“Interview with Prof. Umakant Dash”
Team MBA Rendezvous recently spoke to Prof. Umakant Dash, Director at Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA). The dialogue explored the importance of education and the role of the Institute of Rural Management Anand in addressing unique challenges and opportunities in rural areas and rural development. Following is an excerpt:
Team MBA Rendezvous - How can IRMA be said to be a reflection of Bharat, which is rural India?
Dr. Umakant Dash: : Well, it's a mini Bharat inside the campus. IRMA embodies the core values and dynamics of rural India. Bharat predominantly has over 60 to 70 percent of people directly or indirectly dependent on the rural economy for their livelihood, and so principles of sustainable and inclusive development are essential for Viksit Bharat.
At IRMA, the focus is on rural management by addressing both the unique challenges and opportunities presented in rural areas. This is done by fostering connections with students and gaining the grassroots reality of Bharat. The USP of the flagship program of IRMA is the blend of academic rigor with practical engagement. This directly contributes to the institution's core mission of holistic rural economic development. With representation from almost 18 to 19 states, we have diversity from across India, and so we see it as some kind of reflection of what Bharat is.
Team MBA Rendezvous - What's the balancing key with IRMA students coming from urban areas and adapting to the rural ecosystem?
Dr. Umakant Dash: : The comprehensive curriculum, combined with mandatory rural immersion programs, helps students navigate from wherever they are to our kind of setup and understand and appreciate the rural economy better. At the end of their first term, students spend two months in rural villages as part of our 'village field segment'. This immersive experience exposes them firsthand to rural realities, including culture, ecosystems, and local governance. Upon returning, students use the theories, experiences, and practices to solve the problems that they have seen.
Our curriculum and subsequent summer internships delve deep into the intricacies of rural communities, from demographics, economics, and culture to politics, enabling them draw a holistic picture of the rural economy. The exposure and the experience that they get on campus helped them fill the gap. And by the time they graduate, they don't see they have any kind of limitation in understanding the complications or the intricacies of the rural economy.
Team MBA Rendezvous - How does IRMA play its role of pioneering in the rural market?
Dr. Umakant Dash: : As an academic institution, our core function is to produce graduates. This aligns with our mission of professionalizing institutions serving rural and vulnerable sections of society. This is done by supplying enough human resources to these sectors who are well versed in both management and development principles.
IRMA is a 44-year-old institute whose 45 th batch has just got admitted. It has close to 4,000 alumni, whom we call the change makers. And these change makers are there in the agribusiness sector, in rural marketing, in microfinance institutions, heading the NGO's, non- government organizations, so that directly and indirectly they are contributing to the upliftment and professionalizing the institutions that are there in the rural areas.
We are strongly related to the state and the central government and engage with ministries like the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Panchayatraj, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Cooperation, to name a few, with a lot of assessment studies to help them in developing and formulating policies. IRMA is the first institute with which the Ministry of Panchayatraj has signed an MOU.
Through research, we generate evidence that is fed to the governments to understand why certain schemes are picked up better and why some sectors did not take off. This helps with mid-course corrections to make them successful. IRMA also undertakes several training and management development programs for the development, government and corporate sectors. Training is also provided to bank officials for financial inclusion. The market is saturated, and to expand, it's only possible by venturing into the rural market. So through these activities, we help, or we believe we play a role, in leading the rural market.
Team MBA Rendezvous - Indeed, India's journey to becoming a 5 Trillion economy will be on the back of Bharat so how IRMA is likely to contribute to achieving the milestone?
Dr. Umakant Dash: : Achieving the government's goal of a $5 trillion economy by 2030 and a $30 trillion economy by 2047 requires simultaneous growth of both rural and urban economies. As an academic institution, we will contribute by fostering leaders and professionals who drive rural growth and development, by professionalizing the institutions that are there in the rural economy and by producing graduates who are very well equipped to enhance productivity and implement sustainable practices.
IRMA is also playing a major role in social enterprises through startups by creating job opportunities and providing innovative solutions that helps in improving livelihoods, leading to women's empowerment and uplifting rural economies. The research and consultancy by faculties will garner more evidence for policymakers to come up with policies supporting the government schemes. People are not aware of many of their entitlements or benefits that they are supposed to get and our student’s conduct a lot of awareness campaigns to make them aware of it, so through these mechanisms we are likely to contribute to the growth of the economy.
Team MBA Rendezvous - How IRMA is marching robustly along with the legacy of Dr. Verghese Kurien ?
Dr. Umakant Dash: : The heart of the institution is the heart of Doctor Kurien. The institution's core values are deeply intertwined with the legacy of Dr. Kurien, who believed in women's empowerment and not just production by volume but production by the masses. His emphasis on cooperative development, a model where millions of farmers contribute to production, has been a cornerstone of the institution's work. This approach not only boosts the rural economy but also empowers women by providing additional income sources.
The institution is steadfast in its commitment to social equity and sustainable growth, principles that Dr. Kurien passionately practiced. These values are integrated into the institution's curriculum, fieldwork, and research initiatives. The institution is actively pursuing a circular economy model, aligning with contemporary challenges and maximizing the value of rural resources from Gobar to Gobardhan, so that nothing goes waste in rural economy. By honoring Dr. Kurien's ideals and adapting them to modern contexts, the institution strives to elevate his legacy and benefit future generations.