Friday, June 8, 2012

My Second Stint and Three Years at TAPMI Manipal

I realised only today that in my second stint at TAPMI, Manipal, I have just completed three years on June 01.  I quit my services in Alliance Business School in Bangalore as Professor and Registrar on May 31 after less than 3 years stint over there with a host of experiences in academics and administration. It was a different feeling like Homecoming to revert to Manipal after that break for several reasons.  But, of course, I had to leave my family in Bangalore to proceed to Manipal.

When I joined in 2009, Dr Vasudev Rao was officiating as Director and Dr Saji had assumed charge in March but was away in New Zealand for teaching then.  Dr Simon entrustred me a new responsibility of coordinating the MESM program  to be launched by Manipal University on behalf of TAPMI  in addition to be the Area Chair for Finance & Economics Area as also handle the Branding & Promotion Committee. The year started and we had many colourful events and activities in academics and administrations.  One interesting task was attending series of meetings Dr Saji was holding on various matters.  There were issues of all kinds - B-School rankings, AICTE approvals, introduction of three new programs (BFSI, IB and Healthcare Management), AACSB accreditation, also some financial and so on.  

Only one of these materialised - HCM in 2010 while approval for PGDM with increased intakes from 120 to 180 to 240 to 360 plus 120 for second shift and 10% for PIOs (as also NRI quota) materialised in course of time, thanks to strenuous efforts by one and all.  Similarly, MESM first batch was started in August 2010 with a small batch of 11 students.  I vacated my own flat in Premier Park in Manipal and shifted to stay on campus for a new beginning in October 2010.  During the same month, Dr Saji took the initiative of designating me as Dean (Planning & Development). Inauguration of full campus by the President of India was a major event in December 2010. One important decision at TAPMI was to introduce GDPIs at six outstation centres during March/April in order to increase visibility and attract good candidates on campus.

I did my best to make TAPMI participate in as many B-School Ranking surveys during 2009-10-11-12 to increase its visibility and updating the website regularly as also releasing the annual UPDATE magazines in 2010, 2011 and 2012 with complete information.  One opportunity that came in my way was to join the Study Tour to Europe by MESM students during June 2011 visiting Germany, Nederlands, Belgium/Brussels and Luxemburg. Another activity stepped up was holding periodic Alumni meets besides introducing AoM and hosting two major meets for PGDM and EPGDM in Bangalore during 2011.  Launching of long pending TAPMI Newsletter (monthly) in January 2012 is yet another milestone.

With the exit of or reverting back to IIM-K of Dr Saji Gopinath in May 2011 caused a sudden vaccum again at TAPMI but Dr Rao was holding the fort till Jan 2012 when due to dramatic developments, Dr RC Natarajan was made the Director.  One surprise development immediately was that I was re-designated as Dean (Branding & Promotions).  AACSB accreditation is a new feather in our cap by April 2012. And beginning this academic year in July, I am back to to role of Chairman-Admissions in addition to Branding & Promotions.  For some strange reasons, my teaching of Banking and Financial Services is gone and am in to more and more administration.   Life goes on and on.......

No comments: