The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) launched the Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series on July 20, 2024 with an inaugural talk by the iconic voice of Indian cricket, journalist, and IIMA’s PGP 1985 alumnus, Harsha Bhogle.
The Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series aims to facilitate a dialogue and exchange of ideas between the Institute’s alumni, students, and the community at large.
Delivering a heart-to-heart talk in a jam-packed Ravi J Mathai Auditorium, Harsha Bhogle shared some of the most inspiring gems and anecdotes from his life and experience, many of which are also part of the book “The Winning Way – Learnings from Sport for Managers”, written by him and his wife Anita Bhogle.
Encouraging the young generation to believe in themselves, no matter the days of low self-confidence and low self-esteem, which he also experienced when he started his career in broadcasting, Harsha Bhogle said, “The easiest thing to do is to be obsessed with what you cannot do. You may spend your lives thinking about who you are not and often you are defined by that, but some days you get a realisation that for all the things you cannot do, there is always something that you can do, and you must focus on that. Do not let what you cannot do come in the way of what you can do. Fight your weaknesses and try to find things that you can do because determination is far stronger than talent. Work hard and give your 100% to the work you are doing even when nobody is watching. If you have prepared well in advance, you will be ready when the opportunity comes knocking.”
Sharing a couple of anecdotes from his experience, Bhogle advised students not to focus on the outcome, which is not in their control and rather practice excellence in everyday life. He said, “Even if it is your big day and you are under pressure to perform, pretend in your head that it is just another day because when you are worried about the outcome, you ruin your present and subsequently your performance. Let the outcome be a by-product of your skill and excellence and accept that on some days we will fail. Life is a test match, and you always have a second chance.”
Bhogle also exhorted future corporate leaders to follow work ethics, and honesty, embrace diversity and humility, enjoy the small pleasures of life, and never stop dreaming. Underlining the importance of continuous learning and staying relevant, he said, “The current generation is lucky that you are on the right side of the relevance curve at present. But it can change in the twinkling of an eye in these changing times. One must constantly reinvent and upskill themselves and never stop learning from anyone or anywhere. When you become successful, never fall into the trap of overconfidence, complacency, and ego. Be the leader who nurtures talent and celebrates diversity.”
Earlier in the event, Professor Sunil Maheshwari, Dean (Alumni and External Relations), IIMA, welcomed Harsha Bhogle and gave a brief introduction about the Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series initiative by the Alumni and External Relations Office of the Institute. The Series aims to invite distinguished alumni of IIMA to the campus, who have significantly contributed and made an impact in various fields in India and globally, to address and engage with the institute community, faculty, and students. The initiative celebrates the excellence and achievements of IIMA’s rich alumni fraternity and will facilitate a dialogue and exchange of ideas between the Institute’s alumni, students, faculty members, and the community. The event ended with an enthusiastic Q&A session with the audience.
