Quarterly |February 2012 | Vol. 1, Issue 1 | https://sites.google.com/a/fiib.edu.in/alumni-test-1/home Message from Alumni Committee 1 Achievements 1 Interview with an Alumni 2 Alumni Emissaries 2 Campus Reporter 3 Mumbai Alumni Meet 5 Class Notes 7 Alumni Hub 7 Announcement section 8 Continuing Education for Alumni 8 Dear Fellow Alumni, FIIB Alumni Committee takes great pleasure to present to you the first issue of Alumni eNewsletter FIIB Alumni Connection. This quarterly eNewsletter has recently launched a supplement Alumni Hub and we expect both to help us in connecting and building strong ties with our distinguished alumni. We are dedicating the first issue of this eNewsletter to the Mumbai Alumni Meet held on October 2, 2011. The Mumbai Alumni Meet provided a good opportunity for the Alumni to network, to share their experiences and revive old memories. The Western India Alumni Chapter was formally inaugurated during this meet and Mr Ravi Virwani (Product Manager-Reliance Retail, FIIBian, 2005 batch) was appointed as its President. This issue of FIIB Alumni Connection shares recent endeavours, accomplishments and upcoming events encompassing the Founder's Day, Samavesh -2012 and Meraki. FIIB is one of the few top Indian B- schools which intends to impart a strong sense of ethics and social responsibility to upcoming management professionals so that they can serve the needs of both business and society. These events will help budding management professionals in developing this spirit. In order to receive regular copies of our eNewsletter, please register yourself at the FI I B Al umni Onl i ne Communi ty and update your contact information. This will also help us in sending you timely invitations for various events. We would like to wish all our lumni a very happy and colo rful Holi! Here's wishing you an invigorating and happy reading! Warm Regards, FIIB Alumni Committee (https://sites.google.com/a/fiib.edu.in/a lumni-test-1/home) a u MESSAGE FROM THE ALUMNI COMMITTEE CONTENTS FIIB Turns 18 on Feb 21 Every year on February 21, FIIB anniversary is celebrated in memory of the founder (late) Mr R K Shrivastava (or R K Sir). This year too, th the 18 anniversary was celebrated with pomp and gaiety on February 21. A conference on 'Implementing Sustainability: From Boardroom to the Shop Floor' was organised on this occasion. The keynote speaker for the conference was Mr Inderpreet Singh Wadhwa, CEO, Azure Power. This conference comprised 2 sessions: session 1 related to a panel discussion on Implementing Sustainability: From Board Room to Shop Floor and session 2 included incisive presentations by FIIB Business Review authors: Prof. Swanand Deodhar on ' Moni tori ng I T for Envi ronment Sustainability: A Maturity Model Approach' and Prof. Sanjeev Varshney on 'Joy of Giving: Marketing for a Cause. A Case Study'. The first issue of the much-awaited revamped in- house journal FIIB Business Review (FBR) was also launched on this occasion with FIIB reaffirming its commitment to become one of the global preferred Centers for Excellence in research and practice in sustainability. During the afternoon, Jaagriti Club hosted 50 underprivileged kids on the campus. The kids thoroughly enjoyed a magic show, painting session, talent showcase session and a nice supper. The event concluded with a Chat over Chaat session in front of the FIIB greens. FIIB has bagged the prestigious Dewang Mehta Award for best academic input in finance. The 19th Dewang Mehta Award was received by Prof. Anupam Bhaskar on November 26 in Mumbai at Taj Lands' End, Mumbai. Dewang Mehta Business Awards recognise talent and leadership amongst business schools across India. FIIB among top 50 B Schools FIIB has been consistently ranked amongst the top B-Schools in various reputed surveys from time to time. Recently, FIIB was listed among the top 50 Indian B-Schools by a survey carried out by CNBC-TV 18. CNBC-TV 18's best B-Schools 2012 is the fourth edition of the rankings that covers 145 B-Schools, 235 recruiters and 217 faculty members. FIIBians score at Toastmasters On October 16, 2011, the New Delhi Institute of Information Technology (NDIIT) hosted toastmasters area C2 contests of District 41. FIIB contestants comprising of Riddhi Singh, Pankaj Lakhera, Afzal Alam, Jaspreet Singh, Richa Mathur, Asim Agha, Nitesh Bhadadra, & Sumit Gupta were praised for their brilliant performance. FIIB Bags Dewang Mehta Award FEATHERS IN FIIB CAP FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 1 AIDS CAMPAIGN BY JAGRITI An AIDS awareness programme for FIIB students was conducted on November 12 at the campus by J agriti (The S o c i a l Consci ence club of FIIB). The session ed u c at ed young FIIBians about t he causes and prevention of HI V- A I DS followed by an interactive round. Students participated in this quiz with enthusiasm and received gifts from PEPSICO representatives Mr Sanjay Gupta and Ms Ruchika Khatta, Dr Sadia Samar Ali, faculty mentor for Jagriti Club felicitated the winners. 