Testimonials

It takes two to Tango…

Three weeks into the program and we were submerged with assignments and presentations. We were all making the extra effort to only get used to the hectic schedule, when The Guru Nanak Institute of Management Studies and Lala Lajpat Rai Institute of Management Studies invited us for their Lashkara and Chakravyuh Fests 2008 respectively.

The Class of 2008-10 was a mixed bag of confusion and eagerness at this point in time. Some of us were very excited about the event as our seniors had spoken much about the 2007 fest and their series of victories. This inspired some of us to bring yet another trophy, considering we had bagged it last year, to mark 2008 a commendable year for our batch.

On the other hand, a large number of us focusing on “pure” academics were rather convinced about not wanting to be a part of the inter-collegiate fests. We began ‘compulsively’ working towards participation in both the fests. Most students worked independent of one another, and come 6 o’clock, the Indo-German Centre lay deserted.

Being pampered beyond limits, can fortunately, do wonders sometimes. Our pillars of perseverance, the Director and the faculty clearly understood the need to encourage the new 2008-10 batch of students to go over the edge and experiment with events never experienced before.

All conveniences made, a handful of us drowned in organizing work at the institute, however a large number of us continued with excuses to pardon lack of participation. A learning experience

The excitement started building gradually and emotions amidst the class began changing. We no longer returned to our familiar “cliques” and instead began mingling better with seniors as well as our batch mates. There grew greater bonding, as we interacted much more during this forum as opposed to any other occasion in the one month stay at the Indo German Training Centre.

Business Events
Business events included Marketing, HR and Finance related quizzes, Mock Stock planning and business plans. These events were most crucial as they gave us the opportunity to experiment and implement all that we had studied and understood in our theoretical classes.

We won first position in the finance and HR quiz and second in the business plan.

This was a very worthwhile exercise as it saw unified efforts on the part of the seniors and juniors and on the whole encouraged students to think out of the box. This was clearly witnessed in the business plan event when we were required to sell health drinks to our college mates, to make profits in the given inter-collegiate business project, and also create an absolutely eco-friendly product with the utilization of minimum profits earned.

 Sports Event

Lashkara and Chakravyuh fests organized sports like Cricket and indoor games like Table-tennis, Carrom, Chess and treasure hunt. Everyone played in the true spirit of the game and also experienced competing with other B schools. IGTC won the first prize in table-tennis and second in Carrom.

With initial disorganization at the fest, several students grew easily disheartened and disillusioned, thus, making the role of ‘togetherness’ even stronger and important. Most of us in fact attained our confidence from the fact that an approximate of 70 chairs in the audience were occupied by the Indo-German alone. Every little effort was made to make the participation a success with absolute clarity in the need to return a winner.

Cultural Events

The Indo-German family injected additional insulin, every time we needed to overcome our inhibitions at trying out activities we were never involved in before. Some in-born dancers came upfront, drama artists grew better with practice, make-up artists and DJ’s were born too.

The cultural events included none other than dance events, fashion show and solo and duet singing. Boys complained about their foundation make-up not being intact prior to the fashion show! The play, which was directed by our students, won the first prize and the dances choreographed by the specially invited trainer also won prime position in the event.

The Final Glory

We have returned to IGTC with two trophies this year. There was immense pressure experienced when we all struggled with our performances on stage keeping in mind the need to carry ‘triumph’ back home. There were moments during the fest, when most of us felt we would never make it. Perhaps, one needs to just go with the flow, with a focused mindset.

As we have attained the Best College trophy, the trend seems to have been set, and the current situation is that every student vouches to stand united with the group and perform to the best of one’s ability.

The Institute has managed to stand strong with a series of trophies in its second consecutive year, and it is only hoped that this trend is continued for years to come.

Amidst all existing challenges, perhaps it had become all the more crucial for both the junior and senior batches to prove it to themselves once again, that they really were capable of way beyond. It is only now that we are gradually beginning to understand the true connotations of effort and pride, in addition to assimilating the frequently used ‘Sky is the limit’.

Article – Phase I Training Batch 2008- 2010

Whoa! ich bin wirklich eine Familienmitglied der Siemens-Familie!” That’s the first thought that entered my mind when our Director, Mrs. Radhieka Mehta announced that Siemens had accepted me as an intern/trainee……Suddenly from being a student, now I was part of a company that had a major presence across 180 countries, recalls Ms. Sonal Kotian, a student of the Indo-German Training Centre, Mumbai, Batch 2008 – 2010.

Such similar thoughts encompassed/hovered the minds of 42 young and dynamic kids who were ready to face the corporate world with their first phase of practical training beginning 1st January 2009 for a period of 2 months. This year, twenty companies across diverse sectors such as manufacturing and engineering, retail, banking, consulting, consumer products accepted IGTC students as trainees.

Sonal recollects her stint with Siemens “I was associated with the medical division of Siemens and was involved in the marketing communication arena. I worked extensively on the SAP module relating to commercial handling for corporate communication. It involved major detailing – beginning right from requesting quotations from vendors to evaluating the most profitable and trouble-free vendor to allocate the contract keeping with the terms and conditions of the organization. This helped me understand the commercial and payment policies of the medical division and how critical they are in today’s times when “Cost-Cutting” is in full force/swing.

Since Siemens operates on a B2B basis, the target audience is very different. Hence marketing communications acquires a different paradigm altogether. Another major learning that I partake from Siemens is on the personal front. I learnt the most important attribute for today’s times-“Humility”. I learnt that any work whether big or small is still imperative. I realized that hard-work with core dedication and commitment will definitely help to move ahead, both professionally & personally.”

Tinaz Bana, another student of IGTC narrates her experience of being trained in one of the leading car companies in the world – Audi AG. Audi AG is headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria (Germany). Volkswagen AG has a 99.14% stake holding in Audi AG since 1964 and therefore in India, Audi AG carries out all its activities under the Volkswagen umbrella.

Tinaz brings her experience to us “In the 2 months of my training at Audi not only did my knowledge about the company and its functioning increase but my execution abilities also improved tremendously. I was assigned to the Product and Price division which is the important and crucial department of Audi. All product related decisions such as decisions pertaining to every equipment, specification which goes into every model as per market requirements, new product launch management decisions, volume planning decisions, homologation decisions and rating, maintaining market intelligence and market research data, competitor pricing for each model and price negotiations are done while being constantly in contact with the Audi Headquarters at Ingolstadt, Germany. My work spanned across all the above areas from preparing market intelligence and market development data for Business Meetings to customer competitor analysis, equipments and specification checks and index reviews.

