The eminent speaker of the session was Mr. T.N. Ravi, Founder of AV Enterprises. He explained about the application of startup finance principles and its critical aspect for entrepreneurs seeking to navigate the complexities of financial management in the startup ecosystem. Further, he enlightened the students by showering knowledge of entrepreneurship and startups & their vital role in the industry. He also explained various types of funding viz., Bootstrapping, Seed Funding/ Angel Funding, Series, and IPO. He shared some practical knowledge about start-ups and sources of funding for the business and funding pie at various stages of funding.

The session was insightful and exhibited knowledge. It was a great learning for all the students as they enjoyed the question-and-answer sessions and got the opportunity to clear their doubts.

The session was concluded by Dr. Anusha Agarwal, PGP Chairperson presenting a token of memento to the guest, Mr. T.N. Ravi.

Ms. Sharma is having an illustrious career and vast exposure in “Logistics Industry”. Her company is having a global presence and providing global supply chain solutions to its customers.  The Director of  ITS School of Management,Prof. (Dr.) Timira Shukla, also graced the occasion.

In her opening remarks,Ms. Sharma,  highlighted the importance of “International Logistics”. It is the lifeline of much needed “Global Trade” without which no country can be competitive in the global market. Sharing  In her session Ms. Sharma touched upon several aspects like components of International Logistics, Shipping Documentation & Custom Clearances, INCO terms, rising ‘Risks in International  Logistics’, use of ‘Technology in Logistics’ AI and IT etc. Finally, she drew attention of participants on the “Initiatives taken by GOI”, in terms of Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), Sagarmala, BharatMala, , Golden Quadrilateral, Modernization of Ports & Harbours, Logistics Policy 2022, besides “Containerisation”.

The participants were also exposed to “ Set of Documents”, which are very  important in Export & Import. Under Q & A session, students raised very important industry related queries.

PGDM Programme Chairperson, Prof.( Dr.) Anusha Agarwal, offered a memento to Ms. Sarita Sharma, as a token of gratitude.

The resource speaker was Mr. Gaurav Malik, Chief Strategy officer, Successive Technologies. The session commenced with a welcome note by Professor Yachna Malhotra and by presenting a plant sapling to the guest.

Mr. Gaurav Malik highlighted that in today's competitive business environment, mastering effective communication and sales strategies is paramount for success. He emphasized essential tactics, emphasizing the importance of personal branding, understanding consumer perspectives, and utilizing various communication frameworks. By adopting these strategies, professionals can enhance their influence and achieve consistent growth. Mr. Malik provided valuable insights into leveraging LinkedIn for personal branding, the significance of confident communication, and the power of networking and content creation.

Mr. Gaurav explained the communication framework that involves listening, thinking, speaking or writing, and non-verbal cues. The personal cheat sheet, akin to a personal diary, helps track progress, while LinkedIn newsletters serve to maintain a professional record. Moreover, prompt engineering and confident communication are vital, ensuring that one looks and sounds convincing. Finally, Mr.Gaurav underscored that presenting products or services to the right person at the right time is crucial for optimal results.

To conclude the session, Mr. Gaurav facilitated a role play involving four candidates, two focusing on marketing qualified leads (MQL) and two on sales qualified leads (SQL). The MQL candidates were tasked with developing marketing strategies for the FMCG industry from the audience's perspective, while the SQL candidates were challenged to sell the FMCG products to at least five audience members using their strategies. This practical exercise underscored the importance of understanding both marketing and sales dynamics, reinforcing the session's key points on effective communication and strategic thinking.

At the end of the session, Dr. Timira Shukla, Director- I.T.S School of Management, and Chairperson PGDM Program Dr. Anusha Agarwal presented memento as a token of gratitude and remembrance to the guest.

The Session was conducted by Ms. Akansha Vishwakarma, HR Partner, Senior Analyst, Accenture.

The lecture focused on the importance of winning the talent war for organizations and the various strategies that can be employed to achieve this goal. It provided a comprehensive overview of how companies can build a strong employer brand, implement effective recruitment strategies, and create a supportive work environment that fosters growth and development.

The Session commenced with an engaging question-and-answer round. This not only heightened students' interest but also contributed to building awareness about the necessity and development of high-performance organizations."

In her presentation, she focused on essential strategies for attracting, retaining, and developing top talent in today's competitive business environment.

The lecture highlighted several key strategies for attracting, retaining, and developing top talent, such as building a strong work culture, implementing data-driven recruitment approaches, offering flexible work arrangements, and ethical performance management. These insights aim to help organizations create a supportive work environment that fosters growth and development.