'Networking is a key skill' INTERVIEW WITH FIIB ALUMNI Every year, FIIB graduating students make transition from exciting campus lives filled with extra curricular activities and clearing exams at the campus to becoming corporate warriors in the real world. It will be interesting to know the perspective of some of our alumni and their experiences. Here is an excerpt of the interview with Mr Amit Garg, FIIB alumni of batch 1999-01 who currently works as a business head, hand-to-hand retail solutions. Your success mantra • Do things which you enjoy very much and are passionate about • Be down to earth and be ready to learn and share from anyone • Be willing to learn and take risks • Be brave, go where opportunities exist, if you don't try, someone else will • Always be yourself and try to stay physically fit Do you still believe in the same principle as you did when you were a student? I still believe in some of them, like learning by doing. In order to develop expertise in any area, we must acquire component skills, practice integrating them and know when to apply what we have learned. Importance of networking in present times Networking is an essential skill. In the long run, the more you network the better you will feel about yourself. In order to drive meaningful value f r o m n e t w o r k connect i ons, i t i s imperative to invest extra time and effort. Proactive networking always helps rather than passive networking. However, we need to bear in mind that networking is not about personal chat or bragging about ourself. We need an effective strategy to ensure networking results in word-of-mouth referrals, which can be the most effective marketing tool. At the end of the day, most people rely on trusted recommendations and networks. Always look for ways to help the people in your network and stay in touch. Your funniest moment as a professional Working in areas about which you do not know anything but are able to deliver well. DISTINGUISHED FACULTY Prof. Kalpana Chauhan presents a paper in international conference organised by IIM-Luck now FIIB faculty research to be reported in international research handbook on Open ERP Systems and Strategies. Prof. Sadia Samar Ali to publish a book on present trends in supply chain in the cement industry Prof. Kal pana C h a u h a n pr esent ed a research paper titled, "Role of Content Strategy in Social Media Brand Communities: A Case of Higher E d u c a t i o n Institutes" co- authored with Mr. Anandan Pillai (MDI Gurgaon) in the international conference in marketing – Shaping the Future of Research in Marketing in Emerging Economies: Looking Ahead – organised by IIM-Lucknow. Prof Swanand Deodhar and Prof KBC Saxena of FIIB, Prof Rajen Gupta of MDI and Prof Mikko Ruohonen of University of Tampere, Finland have published their paper titled 'Business Models of Open Source ERP Products' in Free and Open Source Enterprise Resource Planning: Systems and Strategies, a book published by IGI Global, USA. Prof. Sadia Samar Ali along with Dr R Dubey and Prof. S Tiwari wi ll be publishing a book on “Future Trends in Supply Chain P r act i ces i n Cement Industry: Suppl y Chai n Engineering of Cement Industry”. This will be published by LAMBERT Academic Publishing GmbH &Co. KG, Germany. Prof. Sadia Samar Ali has also co-authored a paper titled “Effect of Logistics Competencies on Performance of Indian Manufacturing Firms- An Empirical Study” with Prof. R Dubey of the Asian Council of Logistics Management. This paper appeared in the (December issue) of the journal. KNOW YOUR ALUMNI EMISSARIES Atanu Bora 1998-00 Rishi Srivastava 2001-03 Prateek Nirmal 2003-05 Upendra Kr. Ra 2004-06 Trailukya Dutta 2005-07 Dipesh Jain 2007-09 Suman Kr. Roy 2008-10 Priya Kumbhat 2009-11 FIIB introduces personalised email accounts for alumni on Google @alumni.fiib.edu.in Haven't used your alumni email account lately? You'll have unlimited reasons to dust it off and give it a new try : Register to get your alumni email You'll have 25GB of storage, integrated access to Google Calendar and Docs, and you'll be able to email on the go from your mobile phone or tablet. Plus, your