Coinciding with the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad the Hyderabad IIMA Alumni Chapter Revitalized their 8th edition of the Ravi Mathai Memorial Lecture at Trident Hotel, Hyderabad on 27th February, 2024.
Amitabh Chaudhry (PGP 87), MD and CEO of Axis Bank delivered the Ravi Matthai Lecture on, “Personal Leadership Journey and Leadership During Turbulent Times.”
The Hyderabad Alumni IIMA Chapter instituted the Ravi Matthai lecture series in 2011 to commemorate Prof Ravi Matthai, the first Director of IIM Ahmedabad. His selfless dedication, along with that of the founding faculty, has benefitted countless alumni who continue to carry the torch of excellence. The Ravi Matthai Memorial Lecture (RML) serves as an annual expression of gratitude to Prof. Matthai’s lasting impact on IIMA and its current and past faculty.
S V Ramana Murthy, IPS and Chairman & Managing Trustee, IIMA Alumni Association Hyderabad Charitable Trust said, “This is the first year that the IIM Ahmedabad Alumni Association is conducting the Ravi Matthai Memorial Lecture along with the IIM Ahmedabad Alumni Trust. The event has now become a thanksgiving gesture to the phenomenal impact made by teachers, contributors, mentors and more.”
Chaudhry in his address said, “Organizations should be like crouching tigers, ready to pounce at any opportunity. Micro economic stability by the government is helping growth in India. Trade wars, geo-political tensions will be high on the radar impacting growth and FDI flows. Technology flow can be limited due to many factors and impacting India’s growth prospects.”
Shiv Kumar Rungta, IIMA Alumni Association Hyderabad Chapter said, “We are very happy to have Mr. Amitabh Chaudhry, MD and CEO of Axis Bank and an IIMA Alum, with us today.” He said in the past distinguished guests like Prem Das Rai, Mallika Sarabhai, KV Kamath, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Bhaskar Bhatt, Vishwavir Ahuja and Shikha Sharma delivered the RML lecture.
The Hyderabad Chapter of IIMA alumni took inspiration from Prof. Matthai’s legacy by establishing the IIMA Alumni Trust. This public trust runs two “Udbhav” schools in Hyderabad’s urban slums, currently educating over 1100 underprivileged children. By heavily subsidizing fees, the trust combats school dropouts and has proudly seen 300 students graduate from Class X in the past decade. The students of Udbhav School, nurtured by the IIMAAA, captivated the audience with their performances, showcasing their talent and dedication. The youthful sailors hailing from Udbhav received well-deserved recognition and honors for their endeavors.
Furthermore, the Hyderabad Chapter proudly acknowledged and honoured two of its esteemed Alumni for their exemplary dedication to both schools and society. Mr. H. Sitaram from the 1974 batch, serving as Trustee and Correspondent of the Udbhav School, is recognized for his exceptional commitment to community development and unwavering dedication to educating the underprivileged. His continuous support of the Alumni movement and community service further highlights his significant impact and influence.
Similarly, Mr. Harish Kumar from the 1978 batch, also serving as Trustee and School Correspondent, demonstrates a steadfast commitment to nurturing a passion for science and broadening students’ perspectives. Through the integration of innovation and technology, he strives to improve learning outcomes while remaining dedicated to the education of the underprivileged. His compassionate yet professional management approach, advocacy for ethical entrepreneurship, support of the alumni movement, and lifelong commitment to spiritual growth and community development are commendable attributes that enrich both the educational institutions and society as a whole.
The event also took the opportunity to honor the top contributors to the trust. Mr. Agarwal, the Managing Director of Nakoda Chemicals, along with Ms. Shanta Vallury Gandhi, former CSR Head of RBL Bank, and Coromandel International, were duly recognized for their substantial contributions to the trust.
