Volunteers of the day –Anjali Mishra, Divyanjali Singh, Isha Agarwal, Swapnil Srivastava,Pankaj,Mohammad Zeeshan, Vivek Yadhuvanshi, Vishwajeet Anand, Abhishek Yadav and non-club members Shweta Jaiswal, Rahul Gupta, Uttam, Sakshi Pathak, Yashi Maurya and Ayush Jaiswal.

The first activity began with students picking chits that contained different tasks i.e. Dance, singing, solving math problem and drawing etc. Participants performed as per their assigned tasks—Shrishti and Mansi showcased a dance performance, Sunny solved a math problem, Pihu recited a poem, and Pari also performed a dance. Those who successfully completed their tasks were rewarded with chocolates and biscuits.

Following this, the second activity was initiated by Sakshi Pathak & Isha Agarwal, who provided a brief explanation about the importance of exercise and meditation. They guided the students through breathing techniques, emphasizing the significance of inhaling and exhaling mindfully for relaxation and well-being.Children enjoyed the learning activity a lot. The class ended with the distribution of Chocolate Biscuits and candies. Prof. Ashutosh Sharma guided the student volunteers. PGDM students were visibly satisfied and happy with the visit and the experience.

Before giving his opening remarks, Director  Prof (Dr.) Ajay Kumar ,honoured the position holders of the Club- Utkarsh (President), Shivesh (Vice President) &  Aman Kr. Lath  (Secretary). Prof. Kumar congratulated the organizing team members and the participants for being active in “PLAY PALOOZA 2.0’. In his view such activities encouraged team building spirits and bonding among the students besides inculcating managerial traits.

The PLAY PALOOZA 2.0  was a dynamic and participative event where fun  & creativity also nurtures business acumen. In all, 13 teams comprising 4 members each, displayed their creative games for the visitors. Each student visitor was given 05 tickets of 01 unit value while faculty and Director  were issued 05 tickets with one “heart” ticket worth 10 points. The three  prize winners –First, Second & Third , to be adjudged on the basis of highest value of collection from tickets. The winners are as follows:

First Prize- Vishwajeet, Premjeet, Ranajeet & Hritik

Second Prize- Yashi maurya, Ravi Kumar Thakur, Ajitesh Singh & Swapnil Srivastava

Third Prize- Anam Jamal, Ankit Jaiswal, Akash Gupta & Anubhav Singh

In addition two more prizes were given. They were:

Best Stall- Team Hera Pheri

Best Attracter- Team Fun2ssh

 The event Play Palooza 2.0 generated much euphoria and fun among the participants and the visitors. Total 137 students and 13 faculty members witnessed the event. In all, the event “PLAY PALOOZA 2.0” in its new avatar, turned out to be most popular among the students and faculty alike.

The Director of the ITS School of Management, Prof.(Dr.) Ajay Kumar, gave prizes to the winners, in the presence of Prof. Yachna Malhotra & Prof.(Dr.) Shailendra Kumar Dube.

The session aimed to provide insights into how international business differs from domestic trade and the various geopolitical factors influencing global commerce.

2.0     Highlights
The workshop began with a fundamental question: “How different is international business from domestic trading?” This set the stage for a discussion on key distinctions such as regulatory frameworks, currency fluctuations, market dynamics, and cultural considerations that businesses must navigate when operating internationally.

The workshop also shed light on the dominance of the US dollar in global transactions, emphasizing its role as the world’s primary reserve currency. A thought-provoking discussion emerged when a student raised question about the potential of a BRICS currency as an alternative to the USD, leading to an engaging debate on the feasibility and implications of such a financial shift.

The discussion progressed to the significant role geopolitics plays in shaping international business. Key topics covered included:

1.      Resource Nationalism: The control and protection of natural resources by sovereign nations and its impact on global supply chains.

2.      Protectionist Policies: The principles of protectionism, including tariffs, quotas, and subsidies, and their effects on international trade.

