment from the CPI. A policy effectiveness analysis and advisory organisation that assesses, diagnoses, and supports national efforts to achieve low-carbon growth, CPI is committed to fund the programme for a minimum period of three years. The programme will focus on how climate policy interacts with incentives for businesses, and will include work in all key sectors of the Indian political economy. Given the needs of policymakers and decision-makers, this programme will cover areas such as financing of renewable energy, renewable energy and energy efficiency policy, green growth, urbanisation and forestry.

"Campus Green" Initiative Launched at ISB’s Mohali Campus

Recently, about 100 tree saplings of Alstonia scholaris (Scholars tree) and Magnolia grandiflora (Southern magnolia) were planted on campus as part of a series of initiatives lined up towards making the Mohali campus a green and environment-friendly campus. Analjit Singh, Chairman, Max India Group and member of the ISB Executive Board planted the first sapling. With their presence, a group of school children from Ryan International, Mohali added cheer and merriment to the occasion. For updates on the Mohali campus, visit www.isb.edu/MohaliCampus/.