Independence Day at RIBS / MSRF Bangalore in August 2018
Quarterly Newsletter of MSRF in June 2018
14.1 Dr Anantha Padmanabha Achar is a holder of PhD in Management and good friend of mine. He belongs to Udupi-Manipal and worked in MIM, Manipal Academy of Higher Education for long years. Later he was Director (MBA Deot.) of Sahyadri College of Management in Mangalore for about five years. I visited his Institute for Guest Lectures on several occasions. He was a Dean of Corporate Relations in JKSHIM, Nitte for over three years and was keen in propagating Entrepreneurship in general. Currently, he is CEO of Atal Incubation Centre, Nitte for over three years.
Guest Lecture at Sahyadri Institute, Mangalore
14.2 in October 2017, during one of our interactions, he suggested me to take up the position of Dean at MS Ramaiah Foundation, Bangalore which is running RIMS, RIBS, RILS Colleges for Management, Business Studies and Law. Dr Pattabhiram is the Director of MS Ramaiah Foundation (MSRF). Mr Ananth Ravi is a Member of their Board of Studies besides a few top-class Academics, Corporate Professionals and others. He was earlier with M/s. Reliance, Mumbai in Senior Positions. I had two-three rounds of discussions with the Director and Team before my consenting to take up as Dean of MSRF Group of Colleges in January 2018.
Cultural Program at MSRF, Bangalore : with Prof Prasad Linganna, Ms Lepakshi and others
14.3 MSRF is headed by Dr Pattabhiram, who is one of the sons of late Sri M S Ramaiah. He was an active Member and Administrators of MS Ramaiah University, Bangalore for long years. MSRF was offering various MBA Programs including that of All India Management Association (AIMA)-New Delhi, Swiss Management Institute, Annamalai University (TN) and Mysore University (Karnataka). Its other programs were under Bangalore University. MSRF had good number of faculty and staff working for Admissions, Placements, Academics, Accounts, HRD, Registrar's Office, etc. MSRF also had separate hostels for Men and Women students. It was quite popular among students, being reckoned as sister concern of Ramaiah Group.
14.4 On the advice of Mr Ananth Ravi, referred by Dr Achar, I took up as Dean of MSRF in February 2018 and worked for 7 months and quit in August 2018. I worked almost in all facets of the three Institutes, interacted with Faculty, Students and Corporate; and brought in remarkable overall improvements. I revived the Monthly Newsletters, Website, Publicity Material, Half-yearly Research Journals and encouraged the faculty in offering research seminars as also attending Conferences to present Research Papers. All the important events were led by me. MSRF has its own constraints and limitations in working like a Family Management. It was not worthwhile for me to continue beyond August 2018.
14.5 My Switching from Banking Industry to Academics was in 1999. Even though I was strong in both qualifications and experience, I was told that doing research and having PhD are equally essential in Academics. I started writing articles in 2000 itself and first published on Economic Reforms in India in 2001 waiting to register for PhD with MAHE. Later I wrote papers on Insurance with Meghdoot and Training & Development with Vidhusekhar Jha in 2002. From 2003 onwards, I started writing Research / Conference Papers on Banking, Management Education, Entrepreneurship, etc in a structured manner co-authored and guided by Dr KS Srinivasa Rao and presented / published them.
14.5.1 All above three colleagues moved out of TAPMI by 2005-06. I also shifted to Alliance Business School, Bangalore in 2006, but continued writing research papers on Banking, Management, Private Equity, Foreign Banks, Entrepreneurship, Microfinance, Financial Inclusion, etc, despite my teaching and admin responsibilities. Back to TAPMI, Manipal in 2009, I continued associating with Dr Rao, Dr Kavita Chavali, Dr Subrat Sahu, Dr Yerram Raju, Prof A Varalakshmi et al and pursued my research interests. But, due to frequent changes, I missed my attempts for PhD enrolment with Mangalore University and AIMA, New Delhi.
14.6 In the year 2018, I came across an opportunity / offer from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Research in Coimbatore who has an affiliation with University of Swahili in Panama, Central America to submit all my research work (about thirty papers) for considering an Honorary PhD. I complied with all requirements and then received a confirmation from the University that I would be conferred the same in December 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand. I travelled with Ganga to Bangkok and received the same.