email will be safe, secure and ad-free. FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 2 FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER FIIBians Tour Slovenia and Finland FIIB, in its endeavour to inculcate a global perspective and a broader outlook in young managers, organised two educational tours, one to Slovenia and Italy and another to Finland from September 23 to October 2. The theme of the trip was 'Sustainability and Environment'. During the trip, students were provided insights into the sustainability domain by faculty members from the University of Ljubljana and Government of Slovenia including Dr. Lucka Bogataj who shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The sessions focused on issues such as climate change, environment management, and integrating sustainability with business. The students also visited the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO); one of the constituent organisations of United Nations. Another group of 14 PGDM students took off for Finland on September 25 along with Prof. K.B.C. Saxena and Prof. Kalpana Chauhan. The trip was organised with the objective of giving students international academic and industrial exposure. During the trip, the students visited three companies: Nokia at Salo, Metso Automation and Demola. FIIB Welcomes Swedish Delegation A Swedish delegation comprising a highly diverse group, in terms of vocation and educational background, visited the campus on November 3 0 . T h e delegation consisted of l awyer s, pol i t i cal scientists, edi t o r s , wr i t er s , journalists a n d entrepreneu rs. The session began with a welcome address by the FIIB Leadership Program (FLP) students. These students apprised the guests about India as a nation and informed them about the economy, cultural mores, youth and technological developments in the country. rd 63 Republic Day Celebration at FIIB The 63rd Republic Day was celebrated by the entire FIIB fraternity on the lawns with usual pomp and gaiety. On this occasion, the n a t i o n a l tricolour was hoisted by F I I B chairman, Mr Manish Kheterpal . Af t er t he chairman's enlightening and thought- provoki ng speech, the gat her i ng w a s addressed by Director Dr. A.K. Sinha and Dean Dr. K.B.C. Saxena. On this occasion, Jagriti (the Social Conscience Club at FIIB) organised a tree plantation drive in the college gardens. This is in line with the institute's commitment to build a better tomorrow and greener future for future generations. Sam Walton College us enjoys Lohri On Lohri, celebrations started after college hours and continued till late in the evening. The event was attended by Ms. Radhika Shri vas- tava, Mr. Mani sh Kheterpal, f acul t y staff and students o f t h e institute. After the traditional lighting of the Lohri bonf i re, the group comprising FIIB students and their counterparts from Sam Walton broke into energetic Bhangra moves. The sumptuous south Indian cuisine served on this occasion was relished by the group. A fun- filled evening was an absolute delight to the guests and much-needed break for FIIBians. FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 3 FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER by Hardik Virmani (FIIB Alumni) Once my mom went to an astrologer to know my future and what will I become. The astrologer told her that he will not go for further studies and after completing school he will join the family business. When my mom told me about this, I become very sad and demotivated because of two reasons: first, because of the astrologer's prediction and second because I cannot hear dim or low voice with my left ear. My mom told me that your negative points can be your strengths. There was a guy who lost his left hand due to an accident and subsequently took part in a Kung-Fu competition. He wanted to take part in that competition. He went to the Kung-Fu coach to learn Kung-Fu and the master told him that he cannot participate in the competition because it demanded full physical fitness but he desperately wanted to take part. After sensing his never-die attitude, his coach told him that he cannot ask questions regarding whatever he teaches him and he agreed. The coach taught him one step, to move his right leg and punch with the right hand with full power. The competition began and he reached the final using that one step taught by the coach to him. During the final match, the spectators predicted that it would be difficult for a one-handed guy to win this match. When the match began the competing participant beat him during the first