On an ongoing basis I kept myself abreast about the functioning of the other departments of Audi and its competitors for better understanding of the automobile segment. I was also made part of the “Audi Team Days” which took place at The Radissons- Alibaug. It was a two day affair wherein we participated in personality workshops followed by product training. Punctuality and professionalism are the two most important pillars on which Audi functions and they were exhibited in every diminutive job which is carried out. These qualities were expected out of me also. My work was constantly scrutinized not only in terms of meeting deadlines but also in the professionalism which had to be maintained.

I have been very fortunate to have got training under supportive and encouraging yet very knowledgeable mentors who have been great influencers in my life and have helped me tremendously in setting standards which differentiate me from the rest. Making the difference is what Audi is all about.”

Mahesh Rege, a level headed and self motivated student of the training centre has a tale of his own “My first training phase at Bizerba India Pvt. Ltd. was full of challenges, targets, opportunities and leanings straight from the corporate world. I was placed in the marketing division of Bizerba where I was instrumental in designing the branding strategy for industrial products and was busy working on order life cycle for the key accounts which were assigned to me. The principles/concepts of marketing learnt at IGTC during its classroom sessions helped me tremendously and was a confidence booster while working with clients like Basf, Pidilite and Nestle. I was given an assignment to map the distributors’ network for industrial products across the country where I used the questionnaire design and data collection techniques. Advertising and designing assignments were full of fun and creativity. Interactions with giants like TOI, ET and Dun & Bradstreet have given me valuable learning experience. The Business communication lessons for drafting letters and memos prepared me to correspond at my work place in an efficient and effective manner.”

Rohit Saxena, a chemical engineering student and a trainee with BASF Group in India shares his valuable experience at his company “I was instrumental in conducting a market research for finding the feasibility of launching a new product for BASF. BASF has polyurethane products for the market but they were looking out for areas of application for the same. Thus, my job involved meeting the present manufacturers and the end users of these coatings. I was required to keep myself abreast with the different varieties of products available in the market. The job involved knowing product chemistry and application techniques. These had to be then compared with the existing BASF products. The analysis was done on the basis of material cost per kg. for different thicknesses of coatings.

Since the products have varied applications, it was difficult to find ‘that’ one niche where we could find maximum potential. However, with my prior work experience and the constant support and guidance of my mentors I managed to be on the right track. The study did reveal the most lucrative prospect for our products. What was more important was that we were able to identify and eliminate the areas that were not favorable in terms of business volume. The two months went by at the flick of an eye. But I carried with me a lasting knowledge of conducting a market research and in depth details of the coatings market. Overall, it was a transitional experience from earlier working in a small scale organization to a German MNC”.

Mira Parekh, a B.Com graduate from Kolkatta was overwhelmed with her training in a manufacturing company. She recollects “Anxiety, excitement and zeal to learn something novel are few words which would describe my feelings on the first day of my practical training phase at Bosch Limited, Bangalore. I was entrusted to the CFA department at Bosch and my project involved a comprehensive study on the adherence to guidelines of local GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) with respect to inventories at Bosch Limited. Thereafter I was required to verify substantively to the fact of observance in the actual process of stocktaking done at Bosch Limited. Inventory Management can make or mar the company as its impact is quite prominent and therefore no company can sideline its importance. Hence complying with the recommended guidelines becomes vitally necessary.

For the project I had to study the central directives of the company thoroughly. These are certain guidelines provided to Bosch to direct them in the procedures and process of stock take. Simultaneously I was also required to understand the actual process of stock take undertaken at the company. This was made possible by a few plant visits where I got an opportunity to observe the processes very closely and gain a clear understanding of them. These two months were a great value addition in terms of improving my communication skills and gaining a holistic view of the corporate culture. It has helped me in the implementation of my knowledge of subjects like Economics and Research Methodology in my practical project thus reinforcing the philosophy of IGTC – Theory that is practice oriented”.

Rakesh Ravindran is one of the few trainees for whom a position has been planned by his practical training company – Endress + Hauser after the completion of his 18 month PGPBA program at IGTC. E+H is a global leader in the provision of measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process automation and engineering.

Let’s hear it from the horses mouth “The company has planned a position for me as Industry Manager-Chemical Industry. I am overwhelmed to have received this indication/inclination from them as it is a complex and interesting role within marketing, including product, application and industry know-how. My training was very fruitful and included understanding of the present scenario, industry coverage, market size, growth drivers, government policies, global meltdown effect and future growth for the Indian Chemical Industry 2009.

I was involved in designing E+H Product Package for Chemical & Petrochemicals Industry 2009 and identifying target segments and upcoming projects for the current year. All my analytical abilities were put to use by the EIC Analysis, SWOT Analysis and strategies to increase market share and spread the word ‘Chemical Competencies’. I was given this opportunity to be one of the three delegates for Endress + Hauser at the International Conference on Industrial Automation and Control [IAC] 2009, at the International Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The latest automation technology, technical papers and case studies were presented. I’ve really enjoyed my brief stint with my training company”.

Nikhil Ghosalkar, another IGTC student narrates his experience to us “Training at Behr India Ltd. has widened my outlook with ample exposure to different areas of a business. My training was in logistics department, I was given a project to simulate the storage space requirements for finished goods area for two different products. The project entirely was a challenge for me considering the desired objective to be fulfilled. At the same time, my involvement in other inventory management activities like warehouse reporting, audit and general know how of SAP management system educated me in a multifaceted way in a relatively short span of time”.

Dhruv Shah, a trainee with Inverto Sourcing Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. shares his know-how about the projects entrusted to him at his practical training company “I was assigned three projects by my mentor – (1) To study the cost structure of the pharmaceutical industry in India (2) To study the banking industry, both public & private sector in India and (3) Supplier profiling for a particular industry in China.

The pharmaceutical & banking industry each required an in-depth study of white papers of various top companies of each industry and to analyze and segregate their cost structure according to our preferences for consulting. My next project – The supplier profiling for China was mainly research based and it improved my analytical skills. The entire experience of this practical training was fruitful and I am looking forward to my next training phase in June – July with INVERTO”.

Vandana Padmanabhan describes her stint with Merck. “In my first phase of training I got a chance to feel the pulse of an office/organization like Merck and was assigned a project to find out the perception of IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) specialists in four major cities in the country about Gonal-F pen and Recagon (Puregon) Pen used for treatment of infertility. A questionnaire and an introductory letter were prepared with the guidance of my peers at Merck to capture the information required to make Gonal-F Pen the first choice of prescription by doctors working in IVF Clinics in the country.