Received Honorary PhD from University of Swahili in Dec 2018
In Shanghai, China with participants of NHRD Senior Management Program, Dec 2014
Industrial Tour in Shanghai, with NHRD Program participants, Dec 2014
At the 19th Annual Convocation of IFIM in August 2015 as Dean (Academics)
13.1 Having quit IFIM in September 2016, at the age of 64, I was really feeling fresh and relaxed. My wife Ganga was actively working as Principal of St Mira's High School in Bangalore. Sravanthi is happily married and was living with her husband in Melbourne. Having lost my elder brother in 2015, a new concern bothering me was my mother's ill health. She was living in our own home in Saidabad Colony in Hyderabad with my younger brother's family. She was 82 years old and was hospitalised due to a fracture / fall at home in Hyderabad during September 2016. After prolonged suffering, she died in December 2016. God was kind to her that all children were well settled and also spent her time with grandchildren.
13.2 My ex-colleague at TAPMI, Manipal Dr TN Badri invited me to handle a Course on Banking for MBA students of Rajalakshmi School of Business in Chennai in mid-2017. It was a 3-credit course and elective subject for second year students of MBA. I put in all my best efforts to deliver a high-quality content to groom the students eventually to get placed in banks. I derived tremendous satisfaction for this assignment.
13.3 Dr Sankaran, Director of JKSHIM, Nitte in Mangalore Dist is an ex-colleague of mine at TAPMI during 2003-2006. He is a top-class teacher and researcher, and worked in SP Jain, IMI besides TAPMI in India and in Sarjah University prior to joining Nitte group. He invited me to consult on Admissions for Nitte and for studying the scope for an International BBA Program, taking support from Dr Ananth Rao, my friend whom I introduced. I utilised the free time to dispose of the two flats in Manipal.
13.4 It may not be a direct incident or part of my career in banking etc. But, as an ex-Banker Pensioner and a common citizen, a retired professor the Demonetisation 2016 needs a mention here. 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation - Wikipedia. The announcement by PM Modi on the night of November 8, was a shock to many like me. Currency Notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 denominations were scrapped with immediate effect. We rushed to Bank branches to surrender the notes / cash available at home to exchange with lower denomination or credit to bank account.
13.5 Next two-three months we were starved of free transactions in banks with our own balances in savings accounts, standing in front of ATMs and at the mercy of bank staff pleading for withdrawals for essential expenses or travel or health and so on. Typical treatment of PSB branches versus Private Banks like Axis Bank that too as a Senior Citizen cannot be forgotten. Also, when my friend Mr Ravi and family from Sydney, Australia travelled to Bangalore / TN / AP / Telangana for a month or so, how I had to help him procuring hard cash is worth mentioning. There was so much mistrust, confusion, lack of guidelines regarding Foreign Currency conversion and so on.
Continued ......... 14
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
12. Final move from Manipal to Bangalore / IFIM 2014
12.1 It is generally believed that Second stint in any Organisation or Position is fraught with several risks. However, I firmly feel that I gave my best year after year and in both stints at TAPMI, Manipal (1999-2006 and 2009-2014) in its two campuses and with three Directors. I began with Dr Nagabrahmam followed by Dr Vasudev Rao, Officiating Director, and Dr Saji Gopinath as full time Director but for a limited tenure of two years ie., 2009-2011, as he was promptly repatriated to IIM Kozhikode.
12.1.1 Dr Saji left his indelible footprints cin his teaching, research, leadership, governance, financial administration, staff relations, bridging gaps with top management, image boosting, ranking, branding, recruitment, pay fixation, public relations, knowledge management & transfer, face lifting and all other possible areas. He introduced TAPMI Silver Jubilee (1984-2009) Leadership Lectures by eminent thought leaders in industry and academics. He also led us to capture all the past Convocation Lectures at TAPMI and release a Coffee Table Book. He arranged for visit of Dr Isher Judge Ahluwalia and Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia to inaugurate the Knowledge Centre (Library and IT Centre) at TAPMI and addressing a Banking Conference. Another feather in his cap was that President of India inaugurated the new Campus formally in December 2010.
Dr Saji Gopinath, Director TAPMI 2009-11
12.2 During 2009-11, I was also coordinating with Manipal Centre for European Studies of MAHE for conducting a joint MBA Program by the two institutions. I taught a few courses in the program and also travelled to Germany, Nederlands, Luxemburg and Belgium along with Dr Neeta and students of the program for a fortnight on Educational Tour. It was a wonderful learning experience for me.
Silver Award at IMC of MBA Universe in 2014 from Dr Subramanya Swamy
With Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India at TAPMI Convocation
At TAPMI Atharva in 2013 Polemic
With Mr Annamalai, IPS and SP of Udupi at TAPMI Marathon in 2014
Hosting Smt Nirupama Rao, Foreign Secretary, GOI at MAHE in 2011
With Dr Simon George Dr Murthy in Bangalore
Industrial Visit in Bremen, Germany with MCES Students in June 2011
With Dr Neeta Inamdar and Students of MCES, MAHE in Trip to Europe
The Team MESM of MAHE led by Dr Neeta, HoD., and Prof Chowdari Prasad, Dean, TAPMI Manipal went on Study Tour to Europe and covered Germany (Bremen, Hannover and Berlin), Netherlands (Groningen and Amsterdam), Belgium (Brussels and Leuven) and Luxemburg between June 3 and 22, 2011. The visits included six Universities and four major companies like Mercedez, Volks Wagon, Air Bus and Houghdout and several beaches, churches, museums and places of importance to learn all about Europe.