round and when the second round began still he got beaten by the other. In between when he got chance he did that step and won the championship. Hard Work Can Overcome Hard Luck FIIB under its Industry Interface Forum recently held a HR Conclave on 'Innovation in HR: Gearing for 2020'. In the Conclave, eminent HR experts and practitioners from the industry (such as Mr Suresh Dutt Tripathi, Mr. Murli Dhar Shyam, Mr B. Ram Mohan, Ms. Pritha Dutt, Mr Ashok Grover, Ms. Ishita Adhikari, Dr. M.S. Rau, Mr. Shekhar Ghose and Mr. Sumit Chaudhuri) enlightened the assembled audience comprising of students and young HR professionals on various issues related to Innovation in Human Capital Management, Strategic Alignment of HR, and Innovative HR Frameworks. The chief guest of the conclave was Mr. Suresh Tripathi President HR, SRF limited and the keynote speaker was Mr. B Ram Mohan- Vice-President, HR, Everest Industries. Mr. Tripathi in his address focussed on - A boundaryless, flattened world with homogeneity in consumption patterns and omnipresence of products and services, changing employment contracts and attitudes demands integrating HR models for talent retention and attraction. Mr. B Ram Mohan described HR as a navigation tool and said “the HR professional should come out of its HR professional name tag, and integrate himself as a part of the business process to understand how to contribute best to the organisation.” During the inaugural session, Dr. A.K. Sinha- Director FIIB welcomed the guest speakers and delegates, and subsequently the FIIB Dean, Dr. K.B.C Saxena, highlighted the innovative approach followed at FIIB curriculum. Dr. P.U.B Rao, HR Area Chairperson stressed on the importance of this seminar. Mr. B.Ram Mohan, Vice President- HR, Everest Industries delivered the keynote address. The first session focused on Innovation in Human Capital Management while the second session revolved around the Innovative HR Framework. The HR Conclave stimulated the thought process. Deliberations during the conclave highlighted the emerging role of HR in 'new- age' organisations. Emerging paradigms acknowledged innovative HR management as indispensable. With a new sense of purpose, HR leaders were advised to have a strong conviction in their objectives. This was palpable in every speech and presentation during the conclave's deliberations. Marketing Conclave Brings Together Experts Bazaar-the marketing club at FIIB, and Forum for Industry Interaction, organised a conclave on marketing “Digital Marketing: Where We Are and the Road ahead” on February 18, 2012 at its campus. The conclave started with lighting the ceremonial lamp and Saraswati Vandana. Dr. A.K. Sinha- Director FIIB welcomed the guest speakers and delegates. In his opening remarks, Mr Mani sh Kheterpal, Chai rman-FI I B emphasised the importance of digital medium by citing interesting examples from social media. The conclave brought together experts from the social media and mobile marketing domain where they shared their knowledge and experiences. This conclave gave the audience an opportunity to interact with industry leaders and experts on digital media and marketing, who initiated the thought processes in branding through digital media. The audience got an opportunity to hear from the accomplished business leaders and entrepreneurs like Mr. Deepak Taneja- Head Digital Marketing - Nokia India, Mr. Praval Singh, Co-founder- Media redefined and Dokito, Mr. Prateek Shah, Founder- Greensmyles, Mr. Kinshuk Sunil, Co-founder- Hashstash, Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Entrepreneur, mentor-Mobisolv and others. Professor Santosh Sood (Chairperson –Marketing) spoke about how marketing as a domain has evolved over time and has embraced digital media. Keynote speaker of the event, Mr. Deepak Taneja said that “human beings need recognition and digital technologies enable them to connect and share their thoughts, their lives with others, and this has given marketers an opportunity to connect with this big pool of target audience. He also discussed the challenges which a marketer needs to address. In the track related to social media marketing, Praval Singh discussed the trends and said that social media will be more real-time and mobile with more usage of various applications and that brands would look differently at creation and sharing of content. He also predicted that e-Commerce in India is not going to be social anytime soon. With the example of Pinterest and Path, he stressed that social applications with great interface would go viral in future, and