When I was told that, besides Mumbai, I have to visit Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore all alone, a feeling of nervousness crept in my mind. I knew fully well that meeting top-notch Specialists in the IVF field and gathering critical information from them was easier said than done. Literally I was having my breakfast in Delhi, lunch in Chennai and Dinner at Bangalore. The meetings with the Specialists went well and I collected many valuable inputs required for completing the project. More than that, I saw the despondency of childless couples and the priceless happiness of some when they were told by the doctors that they are on their way to parenthood. I felt a sense of hope of hope – to be a part of the team who strives to bring smile back on the faces of couples craving for being blessed with a child. I consider myself fortunate that I opted to do my post graduation at IGTC and Merck has accepted to impart practical training to me, thanks to the dual system of education at IGTC”.

Ramesh Nair training with Bayer Crop Science, Powai states “My training stint started with an induction period of 2 days post which I was assigned to the Process Development Lab where I was initially asked to observe and study the working of the department and understand the SOP the company had to go through when a new molecule was to be launched in India. My 2nd project was titled ‘Industrial Manufacturing and Product Development Operation’ which required me to work in each department and understand their functioning in thorough detail for a period of 3 days each. It was a fruitful experience for me to work cross functional.

Above is just a gist of the first practical training phase of the IGTC batch 2008-2010. Thus ended a two month long training stint for all these students which encompassed immense learning and a futuristic agenda towards enriching newer opportunities with the blend of theoretical knowledge which would be added in the second theoretical phase at the Indo-German Training Centre.

Address by Mr. Ashwin Tirthakar, IGTC, Mumbai Topper @ IGTC Convocation 2010

In a journey of life, there are moments when we stop for a while and try to reflect back on path travelled so far. This may not change the path but it gives us opportunity to learn and unlearn and of course, moments to cherish.

Honourable dignitaries on the dais, esteemed guests, distinguished Faculty, administrators, Friends, Family and, of course, the graduating Class of 2010…

Last decade has been a decade of transition not only for Indian economy but for Indian students as well… especially for those from non-metro cities and small towns, like me. It’s a period when our role models are changing from scientist, social workers to Ambanis and Mittals of the world, CAT is became most sought-after examination and MBA is becoming the New-normal. Like many others, I was also aspired to be a part of this Great Indian Growth Story and I started exploring various options. What attracted me towards IGTC was its unique dual education system offering six-month industrial exposure, that too with German MNC. I was selected as a trainee by a company ‘ invented for life: BOSCH ‘. In words of Godfather, it was an offer I could not refuse.

So, in August 2008 I joined IGTC with a dream in my eyes, along with other 41 aspirants, my wonderful batch mates. But it was not easy to for me to get into the grooves of management education instantly after a gap of 4 years and even more difficult to adapt to beats of this maximum city… But IGTC understood it better. A well-designed Induction Week, consisting of ‘a two-day bond building workshop’; a series of guest lecture by key industry experts, made us comfortable and helped all of us to gel into a cohesive unit. And who can forget that amazing motivational speech delivered by Mr. Moradian! He broke all shackles of fear, doubts and apprehensions in our mind and told us what it takes to be really successful. Thank you sir, for inspiring us…!

Exceptional faculty has always been USP of IGTC. They are not academicians… but they are experts, best in the business with rich industry experience. They have shared their knowledge and experiences with us and imparted us with diverse vision. If Mr. Mahajan Sawant asked us look beyond books, Kotler, Porter to understand Marketing, then Mrs. Sarojini Seth introduced us great work of Adam Smith or Keynes to understand Economics. If Mr. Nimkar taught us thescience of market research, Mr. Anil Naik taught us theart of designing strategies. If Mr. Korivi taught us to identify irrationalities behind financial numbers and market behaviour, Mr Fakih taught us rationality of financial fundamentals and the market behaviour. And if Mr. Kasture stressed on the importance of values and ethics in corporate culture, Mr. Hariharan stressed on the importance of innovation and value discovery in these competitive environment. And we are equally obliged to rest of faculty also who enlighten us with their perspective. Friends, we may scale new heights in our professional lives in the future but it is these exceptional personalities who have built foundation of our knowledge. We’ll always owe our success to them.

Each institute or organisation has its own unique value system. IGTC has its own…We have a value system of taking initiative and being self-starters, competitive instinct but with a collaborative, sportsman spirit. As in any socio-economic order, the value system flows from top of order, even so at IGTC, it flowed naturally and continuously from our Director Radhieka Mehta. She always wants her students to be complete in every respect and does not settle for anything less than best for her students. May it be with the selection of faculty, arranging guest lectures, coordination with the training companies and finally working toward getting us placed in our dream jobs, her personal involvement and drive is what made IGTC tick like clockwork and everything fell in place.

Sometimes we achieved, so did we falter sometimes. Sometimes we were sensible, so were we crazy sometimes. But she was there as our central support system whoguided us, encouraged us and of course used stick as well at times. Discussion of IGTC would be in complete without mentioning Stella Ma’s, a senior member of our IGTC family; deep baritone, strict disciplinarian but equally soft at heart and caring. She has been like a second mother to us. Sajitha Ma’m and Meghna Ma’m belongs to middle generation in our IGTC family who are always there to take care of our day today issues. And of course, there’s Deepak… our caretaker but equally great friend. We were a world in itself and this family atmosphere provided us a sense of security which in turn helped us to get best out of us.

Another important aspect of IGTC has been its training companies of likes BOSCH, BASF, VOLKSWAGEN, SIEMENS, AUDI, HELLA, ENDRESS & HAUSERS, MERK and many more. Honestly speaking, more than training, these companies are helping young aspirants like us to realise our dream… My six-months training with BOSCH hasnot only instilled confidence in me but also gave me unique opportunity to experience work culture of world class companies. It has taken me to anotherlevel of motivation.

Friends, let’s now acknowledge most critical aspect to whatever we achieve in academic or professional life… our family and its support. This support is more than physical or financial. It’s psychological or even spiritual in nature. It’s our family which decides our core value system, our culture and our perspective towards life. In my case, I left almost a govt. Job and left my father in bit of financial mess but he never complained. Rather, my family showed their faith in all my decisions… and this faith, trust, confidence keeps me going always.

