From left to right: Prof. KK Ray (Chairman PGPWE, IIM Raipur);Mr. Mudit K. Singh (APCCF, Govt. of Chhattisgarh); Mr. Amitabh Jain (Principal Secretary to Governor of Chhattisgarh); Dr. BS Sahay (Director IIM Raipur).
IIM Raipur inaugurated the third Post Graduate Program for Working Executives (PGPWE). Mr. Mudit K. Singh, APCCF, Government of Chhattisgarh delivered the key note address. Mr. Amitabh Jain, Principal Secretary to Governor of Chhattisgarh delivered the inaugural address.
PGPWE is a one and a half year program in management designed for mid and senior level professionals. The program is designed to enhance the skills and capabilities of working managers and prepare them for senior levels within their organizations.
The program focusses on building manager’s decision making skills necessary for taking strategic decisions. The course focusses on deeper understanding of not only global markets but also emerging economies. The classes are held on weekends to enable working managers to finish the course without leaving their jobs. A good mix of case studies, discussions, projects and experience sharing help the managers hone their skills and grow in their careers.
The incoming batch has a total of 31 participants from sectors like Aluminum and Steel, Power, Banking and Financial Services, IT and Software. The largest contingent of participants is from BALCO (seven). Other participants are from organizations like 4-D education hub, Bharti AXA Life Insurance, BJCL, Cognizant Technology Solution, ETIPL, GMMCO Ltd., HDFC Ltd., IDBI Bank, Infosys Ltd, JaiswalNeco, JNIL, JSPL, KITE, LUK Technical Services Pvt. Ltd., NISG, NITIE Meenakshi Institute of Tech., NSPCL, Protex Computer Pvt. Ltd., Reliance, Sundaram Finance Ltd., Tata Motor Finance Ltd. and UTI Mutual Fund. Most participants of the incoming batch have an experience between 5 to 20 years, with one participant of more than 20 years of experience. While most participants are with an engineering background, a few are from commerce and science backgrounds as well.
In his key note address Mr. Mudit K Singh, APCCF, Government of Chhattisgarh, pointed out that the participants of an executive program are at an advantage because they are from diverse backgrounds and have an opportunity to learn not only from the faculty, but also each other. In his enlightening talk to the incoming participants, he stressed upon the importance of teamwork. He pointed out that people are becoming extremely competitive these days. “Being competitive is a good thing, it brings out the best from an individual, but beyond a point, it becomes counter-productive”, said Mr. Mudit Kumar. “Teamwork is the mantra to grow organizations”, he advised the students.Respect for time, and respect for fellow human beings are also extremely important. He implored the participants to be innovative in decision making, while operating within the framework of rules.
Mr. Amitabh Jain, Principal Secretary to Governor of Chhattisgarh, astutely pointed out in his inaugural speech a big contradiction we face in our country – “while on one hand our fellow countrymen are acclaimed and respected as professionals, we still have long queues for ration”. He called upon the participants to be inquisitive “you will never have the answers unless you ask the questions”. He shared his experiences as an administrator giving examples from both managing small Indian towns and his assignment abroad. His examples ranged from managing difficult riot situations to managing a sports event.
Dr. BS Sahay, Director, IIM Raipur cautioned the participants on the challenges they face ahead. “Being a weekend program, it is important that the participants find a balance between their work, family and academics”, he said. He cautioned the participants that IIM Raipur, being an Institute focused on quality, does not compromise on academic rigor and demands high standards of its students.
Students also shared their motivation for taking up the course. These ranged from growing in their careers to developing understanding of management concepts.