there will be more and more product and service launch. Mr. Prateek Shah, a known name in social media training and consulting, kept the audience engaged with his impressive presentation and discussed the 10 simple lessons from the success of current rage Kolaveri di. He focused on delivering beyond expectation, and that in online space, it needs to be good and not essentially beautiful to be successful. Social media success can make other media talk about the brand. Mr. Karnatak also expressed his thoughts that with online media the 4P's of marketing have taken a different meaning and should be treated accordingly. In the track related to mobile marketing, Mr Kinshuk Sunil and Mr Sanjay Gupta discussed the immense possibilities the mobile device has in a country like India and also discussed the present state of affairs. Mobile devices don't work on standalone basis, and in India it has not yet developed as a mature marketing medium. They emphasised that innovation, persistence, and breakthrough are the only key to succeed in mobile marketing and brands are now using social mobile apps for engaging and rewarding the consumers. All in all, it was a very well-received conclave, where the audience came up with various questions and sorted out their confusion and misconceptions about different aspects of digital marketing. They also got various tips on how to use social media for capturing job opportunities and personal brand building. Prof. Kalpana Chauhan delivered the vote of thanks to the eminent speakers, delegates and audience and also to all others who worked for the success of the event, and hoped that in future too, FIIB will keep on getting similar support in organising events. DIGITAL MARKETING Innovation In HR: Gearing For 2020 HR CONCLAVE FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 4 Reviving Friendships, Refreshing Emotions FIIB ORGANISES MUMBAI ALUMNI MEET Recently, FIIB organised its first annual alumni meet of the Western India Chapter on October 1, 2011 at Hotel Tunga Regale, Mumbai. Along with distinguished alumni, this event was attended by Mr. Manish Kheterpal - Member Governing Board FIIB, Prof. Anupam Saxena and Mr. Saurabh Gupta, coordinator–Alumni Committee. Throughout this event, strong nostalgia was present, memories were rekindled, friendships revived and emotions refreshed. The programme began with the welcome of the guests and a video presentation on the strategis initiatives launched by FIIB. Throughout this event, Mr Kheterpal actively interacted with the alumni and shared with them how their alma mater is redefining boundaries and exploring new horizons. He was also excited to hear career stories, favourite FIIB moments and numerous suggestions from fellow alumni. Mr Kheterpal expressed his strong commitment to do wheatever is required to strengthen the bonds among the FIIBians and to bolster their relationship with their alma mater. FIIB VFTT Series: Bringing Real Life Experiences LEADERSHIP SERIES View from the Top (VFTT) series initiated by FIIB aims to bring real life experiences for budding managers at FIIB. Eminent corporate speakers have been invited to share their real experiences in the classroom. A list of illustrious speakers invited in the past for VFTT series is enumerated below: • Shailendra Jain, Regional Head - EMEA and APAC Barrie & Hibbert Ltd (A Moody's Analytics Company) • Nachiket Mor, Chairman - ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth: • KV Kamath, Former Chairman - ICICI • Kiran Karnik, Former President - NASSCOM • Shubhinder Singh, Managing Director - Reebok India • Mr. Mehmood Khan, Ex-Global Innovation Leader, Unilever • Mr. William Bissell, MD, FabIndia • Mr Salil Kapoor - COO, Dish TV India Ltd • Mr Deep Kalra- Founder and CEO, Make My Trip. For complete details related to FIIB VFTT series and videos log on to: http://fiib.edu.in/index.php?option=com _content&view=article&id=113&Itemid= 122 CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT OF WESTERN INDIA CHAPTER Mr. Manish Kheterpal felicitating Mr Ravi Virwani (Batch-2005) as President of the western India chapter. Mr Ravi Virwani is currently Product Manager (Reliance Retail) . On this occasion, Mr Virmani said, “As they say, coming together is just a beginning . . . At FIIB Western Chapter Alumni Meet we made this beginning with an idea to take relationship, bonding among fellow FIIBians and with FIIB to a new level. A level at which we can re-live old memories, a level at which we can leverage our pr of essi onal expertise, a level at which no one is bound for anything