‘Diversity At KIAMS Brought Us Together, Helped Us Evolve’

Divya Kanoudia 
PGDM General

I joined KIAMS after completing graduation in Chemistry Hons. from Jamshedpur, my home town. KIAMS has been a valuable addition to my educational profile. It is here that I have learnt to think rationally and to analyse situations from different perspectives. The campus and the faculty more than made up for the otherwise dull city though initially I was scared to join the college. My first ever class at KIAMS was of Marketing with Ananth Ram Sir. I have majored in finance. My roommates were from the Southern and Western parts of the country. Our diverse eating habits, accents, etc. was something that brought all of us even closer. Most of the students in my batch were from Gujarat.

A particular Haryanvi friend of mine has been a great source of inspiration to me at KIAMS. His pleasing talking style and even the way he walks is something I admire. Also, it was great fun to teach the many South Indian, Marathi and Gujarati friends of ours Hindi. Funnily, I found it difficult to learn any of their languages.

One major benefit of being at KIAMS was the cultural and educational diversity it had. This diversity helped me in acquiring different perspectives to every problem I faced. The diversity at KIAMS has helped us evolve as individuals. KIAMS has been instrumental in shaping my personality from an immature, childish and confusedfresher into a mature, responsible and patient individual. I have gained a lot during my years at KIAMS.

“It has given me the flexibility to adjust to every situation I might ever face.”

Divya Kanoudia

PGDM General

Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies Hires Professor Ashok Patil for Corporate Finance

From a management student to associate professor at the Global Business School, Hubli to an associate professor at KIAMS, it has been a natural progression for Prof. Ashok Patil who joined the KIAMS team last month. Prof. Patil excels in the field of corporate finance, a subject he is teaching at KIAMS.

“Being a management student myself – I am pursuing my PhD as well – I know my subject and also the importance of imparting education the right way,” he says. On being asked how he makes his classes more interesting and engaging, he says: “I involve the students in group discussions in order to bring out new ideas, encourage role-play to practice real-time market scenarios and conduct question-answer sessions wherein I clarify their doubts. All these elements are an integral part of my classroom sessions to help the students pick up things easily.”

To create a better understanding of the various aspects of management, Prof. Patil says he picks up live examples. All the management workshops he has attended, he says, come in handy as he incorporates all those teaching methods in his own sessions.

As far as prerequisites for a good manager are concerned, Prof. Patil says, a manager should be able to analyze a situation appropriately before making any decision. “He must be a quick decision-maker and result-oriented,” he adds. “Managers should be dynamic and keep themselves abreast of the latest in their field,” he says, confident KIAMS will be able to help the students achieve this objective. “They should be up-to-date and should be analytical in decision making.”

Prof. Patil has been an achiever in his own right. His passion for teaching has helped him bag a number of prizes including second prize at the National Conference on Entrepreneurship and Business Development in India. He was also chosen for having the best paper in the technical seminar Track C-101. One of his papers, ‘Role of Trust and Control in Financial Services Outsourcing: An Empirical Study’ has been accepted in a peer reviewed journal. Another paper, ‘A Critical Review of Outsourcing, Off shoring and Offshore Outsourcing of Financial Services’ has been submitted for approval at the Institute of Management Education and Research, Belgium.

KIAMS is happy to welcome Prof. Patil on board and looks forward to this high value addition to the PGDM course.

‘KIAMS Gave Me The Ability To Learn… And Unlearn’: Prashanti Akepati

It’s been nearly eight years since Prashanti Akepati passed-out of Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies. Since then, there have been quite a few alumni gatherings, but she’s never gone back to KIAMS.

“Somehow, I feel that KIAMS belongs to the current batch of students. I spent two wonderful years in that campus. The day I appeared for my last exam at KIAMS, my purpose of being there was fulfilled.” 

As a Senior Manager (Operations) with the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Department at Bajaj Allianz, Prashanti co-ordinates with the user departments and IT and helps make the communication process smooth, so that the system is developed as per the user requirement in the shortest possible time. Prashanti starts her day with a review of the tasks-to-do, followed by assignment of work to her team, coordinating with different departments, discussions regarding implementation of new processes, and finally, taking stock of the targets achieved and the ones that are to be achieved.

“I love being behind the scene… an anonymous force which has a huge impact on all users, pan-India. All changes in the system process go through the UAT, making us central to the smooth running of the system.”  She points out that a reputed B-school like Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies is a great launch-pad that pushes you to a higher rung in the career ladder.