3.      Trade Wars : Analysis of recent trade conflicts, including the economic tensions between major economies.

4.      Role of the World Trade Organization(WTO):How the WTO facilitates trade dispute resolution and enforces trade agreements.

The workshop covered the various instruments used in international trade to exert political and economic influence, including:

a.      Sanctions:Economic penalties imposed on nations to enforce international laws and norms.

b.      Embar goes: Trade restrictions imposed on specific countries to achieve geopolitical objectives.

c.       Other Trade  Barriers: Non-tariff barriers such as licensing requirements and customs regulations that impact global trade.

The interactive nature of the workshop fostered active student participation. Engaging discussions, critical questions, and insightful debates marked the session. The satisfaction and enthusiasm of the students were evident in their expressions and positive feedback as they exited the auditorium.

3.0     Conclusion

The workshop successfully provided students with a comprehensive understanding of international business and its geopolitical influences. By addressing real-world trade issues and engaging with thought-provoking questions, the session enriched students’ knowledge and critical thinking abilities, preparing them for future challenges in the global business landscape.

The session was attended by Mr. Surendra Sood, Director PR, Dr. Ajay Kumar, Director, I.T.S School of Management with more than 20 faculty members. During the session, Mr. Das shared insights about AACSB and its impact on academic excellence. He also encouraged everyone to strengthen their institutional efforts in alignment with global education standards. Additionally, he appreciated the leadership skills, vision, and mission of the institute, stating that I.T.S School of Management has a well-defined and clear approach towards education. Dr. Ajay Kumar received an AACSB Logo lapel pin from Mr. Das, emphasizing the institution’s commitment to excellence.

Towards the end, Mr. Das congratulated all faculty members and announced that the institution can now proudly display the AACSB logo on its website, Admission Brochure and official signatures. He further emphasized that this membership will play a crucial role in enhancing academic standards and international recognition.

This achievement reflects the continuous efforts of I.T.S School of Management in maintaining high educational standards and fostering global academic partnerships.

We are indebted to the vision of Dr. R.P. Chaddha, Chairman, I.T.S -The Education Group, and Mr. Arpit Chaddha, Vice Chairman, I.T.S – The Education Group, for their untiring support and invaluable contributions.

The workshop took place on 17 February from 1:30 pm to 5 pm focusing on HR Analytics. Mr. Rohit Bharadwaj conducted the initial session, followed by Dr. Richa N. Agarwal subsequent one. 

Mr. Rohit Bhardwaj delivered an informative and insightful session on HR Analytics, providing a comprehensive overview of its definition, types, importance, and applications. He elaborated on the various aspects of HR analytics, including descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics, highlighting their significance in driving organizational success. The session also delved into key HR metrics and KPIs, such as workforce demographics, diversity, recruitment, employee performance, engagement, satisfaction, retention, and turnover, emphasizing their role in informing strategic HR decisions. Furthermore, Mr. Bhardwaj underscored the importance of HR analytics in enabling data-driven decision making, leading to improved recruitment, retention, enhanced employee experience, increased diversity and inclusion, and ultimately, driving business outcomes.

Dr. Richa Narayan Agarwal led an interactive and informative session, focusing on the practical application of Excel formulas in creating dashboards and charts. Participants gained hands-on experience in designing various types of dashboards and metrics, exploring the capabilities of Excel in data visualization.The session delved into the importance of correlation formulas in data analysis, enabling attendees to identify relationships between different variables. Dr. Agarwal provided clear explanations and examples, illustrating how correlation formulas can be applied to real-world organizational challenges.By mastering these formulas, participants learned how to uncover valuable insights, detect trends, and identify areas for improvement. This knowledge will enable them to inform data-driven decisions, drive business outcomes, and contribute to organizational growth

Through this session, attendees developed a deeper understanding of Excel's capabilities and gained practical skills in data analysis and visualization, empowering them to make a more significant impact in their organizations.