but willing to help." He urged and invited every single FIIB alumni to help in making this network stronger in whatever manner one could. FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 5 The Turning Point of My Life By Sunita Devi (FIIB Alumni) There have been several milestones and turning points in my life. I think one of the best turning points of my life was meeting my high school English teacher. She taught me English in both ninth and tenth standards. The reason why I liked her and still do is because I think she understood me. We thought alike. She was extremely good at English. Creativity is lost on some teachers but she wasn’t one of them. She nurtured my creativity and exhorted me to be even more creative. She placed the highest premium on merit, talent, creativity and hard work. I have so many fond memories of her, my old school, my friends and other teachers, memories that are enough to last me a lifetime and more. I shall cherish the memories of my teacher for the rest of my life. She was one of a kind. MESSAGE FROM FRIENDS Rohit Jain and Navin Chaudhary my roommates, where are you guys! Please connect……. Love you. Hi Anshuman! Where are you? We all miss you so much Nishant Raj and Aditi Jain, Wish You both a happy married life! During my tenure at FIIB, the following batchmates and seniors have played an important role in my life: Rajeev Gautam, Pranay Chaudhari, Rajesh Singh, Ashutosh Pande, and Sumit Banerjee. I want to thank you guys. I love you guys! Ajay Chandalia (1996-98) Vivek Batra (1996-98) Deepak Mishra (2006-08) Ravi Virwani (2003-05) Jitandra Singh (1998-00) Write a message for your friends and send it to us on:
[email protected] by Anvay Tailang (FIIB Alumni) India's retail sector is estimated at $400 billion, of which modern organised retail sector is only 5%, according to Ernst & Young. There are some 5.5 million grocery stores in Indian cities. The expected spending on personal and home products in modern retail stores is expected to increase from $1.8 billion to $5 billion by 2015, according to Nielsen. Sales at modern trade stores have grown 31%since last year. Although, India allows 100% FDI in cold storage chains, investors have little interest due to rare front organised retail. So, word of mouth, from kirana stores, to fruit sellers, to business associations to Parliament is: 'FDI in Retail'. However, some people/groups are favouring this and some people/groups are against this step. FDI in multi-brand retail has long been a contentious issue in any discussion of the country's economy. If there is only one store or bank in town, you don't have to be very good. If you have three or four, the best will survive and then automatically the customer benefits. The Need of the Hour: There is a huge opportunity to bring newer products to the consumer at a faster pace and the relaxation in allowing foreign players in retail in India will have its logical impact on the supply chain, be it in logistics, manufacturing or food processing. Retail Sales Zoom 31% Since Last Year India is the world's largest producer of fruits and vegetables and we waste 25%of it worth Rs. 50,000 crore annually. With FDI in multi- brand retail, the freshness of products will be better, prices will be stable and there will be no shortage of quality products. There is a grave paucity of operators with cold chain transportation as also a dire need for cold chain warehousing. For this, you need volumes, and that's where FDI in retail will help. With the presence of multinationals in retail, industry expects a quantum jump in warehousing space. Larger warehouses, along with the introduction of the much- delayed Goods and Services Tax (GST), will lead to the introduction of stellar warehousing facilities. India will then have a large number of warehouses, especially across central India. In a country, with lack of sustainable infrastructure, this has resulted in primeval warehouses and unorganised logistics, and one expects the entry of foreign retailers may bring about a change. For management of supply chains, 'Organized Retail' is a necessity and the need of the hour. These will provide economies of scale through their high end scales of operations. These will eliminate the intermediaries which are possible for price hikes at every stage, from the step of harvesting to final retailing. Thus, the benefits of this 'FDI': Low Priced Goods & Inflation Check. Contd. on page 7 Jiban Jyoti & Gatish Nayak Did, Next time when the alumni meet is happening in Delhi. DO VISIT!! Pankaj Kumar (2003-05) Daddu! Connect