Friends, let’s not consider this as end to our education… rather it’s a beginning of it… One more graduation is waiting for us, a graduation from university of life. There nothing will matter more than our determination, value system and hard work. It’s extremely difficult to get through this university but not impossible at all. IGTC has laid the foundation… let’s work on it. And make this wonderful institution proud.

Last but not the least, as I said Ambanis and Mittals may be new role models but there are many of us, who admire the likes of Mr. Deepak Parekh, Dr. Y.V. Reddy, Mr. Kelkar, Mr. K.V. Kamath. They are our role models. They epitomise exceptional leadership with strong value system and social commitment. Thank you Sir, for inspiring thousands of us!

Let me conclude this speech by a quote of Swami Vivekananda:

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success… that is way great spiritual giants are produced.”

Thank You.

Address by Mr. Krishna, V.P (HR), Bosch Ltd. @ IGTC Convocation 2010.

H.E. Mr. Matussek, Ambassador of the Federal Republic Of Germany, Mr. Deepak Parekh, Chairman of HDFC Limited, Mr. Steinruecke Director General IGCC, Mrs. Radhieka, Director, IGTC, students and proud parents. I am both honored and delighted to be here today to participate in the Convocation of Batch 2008-2010.

I really don’t know what I did to deserve the compliments that Mrs. Radhieka showered on me, I am yet confused. For us in Bosch we have had a very long and fruitful relation with IGTC starting from 1991 and when Radhieka asked me to share our experience with IGTC, it was very natural I agreed to be a part of this event. Therefore I use this opportunity to share with you some history what students have done with us and what has been our experience.

First of all we have been very happy that some students have stayed with us during attrition and the few that are left are now approaching senior levels in areas of Controlling and Human Resources in Bosch in India. Two students, Pravin Kumar from the 1st Batch of 1991 and Arun Roy, have made their career internationally in Bosch and have nothing to do with India. They are now local managers in Bosch, Australia and U.S.A. respectively.

Coming to a personal note, during my 17 years at Bosch I have been associated with students of IGTC in different areas and functions. My first contact was as the Head of Controlling in Finance in the Nasik plant. I was involved with a few students during their project phases in the plant. Thereafter I recollect one of my happiest memories as a Plant Manager in Jaipur where I met one of the IGTC students who actually wanted to get into Materials function. I thrust him into HR against his will, later he flowered and was the star of the company but he left for personal reasons and today is doing very well and risen very fast in Airtel in North India.

As stated earlier our association with IGTC has been very long standing one, 20 years to be precise. Coming to the recent past we are happy to have continuously recruited students over the last 3 years. Last year despite the recession we took 6 students, this year 7, earlier 2, in all 15 students from IGTC. They are now placed in various different functions. We have people working in HR, Accounts, Sales, Controlling, Finance, Purchase, Marketing and that says it all. We have also secured international internships for students for 3 months at our parent company in Germany. This is what we cherish and would want to do. We started this in 2008 and so far 9 students have got projects in Germany and have come back enriched both personally and professionally with this experience. We will persist with this endeavor in coming years as well.

Our experience with IGTC students has been extremely positive. They have as employees lived up to their potential which they showed at their training phases and worked on projects in varied areas. In addition what we found was that the close association in ways of internships helps them to gradually adjust to and imbibe the culture of Bosch and Bosch has a very distinctive and strong culture. They also develop a close and strong bond with the organization during this period.

The hallmark of this system is the German Dual System of Education. It gives a student a very clear practical edge at work and they come out clearly with their head on their shoulder and not in the clouds. Theoretical studies quickly get correlated to actual projects when they come and therefore as employers the learning curve is speeded up. Exposure to various departments’ multi-skills them and they get an opportunity to work in a number of areas. We are very happy to have rotated number of commerce students in different functions in their careers. During their stint in Bosch they network with middle-senior management and therefore it is very easy for them to take up a new job at the end of their education.

In conclusion I would like to compliment Indo-German Training Centre in providing us at Bosch with this steady stream of talent in its own typical understated way and I congratulate Ms. Radhieka Mehta and her excellent team for their efforts. I think you need a big round of applause. Finally I wish the students a bright future ahead. The power of India is in the energy of its youth. May your generation use that power and that energy to transform a country’s future and to shape your career.

Address by Mr. Deepak Parekh, Chairman HDFC Ltd. on ‘Mantra for Life and Success’ @ IGTC Convocation 2010

Members on the dais, students, ladies and gentlemen: It is indeed a pleasure for me to be here today at the Convocation ceremony of the Indo German Training Centre (IGTC). I would like to convey my heartiest congratulations to all the students of the IGTC Batch 2008-2010. Today marks a special milestone in the lives of 42 young graduating students. Convocation ceremonies are always special for ironically, they mark both, an end and a new beginning. It is an end academically, but a beginning of unlearning, learning and relearning in the real world. The German Dual System, which I understand IGTC follows is unique as this system integrates theoretical learning with hands on practical experience.

I am confident that many of the students here today will make significant contributions in further strengthening the Indo-German relationship, which for India is one of the strongest bilateral relationships. Trade, investment, finance and technology transfers and collaborations form an important basis for this partnership. Due credit has to be given to the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce for its role as a catalyst in forging economic and trade relations between the two countries. Indo-German trade touched 13 billion Euro in financial year 2009. Germany has also consistently ranked amongst India’s top investing countries in terms of foreign direct investment. One is confident that Indo-German ties will continue to flourish. Needless to add, the IGTC is a solid platform for strengthening this relationship through training and honing skills of young individuals. And as they say, there is nothing better than catching them young!

Students, you all are graduating at a time when the world is slowly limping back to normalcy. The crisis has been devastating with far reaching implications. Evidently, we are still not quite out of the woods. The crisis has triggered a rethinking on various issues beyond the realm of finance. What is the role of people and leadership? Who drives ethics and values in an organisation? How did the greed factor become so overpowering? What happened to the moral fibre of individuals and institutions? These are answers you need to find as you step into the workforce. Having said that, what is most welcoming, especially in these times is that fresh graduates are like the much-needed adrenalin being pumped into the workforce.

This evening I have been requested to talk about the ‘mantra for life and success.’ I just wished I had one, but honestly I don’t. Mantra in Sanskrit means a sacred formula repeated in meditation or prayer and capable of creating a spiritual transformation. A similar philosophy has been reiterated by the author Malcolm Gladwell, who in his book ‘Outliers’ has said that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours. Of course, there are various other formulas for life. Success as we all know differs across individuals and is based on their experiences. It is true however, that the age old maxim of integrity, honesty and transparency will stand the test of time. On a lighter vein they say, “Success is relative, more success, more relatives!”