12.3 I also handled as Chairman-Admissions role at TAPMI besides teaching, research and as Dean (P&D). TAPMI Admissions process Director collaborated with MAHE administration and brought to campus several thought leaders and stalwarts like Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Isher Judge Ahluwalia to address our students and the special conferences and President of India, Smt Pratibha Patil for formal inauguration of the new Campus in December 2010. He introduced Silver Jubilee Leadership Lecture Series TAPMI Leadership Lecture Series and got approvals for new programs after liaising with AICTE, invited AACSB Team for Accreditation in 2011. We conducted many high-profile Conferences and Students-led events. After he was repatriated to IIMK, and a few months gap, Dr RC Natarajan was given opportunity to head TAPMI. I was involved in a variety of activities for branding TAPMI in getting awards and accolades. Best B-School in South India
12.4 I was the Editor for the Monthly Newsletter, Website, Quarterly Alumni Newsletter, Prajna- Student Newsletter, UPDATE-the Annual Magazine released on the Convocation Day. For some strange reasons, my title was changed twice in next two years as Dean (Branding & Promotions) and Dean (PR), which was against the terms of appointment by the Board. The post was abolished in December 2014 after I quit TAPMI in November 2014. TAPMI PGP Handbook of 2014-16
With VC of MAHE, Dr Neeta Inamdar, Dr A Vasudev Rao at Felicitations of MCES
APJ Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement Award in Bengaluru in 2013
Received Dr Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement National Award 2013 from International
Institute for Social and Economic Reforms (IISER), Bangalore on 18th
April, 2013 at Ravindra Kala Kshetra, Bangalore
Farewell meeting / dinner at TAPMI Manipal in Nov 2014
12.5 In Feb 2012, Peer level Team of AACSB re-visited TAPMI for accreditation as the earlier visit in 2011 was unsuccessful. For all the spade work done by all Teams, we were happy to get our mission accomplished in April 2012 as second B-School in India, next to ISB-Hyderabad. A few more new faculty members with good qualifications and experience joined TAPMI and new programs like PGDM in Health Care Management, Banking & Financial Services were added, while e-Governance was discontinued. PhD Program was also introduced later.
12.6 Dr Siva Kumar and I attended the annual event of Indian Management Conclave organised by MBAUniverse.com in New Delhi and TAPMI won a Golden Award in August 2013. The following year, I presented on Admissions at TAPMI in the same Conclave and got a Silver Award. We got AAA grading by the CRISIL at State and National level. We got several such all-India level awards and accolades for Faculty too. Our Best B-Schools Ranking was also going higher and higher which was widely publicised for increasing our Admissions to different programs. Visibility of TAPMI was also increased in the print and electronic media during this period. Dr Durga Prasad and I attended a two-day AACSB Conference in Casablanca, Morocco in the year 2013. I presented on Admissions at TAPMI in the 5th Indian Management Conclave of MBAUniverse.com in New Delhi in August 2014 and received a Silver Award at National level: 10th Indian Management Conclave 2019 (mbauniverse.com)
Visit to TAPMI Manipal in January 2009 for Polemic, Atharva
My best friend and colleague Dr Gururaj Kidiyur of TAPMI Manipal
Attended AACSB Program in 2013 at Casablanca, Morocco
12.7 A new 3 Bedroom Flat in Nandi Woods, in South Bangalore was purchased by us in early 2011 in joint names of myself and daughter Sravanthi by availing a Housing Loan from SBI, Jayanagar branch. On my personal front, my top priority was Sravanthi's marriage since after completing her MBA in 2009, she started working with Ramco, Chennai but posted in Bangalore and shifted to Manipal Informatics in Bangalore. In July 2014, we finalised an alliance with Melbourne-based Telugu groom Mr Krishna Kumar Rao, who originally hailed from Adilabad, settled in New Delhi and migrated to Australia. He was working in NAB. Engagement was done in October 2014 and the wedding was fixed to be held in April 2015. This development triggered me to look out and I landed in IFIM, Bangalore in November 2014 as Dean (P&D). IFIM B-School, Bangalore It was a big relief to me and my family to have reunion in Bangalore so that all preparations for the wedding in April 2015 will be carried out in a well-planned manner.