with us! FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 6 WELCOME TO FIIB ALUMNI HUB Alumni Hub: The FIIB Alumni Hub intends to serve its alumni by actively communicating with them. Apart from the eNewsletter, this Hub will be an excellent source for accessing knowledge, resources and networking. All alumni are cordially invited to promptly join and register with the Hub for regular updates about upcoming events. Here alumni can also request documents like marksheet, etc. Features Available at the FIIB Hub: Discussion Forum, Alumni Directory, Picture Gallery, Alumni newsletter, Alumni Blog, Project Opportunities and Mentoring, Career Services, FIIB Speaker Videos and continuing education. For more information, visit: https://sites.google.com/a/fiib.edu.in/alumni-test-1/home CLASS NOTES I am Gitanjali Bahri, from the first batch of 1995-97. I left FIIB Gitanjali Bahri (1995-97) almost 14 years back and am currently working for Crocs I n d i a . M y professional journey has been really satisfying and the greatest role of FIIB h a s b e e n i n i n c u l c a t i n g confi dence and entrepreneurship. Vivek Vashishtha (1995-97) Sanjai Srisvastava (1996-98) FIIB has been a temple of learning for me as it has enhanced my t h i n k i n g capabilities. I still believe in the same principle when I was a st udent , my success mantra for life is “You are what you repeatedl y think”. The days at FIIB were full of fun and learning. The most r e w a r d i n g elements have been professors, staff and fellow students. All of them have shaped my experience at Fortune and each one still inspires me to constantly improve with the pract i cal and industry-oriented knowledge that I got from FIIB. Contd. from page 6 Out of Focus Matters: First, multi brand retail stores are allowed to set up shops in cities with a population more than 1 million, which means 53 cities of this country. It means (as according to government) that inflation is a problem in only 53 cities of India. What is the LOGIC behind this clause? Second, when it comes to fruits and vegetables (the logic behind Cold Chains) in India, Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Acts are fallacies in the ideology of retail. To purchase food grains in states, foreign retailers should have to pass through these APMCs. They have to pass through tax structures of these committees. The presence of these APMCs is so strong that dismantling them is quite impossible, without a legal framework. So, taking only FDI as a note is not enough, since proper legal structure is a primary requirement in strengthening base for foreign players, keeping in mind that agriculture is a state subject and we have 28 states and 7 union territories. However, political policies, connected with business principles and practices are always questionable, due to lack of far sighted viewpoints. This will lead to 'Fallacy of Composition', framed by Prof. JM Keynes, as according to which 'what seems good to individual, may not be good for a group' and vice versa. Retail is a clear example in present perspective. Anvay Tailang is from 2008-10 batch and currently works as Management Trainee at Kandla Port trust. He could be reached at
[email protected] FDI IN RETAIL CONTINUES TO BE A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 7 NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS Annual Samavesh Festival round the corner This year Samavesh 2012, the Annual Management & Cultural Festival at FIIB, New Delhi is proud to organise its fourth edition. The fourth edition of Samavesh scheduled for March 2-4, 2012 at the FIIB campus will be centered on sustainability and innovation. Samavesh 2012 is all about going green and adopting sustainability to the next level. FIIB Student Clubs are all set to roll out the red carpet for the three days and delight visitors with FIIB hospitality. Samavesh 2012 will serve as a unique platform where young innovators can freely showcase their capabilities outside the classrooms. Samavesh 2012 events: Dress up (Package Design), Table Topics, Eureka (Ad mad show), “e LAN e” jung counter strike, Tryst with Destiny (Poker), Tall Tale, Vaudeville (Nukkad Natak), Symphonia , Felicity (Dance with DJ), Portfolio Analysis, Motif (Collage Making), Portfolio Muqabla, Sports Quiz, Guess Goose, Kabaad se Jugaad (Waste Management), Balls of Fury (Pool), Samanvay (Alumni meet), Fotog (Click a pick), Twist n Turn (Solo Dance), Choreo (Group Dance), Band Performance by Faridkot and Alumni Meet FIIB conducts four-day entrepreneurship workshop under the FIIB Continuing