The speaker covered important topics Employee Branding, employee value proposition, Targeted Recruitment, Employee Referral Programs, Flexible Work Arrangements, Holistic Talent Management, Training and Development, reward management.

These topics were central to the lecture, providing a comprehensive overview of the strategies necessary to win the war for talent in today's competitive landscape. It was a successful lecture resulted in great learning experience.

The panel speakers were:

Mr Arindam Bhattacharjee, Business School Editor- Web, Business Standard

Mr. Krishna Gopal, Former Global Head -- Tech Mahindra

Ms. Pratima Pinto Thomas, Head HR -- Fino Payments Bank

Ms. Sucharita Dey, Senior HR Manager -- Novo Nordisk

Dr. Priyanka Sharma, Chairperson Student Affairs & Placement – IIM

Mr Arindam started the seminar by outlining the focus on the current state of jobs, the impact of AI on employment, and strategies for navigating the evolving job market. He mentioned that over the past year, major companies like Google, Microsoft, and Infosys have reported significant layoffs.The US has lost almost 70% of its jobs, while India has seen a 16% reduction in employment.

Mr. Krishna Gopal highlighted that AI is a major threat to jobs in the technology sector, suggesting that this trend might continue irrespective of election results.He stated that the technology industry experienced a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased digitization and cloud adoption.Despite the challenges, there are still opportunities for young, skilled individuals, though the mass workforce faces difficulties.

The resource speaker was Dr. Abhishek Singh, Regional Purchase Manager (North, West, East Regions & International Business) at Britannia Industries Ltd., Dr. Timira Shukla, Director, extending a warm welcome to the esteemed guest speaker, Dr. Abhishek Singh. Joining in the welcome was Dr. Anusha Agarwal, adding to the anticipation of the insightful discussion that awaited.

He commenced the session with an engaging query, prompting the audience to ponder the significance of distribution systems. Through vivid diagrams and illustrations, Dr. Singh elucidated how Britannia Industries efficiently orchestrates its supply chain operations. The interactive nature of the session encouraged students to share their perspectives on market logistics and SCM, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas.

Tracing the roots of logistics and SCM back to materials management, speaker provided clarity on the evolution of these concepts. Drawing from real-world examples, he delved into the intricacies of SCM, emphasizing the pivotal role of integrating operations with both suppliers and customers. The discourse underscored the paramount importance of customer service performance, elucidating the measures adopted by Britannia Industries to optimize logistics functions, thereby enhancing 'time' and 'place' utility.

A focal point of discussion centered on the case study of Britannia's operations in India, illustrating the process of supply chain integration and the adoption of best practices in fostering efficient consumer and quick response logistics.

As the session drew to a close, Dr. Sanjeev Tandon expressed gratitude on behalf of the institution, presenting Dr. Abhishek Singh with a memento as a token of appreciation. Lecture concluded on a high note, leaving the audience enriched with valuable insights and newfound perspectives.

Mr Sanjeev Kumar Kanaujiya, Executive Director and Head NRP, Panipat, Mr H. S. Roy, General Manager- HR, Mr Vinod Kumar Lehngir, General Manager- Operations dignitaries of briefed the students on the various aspects of IOCL functioning, operations, supply chain management etc.  Mr. Kananjiya interacted with students on the specific issues or queries.

He focused on five divisions of pipelines and the future of products like petrol, diesel, CNG, EV and hydrogen. He highlighted on the future of IOCL and pipelines in upcoming market demand and supply of the product. He stressed on R&D and also mentioned the benefits of innovation and technology. Mr Mohit Kumar, Program Manager, delivered a power point presentation on details like functioning, monitoring and controlling the processes of IOCL refinery of pipelines plants and delivery channels.
At the end of visit Mr Roy interacted with students on recruitments needs and HR related queries. The visit to IOCL was enriching experience.

The event was held to recognize the academic and extra-curricular achievements of the students and bid farewell to the outgoing batch. The program began with a ceremonial lamp lighting and Saraswati Vandana.

The event was graced by the presence of Director, I.T.S School of Management, Dr. Timira Shukla; Director- Institute of Technology and Science, Dr. V N Bajpai; PGDM Chairperson, Dr. Anusha Agarwal and faculty members.

Dr. Timira Shukla congratulated all the awardees on their achievements and advised the outgoing students to always see themselves as good ambassadors of the Institute and strengthen the relationship with their Alma mater.