As you move ahead in your professional life, you will realise that to drive towards one’s goal, one treads upon different paths. But during this journey, one has to constantly check oneself, and often pull oneself back on track. Mistakes are inevitable for a certain type of people. Let me explain:

People who do no work make no mistakes…..
People who do less work make less mistakes….
People who do lots of work make lots of mistakes….

I need not emphasise which category one must strive to be in. Making mistakes, but learning from those mistakes will enrich you. And no experience is more enriching than learning by doing. The sheer value of learning everyday is what will keep you going. Life is based on seeing, listening and experimenting. But experimenting is the most important.

In fact, Warren Buffet has said that his almost incredible long-term success can be traced down to a handful of decisions. Take away his 15 best decisions from amongst hundreds that he’s made so far, and his long-term performance would be no better than mediocre. You should concentrate on finding truly great opportunities. Since those come along rarely, you don’t find them through frenetic activity. You find them through careful study and then through exercising patience.

That is why it is important to learn to follow your heart. The brain can do many things but only the heart can give you meaningful answers in life. It is my firm belief that if you commit yourself to following your heart then you will always take the right decisions in life. But to be able to do so you must first learn to overcome fear. This is one of the biggest stumbling blocks that prevent us from achieving success. We are constantly in fear – fear of failing, fear of not living up to expectations of others, fear of not being accepted or fear of being different. Unless you overcome this, success will always dodge you. So be fearless and have the courage to listen to your heart. To quote the great German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

Always be yourself. This sounds easy but in fact, it can be difficult. Others often push us to think and see the world as they do, wanting us to fulfil their notion of what is important and what counts. But if you are yourself and if you do not try to imitate or be something that others want you to be, life is both simpler and frankly a lot more satisfying. There is little meaning if one goes through life pretending to be someone else’s image.

You will also meet many people from various walks of life at work. How you treat people is extremely important and therefore, you should strive to build and maintain relationships. Devote some time during the day to interact with people. While dealing with people one needs to be courteous and humane. Let the trait of humility stick to you like glue. Stay approachable and accessible to people.

We have to bear in mind that the business environment around us is constantly changing. That is why we have to raise the bar for leadership. Some qualities will always be essential – like discipline and integrity. A number of deficiencies that were tolerable in the past, such as the inflexibility to change rapidly no longer holds.

To my mind, two leadership traits have become indispensable today. The first is business acumen, more commonly called ‘being business savvy’. The second is adaptability. You need keep pace with the ever changing needs and preferences of customers. To do this, you have to be well-grounded, you have to be a good listener, constantly seek feedback, both positive and negative and improve upon your product or service based on their inputs. If you don’t listen to your customers, you run the risk of becoming defunct. Many organisations have burnt their fingers by their lack of foresight or their inability to adapt to change. For instance, the chairman and founder of the now defunct Digital Equipment Corporation had famously said in 1977, “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” No wonder very few have ever heard of the company.

A bit of advice to those of you entering the workforce is be a good team player. It is not always possible to run the whole mile alone. Remember that being able to get along and work with other people is a great asset in the corporate world. People are important and nothing can happen without them. It is people and your colleagues who help make things happen for you – who give you the chance to prove your worth. Any organisation is only as good as its people.

You also have got to find what you love. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work, imbued with as much passion and perfection you can muster, is to love what you do. If you have not found it, keep looking. Do not settle for the next best. As with all matters of the heart, you will know when you find it. In the trajectory of this search, you have to trust in something – your instinct, your destiny, life, karma, promise whatever. This approach has never let me down; it has been the single-lane bridge from mediocrity to excellence.

You will be tested to keep your ethical and moral fortitude and it is very easy to get carried away. It is up to you to stay alert and not get sucked into disreputable conduct, business practices or anything else which has even the slightest whiff of impropriety. It is true that your sound education will definitely give you the upper hand at the beginning. But in the long run it is your reputation which will determine how much success you ultimately achieve. The more successful you get, the higher the chances of being pulled into unethical and immoral business practices. And the most common excuse for such unethical behaviour is, “everyone is doing it”. Always bear in mind that your reputation once lost, is almost impossible to earn back. There is no such thing as a temporary breach of integrity – you cannot make amendments later. So do not stay in any place where doing the right thing is not an option. Work honestly, make people trust you and let them depend on your integrity.

At a recent strategy meeting at HDFC, I shared with my employees what I believe are the principles for ethical business conduct. To remember them, I called it the “HORICA Principles” which are:

• Honesty – There is no substitute for the truth;
• Openness – Be frank and straight forward;
• Respect – Value each individual and treat them with dignity and respect;
• Integrity – Say what you will do and do what you say;
• Care and Concern – Show it for all stakeholders and;
• Accountability – Be personally responsible for all your conduct and actions.

Let me conclude by saying that the great adventure of life lies ahead of you – so seize every opportunity you get and achieve all that can be yours. May you be blessed with instinct and intelligence to make the right choice, in the right way at the appropriate time. May you be the mantra the world will follow. Thank you.

The Indo-German Training Centre is proud to announce the commencement of its One-Year Executive Business Management Program starting 24th July 2010.  The program aims to provide the working professionals with a holistic, cross-functional exposure to all aspects of general management.

The strength of the class includes 16 working executives from various Indo-German member companies – AWI (India) Pvt. Ltd., BASF Coatings (India) Pvt. Ltd., BASF Constructions Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd., Bayer CropScience Ltd., Beckman Coulter India Pvt. Ltd., Doshi Group, Protos Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Siemens Information Systems Ltd., Vanaz Engineers Ltd. and Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd.  These professionals come from diverse functional areas and departments of their organizations like – Automotive Aftermarkets, Accounts, Business Development, Coatings, Compacting Division, Engineering, Knowledge Management, Life Science Research, Packaging Development, Quality Assurance, Sales and Marketing. They bring with them tremendous years of work experience, ranging between 3 years to 23 years.

By enrolling in this program, these professionals aim to equip themselves with the essential thought process and skills required to assume leadership positions in the future at their respective organizations.