Education Initiative for Alumni, FIIB recently launched an exclusive workshop for its alumni spread over 20 hour hands-on module on entrepreneurship. The focus of this intensive 20 hour hands on module programme is to equip participants with tips to become an entrepreneur and learn to make a successful business plan. Beginning from February 11, 2012 this workshop is spread over 4 weekends and mainly cover 4 sessions. Upcoming Workshop on Innovation: FIIB and INPAQT, Netherlands is soon planning to launch a workshop on Enabling Innovation and Achieving Excellence through Competence Development. Further details about the programme will be added soon. Keep watching FIIB Alumni Hub for details: FIIB Continuing Education Initiative: https://sites.google.com/a/fiib.edu.in/alum ni-test-1/home Udaan, E-cell at FIIB believes that, if India is to be a developed nation by 2020, it needs to facilitate investments in socially, financially and technologically sustainable entrepreneurial ventures. In order to promote this belief and vision, Udaan has planned to organize a pan-India Business Plan Competition - Meraki each year. Meraki will provide a platform for all potential entrepreneurs to ideate and evolve their business ideas. This year Meraki is scheduled for March 2. So far, FIIB has received large number of entries from eminent Indian B-Schools including IIMs. The incentives to the winner comprises of a cash prizes of Rs. 1, 00,000 and Rs. 75, 000 for the first and second teams respectively with a chance to present their B-Plan before venture capitalists. Stages involved for Meraki, 2012 Complete details are available at: https://sites.google.com/a/fiib.edu.in/meraki/ MERAKI COMPETITION Dear Readers! This quarterly eNewsletter will be circulated to all FIIB alumni and important stake holders of FIIB including the Governing Council and Academic Council. For the forthcoming issue, we would like to invite articles and views on important issues related to the world of business and also regarding your experience at the FIIB and how it has helped you in your career and life. Please share with us your thoughts and ideas. Please send your articles to:
[email protected] / Looking forward to hearing from you FIIB Alumni Association: You can reach us at:
[email protected]; Add: Fortune Institute Of International Business, Plot No. - 5, Vasant Vihar, Opp. R.R. Hospital, New Delhi 110057 ! The Depreciating Rupee Various reasons are being extended to justify the large depreciation of the rupee. This includes large scale withdrawal by FI I s. Forei gn exchange reserves data reveals that the forex reserves have increased from about USD 305 billion in end-March 2011 to about USD 318 billion in October. So even though reserves have not substantially increased, they have not fallen either. What has been the quantum of rupee depreciation? Since April 2011, the Rupee has depreciated over 16%against the US dollar, over 13%against the British Pound, over 10%against the Euro and over 27% against the Yen. This means that rupee has been depreciating against all other major currencies, not only the dollar. The RBI calculates a 6-currency index to show the movement of the rupee in comparison with other major currencies. According to RBI data, during the financial year 2010-11, the real effective exchange rate of the rupee showed a substantial upward increase of 13%, while between end-March 2011 and mid-October 2011, the rupee has shown a real depreciation of 6.3%. So, RBI could justify this deprecation by saying that the real appreciation of the rupee during 2010-11 needed to be reversed. However, a depreciating rupee is contributing to inflation in a substantial way. The share of foreign trade in goods is estimated at over 30%of GDP. So a large deprecation of the rupee will increase input costs substantially, especially in the case of oil imports. The question that arises is the appropriateness of a large devaluation of the rupee at the present juncture when the economy is facing a high inflation rate, the fiscal policy is deteriorating, and monetary tightening appears to be ineffective. Given the above, RBI would be well advised at present to intervene in the forex market to try and stem the rapid fall in the rupee, and thus mitigate the effect of rising input costs. Once inflation comes under control, the rupee can be allowed to continue its downward trajectory if RBI is of the opinion that there is real appreciation of the rupee. (By a faculty member) FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012 • FIIB ALUMNI CONNECTION NEWSLETTER • 8