The I.T.S Excellence awards were awarded under various categories, including Academic Excellence, Best Leadership, Star Performer, Best Rangoli Preparation , Best Club, Best Club Member, and Highest Placement International/Domestic of the batch. The event witnessed enthusiastic performances from students of 2023-25 and 2022-24 batches, including solo & group dance, poetry, and surprise games, which kept the audience enthralled.

Mr. Shikhar Mishra and Ms. Sundari Tomar were crowned as Mr. & Ms. Farewell, while Mr. Nitish Parashar & Ms. Simran Srivastava bagged the title of Mr. & Ms. Popular respectively.

The event was nostalgic for the outgoing batch as they were leaving the Institute and beginning a new journey. Dr. Anusha Agarwal, Chairperson PGDM, congratulated each one of them.

At the end of the program, the students rocked the dance floor with a specially organized DJ night. The farewell was a grand success, filled with glitz, glamour, and emotions.

The invited dignitaries of inaugural session included;

·         Shri Gopal Krishna Agarwal, National Spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party, as a Chief Guest;

·         Prof. Pooran Chandra Pandey, Professor of Practice, Nalanda University and Advisor, UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab, Paris, France, as Guest of Honour;

·         Dr Debarshi Mukherjee, Professor, Business Management, Jamia Milia Islamia, as Keynote speaker.

Dr V.N. Bajpai, Director, of the Institute extended a warm welcome to the Guests and participants of the conference. He pointed out that the focus on the 3Ps reflects a holistic attitude towards business and society, while driving positive change at the global stage.

Dr Manoj Kumar Jha, Convener of the conference, referred to the tradition at I.T.S. of organising conferences on contemporary issues.

The assembled dignitaries released the conference journal with several prominent papers. It was also an occasion for the release of the book Exploring Social Intelligence written by Dr Debarshi Mukherjee.

Shri Gopal Krishna Agarwal began by saying that the path to happiness is based on prosperity. Stating that learning is a continuous process, he said that ESG is now being incorporated into company balance sheets. India was primed for progress as it was well set to take advantage of the evolving knowledge economy.

Prof Pandey used his vast experience to illustrate how thoughts have evolved on the issue of ensuring social well-being. Referring to the theme of the conference he discussed human activities affected the planet and how that awareness could ensure prosperity

Dr Mukherjee in his address elaborated on the subject of his book. Stressing that time is of essence, he said that coexistence and coherence have been perennially imbibed, concluding that a symbiotic relationship is essential for the good of the planet. A thought provoking inaugural session is just what was needed to set the conference in motion. The gathered audience got a ring side view of the relevant issues while looking forward to more threadbare interactions during the forthcoming sessions.

The inaugural session was followed by to two Panel Discussions (Virtual Mode) to address the various dimensions of the conference main theme and sub themes.

In first Panel discussion the speakers including;

·            Dr. Vibhuti Jha, Vice  Chancellor, The Global University, Itanagar Arunachal Pradesh;

·            Dr. Prashant Gupta, Professor - Finance and Accounting,IIM Nagpur,

·            Dr. G. Sridhar, Professor –Marketing, IIM Kozikode;

·            Dr. Piyush Sinha, Director -Advisory and Research, CRI (Business Consulting and Services), Ex. Professor (Marketing), IIM Ahmedabad;

·            Dr.  K M Baharul Islam, Professor, IIM Kashipur;

·            Prof. Anand Thakur, Professor & Dean, School of Management, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda;

·            Mr. Rohit Swarup, Founder Director, Explora Design Skool & Futurz Xplored, Ahmedabad shared their valuable insights around conference theme.

The second panel discussion comprised of international experts including:

·            Svetlana S. Bodrunova, Professor & Head, Center for International Media Research, St. Petersburg State University, Russia;

·            Elias Hadjielias, Assistant Professor, Entrepreneurship and Family Business Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus;

·            Ankit Katrodia, Associate Professor, Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences, North West University, Mahikeng, South Africa;

·            Macario Gayeta, Professor, Philippine Christian University, Manila;

·            Maria Hadjielia Drotarova, Head of research , Tourism and Hospitality, CTL Euro college, Limassol, Cyprus;

·            Ivan  Muniz  Rothgiesser, Professor & Director, ACCEDU, Universidad Andres Bell, Peru sharing their perspective around the theme with global orientation.

During the conference more than 70 research papers were presented by the Industry professionals, faculty, research scholars and students of various institutions from India and abroad. Selected research papers were published in International Conference special Journal. Two days of the conference were full of learning and excitement with a networking opportunity for all the participants.

There were many participants from various institutes of NCR, among them PGDM Students performed very well and got awarded with participation certificates. It was great learning experience for the students.