Feedback of the Executive Batch after the inauguration and orientation weekend at IGTC
It’s been wonderful. The best part is that I was made comfortable which helped me to get rid of the inhibitions. I “assumed”, it will be difficult for me to be back at school but all was put to rest and from the outset I felt that I belonged. I am pleasantly surprised by the interactive nature of the classes and that’s something great. Hope the future classes are as exciting, interactive and knowledge based as the last 2 days. All the facilities were great and I enjoyed all the sessions.
Mr. Abhishek Kumar Singh, Assistant Manager, BASF Coatings (India) Pvt. Limited

My experience with this program up to now is fantastic. The course duration is very conveniently planned and course content is fabulous. The program which was inaugurated on 24th July has, in just 2 days, convinced me that I have taken the right decision to join this course.
Mr. Rakesh Singh, Deputy Manager (Marketing), Bosch Limited

The sessions by the faculties were very interesting and something new. Good examples were given by them to tell us about strategic planning and organizational behaviour. Today’s session too was excellent regarding self belief, awareness, responsibility and how to unleash our potential and power.
Mr. Charles Mendes, Customer Relationship Officer, Bosch Limited 

It’s really a great learning in these two days. It’s nice to be here and part of this program. Course direction is very well planned. Hope after the completion of the program, there will be a lot of change in the things we are doing at our work place as well as in our personal life.
Mr. Mahesh Chandra Pant, Regional Trainer, Bosch Limited

It’s a great eye opener. It seems relevant on what I did in last 17 years of work life and for my past-personal life. Faculty members are the best, feels like we know each other from very long as there is one to one counseling on professional & personal life. Credit goes to IGTC people for giving us such fantastic platform to re-invent ourselves, to contribute ourselves to the society, family and professional careers. IGTC is now like my “Best Friend” and I missed them in the past. Keep it up and wish all the best to the team & self.
Mr. Sameer Rane, Sales Director, Fette Compacting Machinery India Pvt. Limited

It was a very good experience in during these two days, especially the workshop on personal effectiveness, where I am able to learn lots and overcome the problem I fear in my life. I am expecting a fruitful program ahead which will bring change in the way I am right now and can give some better result/outcome to the organization and my personal life. I am really very happy to join this program.
Mr. Ritesh Kedia, Associate Vice President – Accounts, Protos Engineering Co. Pvt. Limited

Very good experience of learning new things and excited for applying these in future life. These two days will be memorable for me as these are totally different from my routine life. Looking forward for the same till end of this nice program.
Mr. Amit S. Wagh, Assistant Manager (Q.A), Vanaz Engineers Limited

It was a great experience to learn about relationships and how to deal with people.  On the inauguration day, Mr. Moradian’s explanation on paradigm was most exciting.
Mr. Tamboli A A, Sr Manager, Vanaz Engineers Limited

Getting priorities right in terms of what matters most in life is in summary what I learned. I hope to learn to think at a higher level through this program.                                  
Mr. Erryl Alvanes, Manager, Volkswagen India Pvt. Limited

Very good experience, different mode of learning, mode of teaching excellent, examples and practical case studies – very good. In summary – exciting, thrilling, creative, balancing, personal and professional.

Mr. Amit Rane, Manager – Volkswagen India Pvt. Limited

The 5^th of May 2010 has been marked as ‘The most memorable day’ in the calendar of students of IGTC, Batch 2009 – 2011. It was on this day, that we had the opportunity, to scour probably the best manufacturing haven, in terms of innovation and reinvention – a visit to the Tata Motors Plant at Pune.

We were exposed to the Tata Motors’ culture the minute we stepped into their premises. The discipline and excellent planning, which are integral to the Tata Motors’ way of working, were exhibited in the schedule planned for us. The 2 1/2 hours allotted to us for the visit was by no means sufficient to scale the length and breadth of the plant, but despite this the schedule ensured that we got the right exposure.

We were welcomed graciously and then proceeded to watch a 15 minute film on Tata Motors and what it stands for. Our first visit was to the NCTVT division wherein the young apprentices get their training. The other divisions we visited were: Transmission – Assembly of gearbox and clutch, HCV/LCV – Manufacturing Axles, Stamping, the Assembly of Winger, LCV, Safari, Aria, Xenon and Indica Vista, Manza etc.

The Commercial vehicle business unit (CVBU) and Passenger Car business unit (PCBU) are world-class manufacturing units with state-of-the-art technology. We saw four assembly lines, one each for Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs), Medium Commercial Vehicles (MCVs) and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs), Utility vehicles and one for Passenger Cars (Indica and Indigo). The commercial vehicle division in the ‘D’ block has the Engine shop, Auto Materials Department and the Vendor Development department. All plants applied best production systems such as JIT, KANBAN, etc.

The Passenger Car Division in ‘K’ block executes the entire process of car manufacture over five shops – the engine shop, the transmission shop, press and body shops, paint shop and the trim and final assembly shop. These shops were fully automated and we saw robots at many places used for picking and placing to automate the process. After the car is completely assembled, it goes through several quality checks like wheel alignment, sideslip test, brake test, shower test, and a short test run before it is ready for dispatch.

While scouring through the plant, we also saw the test tracks wherein the vehicles are benchmarked and tested against globally well known brands. The torture tracks literally and figuratively ‘torture’ the vehicles to test their strength and sustainability. Apart from the technical nitty-gritty, another aspect that we witnessed was the passion with which each employee spoke about the plant and the organisation. It is proof of the organisation’s strong bond with its people.

As students, we actually got an opportunity to witness all the concepts we learnt in our Supply Chain lectures being implemented beautifully at the plant. The ‘Balanced Scorecard’ concept which evaded our understanding during lectures was visible in each division. The thrill of seeing things we learn on paper practically implemented took our learning process to a new level.

Ms. Sneha Jha, a student of the Indo-German Training Centre, Mumbai goes down memory lane and narrates her experiences during her stay in Germany. “An experience never to forget………………. I was thrilled on receiving the news that I had been selected by my training company Bosch Limited for a two month training stint at Bosch, Germany. I couldn’t believe that my dream of getting an international exposure in a leading German MNC was about to come true! I was keen to experience the cross cultural work environment, which would broaden my knowledge base.

7th November 2009, I landed at Frankfurt and I was welcomed by the chilly breeze of the approaching winters. I was given accommodation at the Bosch Guest house where I interacted with the other International employees of the company. There were people from Czech Republic, China, Turkey and me from India. We all belonged to different countries and different cultures, yet were all united and tied in the same string as we belonged to the same company, the same “Bosch World”.

At Stuttgart, I was supporting the functions of the Human Resources team of Bosch, Germany Gasoline Divisions. The work culture, style and environment was indeed different. The employees were extremely professional and I must say the punctuality there was something to be adorned. The environment was quite friendly and everyone was treated with the same respect irrespective of their designations and positions.

