Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Former director of Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Sanjeev Chopra said the work-culture in organizations is changing, so one needs skills to implement the knowledge which is contextually relevant to all situations. He was addressing an orientation programme for two new batches of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore.
“Research, art, science, theory and practical—all are connected. Try to merge them all together, and you will be able to learn and gain knowledge,” he told the newly inducted participants of EFPMG and EFPM courses.
The inauguration of the first batch of Executive Fellow Programme in Management and Governance (EFPMG) and the 11th batch of the Executive Fellow Programme in Management (EFPM) was held at IIM Indore in online mode on Friday.
In his address to students, Chopra said, “Life is meant to be enjoyed and shouldn’t be a continual struggle. Make sure you relish your research as well. It’s all about structurization and building a connection between what you like and what you do.”
Chopra was chief guest of inaugural function which was also attended by IIM Indore director Prof Himanshu Rai; Prof Philip Zerillo, Ex-Kellogg Business School, Emory University, and Indian School of Business; and Dr Alok Pande, joint secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
On the occasion, Rai shared the importance of vision, imagination, passion and perseverance.
He noted that IIM Indore stands firm at its mission to remain contextually relevant and ensures providing world class academics. “These two programmes help the participants boost their skills in a way that they are socially conscious and are able to contribute to society with their research,” he said.
The IIM Indore director advised the new batch: “During these pandemic times, the amount of work that needs to be done by administrators is mind-boggling. Make sure you try to select a research topic by recognizing problems in the society; and resolve it in a way that your knowledge contributes to the welfare of the society and in nation building.”
He encouraged the participants to be passionate about the research, add integrity to the study, enjoy the research and make sure that it creates a positive impact on others’ lives. “It’s not just about hard work. You also need to have perseverance to attain success,” he concluded.
Prof Philip Zerillo noted that it’s time everyone starts speaking the language of business—that’s what management institutions are for. “Follow your heart. Be passionate. Manage your time, for there’s no substitute for time if you lose some. Don’t take shortcuts and make sure your ideas are original. Make friends and make yourself useful and relevant to the groups you interact with,” he said.
He suggested the participants to be positive and understand that it’s not what knowledge does for a person, but what the knowledge gained by a person does for the society.
Dr Alok Pandey told the participants to pick a research topic by identifying the problems faced by the society, and then resolve the issue. “Your research should be useful to others. Make sure you don’t get lost and lose track of your research,” he said.
He mentioned that PhD helps a person study what he or she is really interested in. “Remember, choose a topic which interests you and which encourages you to contribute to the betterment of the society,” he said.