With all our family members (except Sister Jyothi) in April 2015
Wedding of Our daughter Sravanthi with Krishna Rao in April 2015 in Bengaluru
12.8 I joined IFIM, (now renamed as Jagdish Sheth School of Management Jagdish Sheth Business & Management School | JAGSOM) Electronics City-1, Bangalore as Professor cum Dean (Planning & Development) in mid-November 2014. Dr Harikrishna Maram joined IFIM in a senior advisory role. Dr Madhumita Chatterjeee was the Director. She was with IFIM for about 12 years in different capacities. Prof Sathish Kalra was Chair of Banking, Sri VM Mohan was Placement in Charge, Prof Anand Narasimha of Marketing area relinquished as Dean (P&D) to take over as Dean (Academics). Dr A Sridevi was Professor of Finance working with IFIM for about a decade.
12.9 There are other faculty handling different courses and roles. Smt Sowmya Prasad, earlier working with me in Alliance, was in the Placements department. Smt Surekha Shetty, of Alliance joined IFIM in November 2014 as Director-Admissions. We both reviewed the brochures for Admissions and Publicity and updated them for distributions, aiming at Admissions 2015. I also took up Courses in Banking for teaching Second Year Students. I can confidently say that numbers and quality at IFIM improved, and visibility increased.
Inaugural of new PGDM Batch 2015-17 at IFIM, Bengaluru
12.10 Our Promoters are Padode family. Our Chairman Shri Vijay B Padode lived in Mumbai and his son Mr Sanjay Padode, a techie and entrepreneur was handling day to day affairs as Secretary. He was very aggressive to take IFIM, which was founded in 1995 to greater heights in offering quality programs, running group colleges, seek better rankings, increasing admissions and of course provide excellent placements to our students. He sponsored me to attend a 10-day Senior Level Management Program organised by NHRD, New Delhi in Sanghai, China in December 2014. The key faculty was Dr Pritam Singh and participants were from about 25 top level PSUs and Others from all over India. It was an excellent learning opportunity for me.
With Shri Anantha Kumar, Union Minister and other colleagues of IFIM, Bangalore
at the annual Kanyathon event in 2015
In Shanghai China in Dec 2014 for attending NHRD Program
With co-participants in Shanghai, China in Dec 2014
At Wedding Reception of Sravanthi & Krishna in April 2015 in Bengaluru
At the Haldi Ceremony in April 2015 with SBI ex-colleagues Venkat K, PPK Rao, Venkat V, Radhakrishna, BSR Prasad, NH Rao with spouses and Ms Purnima from Hyderabad
12.11 Myself and Surekha started campaigning and screening applicants for our three PGDM Programs with an approved strength of 360, commencing with a trip to Tirupati in December 2014. Later, Ms Marushka and Balaji joined in the support team. We covered all India in many centres, in particular in Northern India viz., Patna, Delhi, Jaipur, Chandigarh, etc and got excellent response. IFIM received first global accreditation from SAAQS and embarked on groundwork for AACSB in 2014. IFIM celebrated its 20th Anniversary Program in a grand manner in 2015. The AACSB accreditation finally was achieved in 2017. My elder brother Sri Nageswara Rao, who retired from Andhra Bank, Hyderabad died in 2015 after a prolonged illness. Fortunately, by then he got all his three daughters married happily. I was invited by the Management of Vishwa Vishwani Institute of Management, Hyderabad to be on their Institute Development Council as a Member: Vishwa Vishwani
With Dr Athish, Director-JAGSOM, Bangalore, Mr Ashwini Mehra, ex-DMD SBI, and others
12.12 I handled Branding, Ranking, Accreditation work besides teaching, Academic Administration, Faculty Recruitment, Curriculum Revision through its newly constituted high-profile Board of Studies, officiated as Registrar. Many more initiatives, Personality Enhancement Program (PEP), Social Immersion Program (SIP), Kanyathan, Design Thinking, Toastmasters Club, Convocations, Alumni Relations, etc were carried out by me. I was also publishing the monthly Newsletter of IFIM and associated with its half-yearly Research Journal. Dr Madhumita quit as Director in March 2016 and Dr KS Srinivasa Rao, who joined as Dean (Academics) in February 2016 also quit in August 2016. With the appointment of my successor in August 2016, I quit IFIM in September 2016.
12.13 At this stage, I had no intention or desire to take up any new assignment. With two deaths of immediate elders in family in two past years and having completed my daughter's wedding responsibilities, it is time to take rest. I was a Life Member of IIBF, AIMA, and IIBF besides being on the Boards of Studies of Siva Sivani and Viswa Vishwani Management Institutes in Hyderabad, I was keeping myself engaged and spending time.