My training was quite interesting. I was supporting the Human Resources Department to implement a common process for Reorganization at Bosch Worldwide. My project mainly involved creating a Post Merger Integration Checklist and Assessment measure which could be used at Bosch worldwide. I was instrumental in creating the Excel tool for the Employment Measures that Bosch is planning to implement and I translated the guidelines to create Organization Charts for the Gasoline Systems in English. The mode of communication in office was German and since I am familiar with both the languages (German & English) I tried my hand at some English translation of the documents of HR Policies, Guidelines and Standards.

The two months in Germany have been the most cherish able moments of my life. This experience of mine was definitely a stepping stone in my career. There was a lot to learning, both professionally and at a personal level.”

Ms. Mira Parekh, another student of IGTC, Mumbai narrates her experience of her three-month training stint at Bosch, Germany. “My training in Germany was a dream come true.In Germany; I was trained at the Corporate Headquarters of Bosch in Schillerhöhe. An Orientation Seminar at Bosch was an eye opener for me. It made me realize how differently the Germans think. The Seminar was specially kept for expatriates in Germany to make them accustomed to the German lifestyle. It was a nice intermingling of Culture and Thoughts.

I worked with the Corporate Human Resources Department (CHM). I was fortunate to work with two separate departments of Human Resources during my three month stint in Germany. One of them was the CHME which is theCorporate Human Resources Executive Department. The main tasks of this department were to perform management potential/ salary reviews and reactive staffing. I was actively involved in the function ‘Rewarding’ which was by way of an Annual Salary Review worldwide. My first set of assignments required me to submit a Status Report on the Annual Salary Review. I was required to know the International Executive Compensation Tool (IEC) and the Management Executive Development Tool (MED).

My second set of assignments required me to use my German Language skills to make a list of all the Personnel Announcements for the Bosch Portal in both the English and the German Language. I was instrumental in developing a manual for the MED Tool users. The 2nd department that I worked for was the CHMI which is responsible for International Assignments. Here I was required to design a Matrix for the Social Security Agreements worldwide. My training here was very fulfilling and gave me a wonderful opportunity to work the ‘German way’ i.e. with Precision, Perfection and Punctuality.

On the personal front, the thought of spending Christmas alone was a bit disturbing but I was lucky enough to be invited by one of my colleague to celebrate Christmas with her entire family. For the first time ever I experienced what traditional German Christmas was like – beautifully decorated christmas tree, singing of carols and hymns, munching on delicacies like “schokolade kuchen” and exchange of gifts at the end. All was simply fantastic.

Traveling was a rejuvenating experience for me. Be it getting the panoramic view of Stuttgart city from the oldest Television tower/Fernsehturm or dreaming of owning a Porsche one day at the uniquely designed Porsche museum. I truly enjoyed my travelling mainly because of the well organized network of trains with not even a minute’s delay in the train timing despite of the bad weather. That’s was sets this country apart from other countries across the Globe.

Overall, my trip to Germany was an experience which would always remain embedded in my mind for the years to come.

Admission Open @ IGTC for Batch 2010 – 2012. Applications welcome from company sponsored candidates.

CHAKRAVYUH 2007

The first day we all met at IGTC, we were strangers. Today, six weeks down the line we can fondly call ourselves a family; a family that learns together, dreams together, works together and makes amends together if things go wrong.

With lectures scheduled till late evening, business quizzes every week, assignments and presentations practically every day, we were slowly getting used to the hectic pace of the life of a management graduate; when one day we received an invitation from Lala Lajpatrai Institute for Management to participate in their annual management festival – CHAKRAVYUH 2007.

The entire class was excited with the thought of getting this first opportunity to represent our Indo-German Training Centre at a management fest. But at the same time apprehensions seeped in. Our seniors last year had made us proud by winning laurels at many events hosted at CHAKRAVYUH. We hardly even knew each other, so will we be able to work together and keep the IGTC flag flying high? Will we manage all our lectures, assignments and quizzes with preparations for a business plan, Ad-Mad, finance and HR quizzes, dance and fashion show practice sessions? Will we be able to face stiff competition from other senior management students? However, after much deliberation and discussions internally, we the trainees of Batch 2007-2009 decided to take the plunge. Yes, we decided to participate in CHAKRAVYUH 2007.

The next couple of days was a mad rush of deciding who would participate in which event, what would be our theme/ topic for the different competitions and setting our practice schedules. Despite a lot of cajoling, none of our faculty members gave in to our request of canceling any lectures. This was when we learnt our first lessons on team work and time management. What followed was a number of emotional breakdowns, tempers flying, people falling sick, hurting themselves…severe obstacles which tempted us to give up but we didn’t. The motivation to make a mark for our newfound home – IGTC – kept us going strong.

And at last, the D-day arrived. We reached Lala Lajpatrai to see 34 B-schools participate in the various events. The first day, 5th October, 2007 had elimination rounds for most of the events. The events for that day included management events such as the Ad-mad show, the Finance Quiz, the Marketing Quiz, the Business Plan and Recycle Bin in addition to other cultural events such as Singing, Dancing, Fashion Show and the Laughter Challenge. All the events were held at different locations in the college campus. All in all, the day was pretty successful as we qualified for a number of events. The presence of our Director, Mrs. Radhieka Mehta and Manager Corporate Relations, Ms. Tamanna Khanna was a great moral booster. Having qualified for the finals in many events we all were euphoric, but also nervous as many more expectations arose. We had to give our best shot on 6th October, 2007 – the finals. As the day progressed, a few prizes came in tow, leading to growing excitement. Everyone was looking forward to the final prize distribution ceremony. Gradually the secret unfolded and we realized that we had won the following events –

• 1st in Ad-mad show
• 1st in Fashion show along with Best Female Model
• 2nd in Business Plan
• 2nd in Brand Housie
• 2nd in Laughter Challenge
• 2nd in Table Tennis

Amidst a lot of cheering, a number of awards kept coming in and finally it came to the announcement for the Best College Trophy. Our hearts literally skipped a beat when they gave a clue that the winner was from Flora Fountain, and before we realized it, the Indo-German Training Centre was announced as the winners of the overall championship! We were ecstatic! We had done our Training Centre, our Director and ourselves proud! We had surpassed expectations to triumph!

Unbelievable but true, that night we came home with a grand trophy that stood as a symbol of many things – a unified class, understanding friends and unstinted dedication toward constructing newer paradigms for an excellence undreamt of!