“It was at KIAMS that I learnt the art of listening. Very often you will see two people saying the same things, but not agreeing with one another. One has to listen, to be able to deliver what is needed. The most important thing that KIAMS taught me was the ability to learn… and unlearn. The day we think that we know more than others, is the day when our growth ceases in that environment. One has to be open to learning every day to be able to perceive opportunities and grow further.” Intake at Bajaj Allianz for a B-school grad is as a management trainee (MT), but within a year a MT is promoted to Assistant Manager. That’s when the real climb begins.

“Acceptance among peers is hard for MT’s, as they are seen as a privileged lot who are given fancy salaries and titles, without having proven their worth. The peer pressure that a management graduate goes through in the 1st year is immense. I have seen around 4 to 5 batches; every batch faces the same attitudinal issues. Quite a few leave after the first year – year and a half. It is not the solution. I want current batches at KIAMS to be prepared for such conditions.” However, what an ordinary executive learns in 3 years, an average management trainee packs in one year, thanks to B-schools like KIAMS. MT’s have to work twice as hard and smart, perform under pressure, take quick decisions and learn on their feet – stuff we were put through, at KIAMS.”

The trick, says Prashanti, is to understand the organizational perspective. After all, graduates from KIAMS are expected to fill in the shoes of the mid-management. “Passing-out of KIAMS with a good designation and package is just the beginning. With it comes the responsibility and accountability of taking decisions, abiding by the decisions taken, managing the team, and upholding the values of your organization. KIAMS teaches you to be a jack of all trades, but outside, you’ve got to be the master of atleast one. In real life work environment, one is valued for one’s knowledge of the field.”

Prashanti thanks Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies for her confidence and independence, and letting her know the importance of ‘employability’. “Nobody is indispensable. Constantly evaluate your contributions to the organization, and whether they are valued or not. Don’t be complacent; you never know when an organization would like to dispense with you.”

Prashanti Akepati
Senior Manager, Operations
Bajaj Allianz Pvt Co. Ltd. 

Engineering experience gives KIAMS’ professor a solid foundation for academic career

“Engineering gave me the analytical bent,” said Prof. Manickavasagam Sivagnanasundaram, professor of Marketing at the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies. “The practical exposure that I gained during my practice as an engineer helped me to grasp the concepts of management in a better way,” he said.

 

It’s this blending of practical experience with academic learning that has boosted KIAMS ranking among top MBA schools to a level it truly deserves.

Prof. Manickavasagam began his academic career by earning his BE in civil engineering from Madurai Kamaraj University, and, after several years in engineering, went on to earn an MBA in marketing from that same university, followed by a PhD in marketing from the National Institute of Technology at Trichy.

With a firm understanding of both industry and academia, he wanted to share his knowledge with future generations and joined the teaching staff at KIAMS.

The move has been interesting and challenging, said Prof. Manickavasagam.

At KIAMS, he said enthusiastically: “We have students from all over India having different cultural backgrounds. Identifying a common platform for discussions and examples is interesting and challenging. The students at KIAMS demand more practical inputs than theoretical knowledge. The students create an environment which is conducive to intellectual stimulation and results in two-way learning.”

Faced with publishing papers in journalistic reviews and international publications, addressing conferences and teaching, it seems an academic must wear many different hats. But Prof. Manickavasagam said: “Though it appears to be different fields, they are actually intertwined.

“The teacher needs to get to know the ground reality by carrying out research,” he said, and that research has to be forwarded to fellow teachers and industry.

“The conferences offer the platform for deliberating the research ideas with fellow teachers,” said Prof. Manickavasagam, noting publishing in journals puts the research out to an even wider audience.

Aiming to boost the KIAMS marketing department’s standing over other B-Schools, he said: “Industry exposure gives much visibility to any department of a B-School” and so more consultancy assignments are planned.

“Above all, the student participation in various management forums and events will enhance the visibility manifold,” said Prof. Manickavasagam, “but for that, the students need to be trained and encouraged to participate in such events. We are in the process of doing so.”

When asked about how he feels India compares with the rest of the world in regard to E-services, he said India is a pioneer in adopting electronic voting machines and noted: “E-CHOUPAL is another success story,” and “E-governance is getting momentum now.”

While Internet banking and mobile banking have so far had a lukewarm reception, Prof. Manickavasagam predicted: “Innovative approaches limiting the risk exposure of the consumer will increase the usage.”

As final words of wisdom to students at KIAMS, he advised: “In today’s competitive environment one has to run faster to stay in the same place. Knowledge and exposure will give you the energy to run faster. Keep your eyes and ears open for acquiring knowledge and be always prepared to carry out experiments that give you the exposure.”