You are not in college now! Think of your self as being in Kindergarten.”-With these words, 39 young minds readied themselves for a journey they never could have imagined. Yes, this is the story of IGTC batch 2005 of which I was a part of and take immense pleasure to write about.

So we 39 “KG” goers did what our Marketing teacher (Mr. S. Prabhu) asked of us: Questioning everything as KG goers do, becoming as curious as KG kids can be and converting our minds into sponge, that could absorb every information, every teaching, every learning. Its amazing how in the end of it all we all remembered this first lecture of our academic life in IGTC (which commenced on 1st September, 2005).

Two weeks have past since we finished our formal education in IGTC, few of us already working in our respective companies. We had all met up last week at our usual “hangout”. In a journey called life where there are new people, new places and many new experiences, I am glad that some things remain constant. The same “hangout”, known friends, that feeling of belonging- I guess you can not blame anybody for getting nostalgic.

We were all remembering our days in IGTC. My good friend Darshana Choudhari shared her experience in Siemens (where she is working in the Corporate Finance Department). As much as she loves her new work place, she still considers IGTC to be her second home. Of course after spending 13 hours in college on more than one occasion, one does feel a change in postal address could be the next logical step. But I guess more than the long hours, the warmth of your friends, the support and encouragement of the administration staff and the wonderful feeling of comfort that we all felt at IGTC is the reason for us to call it our home.

To talk of home and not mention Stella Edwards is unthinkable. IGTC batch 2005 like the ones before it and the ones following it will come and go, but one thing is for sure, all will be drawn back to our beloved Stella. I am sure my Alumni would agree with me if I say that IGTC without Stella is unimaginable. My friend once told me: The ones dearest to our heart are the ones whom we yell at. This is because we care for them and would want the best of them. Well to tell you the truth, we loved to get a shouting or two from Stella, because we knew that it came from the care and concern she had for all of us. I envy Ashutosh for getting the most shoutings!

Ashutosh Apte, our very own Arts genius was remembering the perfect balance of fun and work that IGTC offered us. Our director Mrs. Radheika Mehta ensured that we do not end up like dull little Jack – all work and no play. Ashutosh particularly loved the Jaya Joshi’s empowerment workshop where actually got in touch with our selves. Work shops like MBTI mapping, Kursheed Merchant’s workshop and the empowerment work shop helped us all to understand ourselves better. They made us aware of our strengths, weaknesses, who we are and who we choose to be. All in all they helped us become better human beings. As Ashutosh repeated what Jaya Joshi had taught us – “Every one is empowered to choose things in your life-and that is what will make the difference” I understood why he the ‘Arts genius’ chose to work for DHL operations. He ‘chose’ this for his life.

This is the uniqueness of IGTC that we all admired. Things are not just on paper. Just as we implement our learnings from workshops in real life, all that was taught in theory i.e. on paper was what we observed and implemented in our practical trainings as well. Our teachers also admired this model of learning. So much so that our Costing teacher Mr. Hariharan (Savoire Faire) even recruited my colleague Jaidev Paranjape. It was a smooth transition for Jaidev from college to work since he could actually see Mr. Hariharan’s teachings in the class room being actually practiced in his work.

It was also a smooth transition for Vishwanath (lovingly called as Vishy). He had his practical training in MICO BOSCH (Bangaluru). During all three practical phases, MICO BOSCH was able to assess whether Vishy matched their company’s culture. And when MICO BOSCH offered Vishy the profile of his dreams, it was a match made in heaven. He said he will be missing Mumbai and IGTC; but as the old saying goes: Home is where the heart is…

Some of my colleagues from outside Mumbai have made Mumbai their home. Amol Bhutada for instance…He is our class’ reference book. He is our class topper and now works for Unity Infraprojects. He will always be grateful to Tamanna for helping him out during placements. Did I mention Tamanna, our Training co-ordinator who was more than a guiding force, a true friend to us. Her perseverance, hard work has taught lessons we would cherish for life.

This is what IGTC offered us. We were constantly supported in our endevour to make not only our selves but also our surroundings better. Ask Aniket Vaidya (placed with MAN Force Trucks Pvt. Ltd.) and he would tell you about our factory visits. An automobile engineer/lover was truly happy when we went to Daimler Chrysler and Bharat Forge in Pune for our factory visit. Aniket would always cherish the entire experience of IGTC as it gave him opportunities to meet new people and thus build his confidence which helped him in his job.

Talk about Pune and it brings happy memories for Varun. Varun Verencar would soon be calling Pune his home. He was reminded of the day when he went to Bajaj Allianz General Insurance interview to Pune. He can proudly say that he was one of the few chosen by Bajaj Allianz after a competitive all India selection process across colleges. He has mixed feelings about finishing his education with IGTC. Sure he is happy about his job but he will miss all the fun that we had together. The picnics (Gorai Beach, Alibaug, Neral to name a few), the movies, the outings and also the parties and treats. Most of all he would miss the treats because his was the last placement treat we enjoyed.

All the fun and joy was possible only thanks to Meghna Dadha. I do not mean she financed any of it (though we wished). All I mean is that it was her meticulous formulation of Time Table that gave us a perfect balance of Class room lectures and enough time for co-curricular activities and extra curricular activities. But more importantly, she understood us as we are- as students. May be it is because it was not long ago that she was one either. It just helped us to know that our activities were planned by some one who is able to judge what is necessary for students and what additional is “required” by them.

Observing all of us silently during our nostalgic confessions is Saurin Shah-the guide to all of us. His 17 years of experience in BASF surely shows the rich culture of BASF. He guided us and passed on to us whatever wisdom he gathered from his experience. He was truly a blessing in disguise for us. He confessed to us that it was totally a new experience to him to share the class with kids half his age! However, he has also taken a lesson from us to live the forever green at heart life. It also helped him bond with his daughters better. His one statement that can be truly framed and hung on every wall (according to me) is: “There is no re-exam in life”. No matter how many books you read or seminars you attend, but experience is the best teacher.

What I got out of IGTC? Well, friends I will cherish forever, experiences that have made me who I am and teachings that help me better mysef. But most of all and I think for every one in the world, it is important to be a KG goer. One must never stop learning. And that is the mantra I got from IGTC- a land of opportunities.

Aditi Patil
(Ex-Head Student Council, IGTC Batch 2005-2007)
(Now – Executive Asst. to All India Head and M.D. PBC Deutsche Bank)