·        No. of Students: 152

·        Session: PGDM (2024-26)

The session was graced by the presence of distinguished speakers:

·      Guest: Mr. Anuj Swarup, IFS, Ministry Of External Affairs

·        Vice Chairman: Shri Arpit Chadha, I.T.S. The Education Group

·        Director (PR): Shri Surinder Sood, I.T.S. The Education Group

·        Director: Prof.(Dr.) Ajay Kumar, I.T.S. School of Management

The leadership Talk Started with lamp lightening ceremony followed by plant sampling and shawl as a token of gratitude to the esteemed guest Mr. Anuj Swarup, IFS, Ministry Of External Affairs.

The event formally commenced with the remarkable words by Shri Surinder Sood, I.T.S. The Education Group, by highlighting the significance for active listening and enlightening the profile of the esteemed guest for the day.

Shri Arpit Chadha the Vice Chairman, I.T.S. The Education Group, addressed the session by setting the stage for an engaging session by stressing the significance of leadership and proactive learning by being a good Listener. He Encouraged students to actively participate, ask questions, and use this opportunity to gain higher insights.

Mr. Anuj Swarup, IFS, Ministry of External Affairs, enlightened the students by making the session informative and inspiring, giving students a clear understanding of the UPSC exam process and to give students a realistic perspective through first-hand experience. He Shared his personal journey, challenges and strategies. Mr. Anuj shared insights on two mantras “Get out of your comfort zone” and connects this line with his own personal story of struggle during MBA mock exam and second “Plan and execute” for success.

The session was quite interactive where participants joined and asked many relevant questions. The session was then concluded with the presentation of a plaque of honor as a token of gesture.

The summit witnessed a huge participation from industry, academia and students.

The Inaugural ceremony was graced by the presence of distinguished speakers:

●          Guest of HonourI :Mr. Vikas Khanna, Senior Vice President, Hero Ecotech Ltd. ;

●          Guest of HonourII :Mr. Jagpreet Brar, Director, Human Capital Advisory Services, KPMG India;

●          Guest of HonourIII : Mr. Amitabh Ranjan, Registrar, Indian Institute of Public Administration , Govt. of India;

●          Director : Prof.(Dr.) Ajay Kumar, I.T.S School of Management;

●          Chairperson PGDM Programme : Dr. Anusha Agarwal

The highly anticipated Business Summit commenced on 15th February 2025 with the opening remark by Prof. Yaachna Malhotra followed by Maa Saraswati Vandana, symbolizing the invocation of knowledge, wisdom. Plant samplings were given as a token to all the esteemed guest by Prof. (Dr.) Ajay Kumar, Director, I.T.S School of Management.

The summit was formally inaugurated by Prof.(Dr.) Ajay Kumar, Director, I.T.S School of Managementby delivered a thought-provoking opening remark, highlighting how AI and ML are driving significant transformations across industries like healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing, reshaping businesses beyond just trends.

Summit overview was given by Dr Anusha Agarwal who welcomed all guests and provided an insightful overview of the event’s theme that how AI and ML are important and explaining the aim and agenda for the summit.

Mr. Amitabh Ranjan, Registrar, Indian Institute of Public Administration, Govt. of India emphasized the importance of AI and ML, stressing the need for upskilling and reskilling workers, using quotes from the Hanuman Chalisa. AI is not only a tool to save businesses but also a catalyst for their growth.

Mr. Jagpreet Brar, Director, Human Capital Advisory Services, KPMG Indiaaddressed how AI and ML are fundamentally changing the way businesses operate.The speaker highlighted that AI and ML have evolved from tools for efficiency to key drivers of strategic transformation, helping businesses make informed decisions by analyzing data to uncover patterns and insights.

Mr. Vikas Khanna, Senior Vice President, Hero Ecotech Ltd shared his personal experience, reflecting on how the business landscape has evolved, with AI and ML transforming challenges into competitive advantages.

Plaques were presented to all the honorable speakers as a token of remembrance and gratitude.

Panel Session—I on the theme “Harnessing Innovation in Business Decision-Making: The Power of AI and ML” was delivered by distinguished panelists:

·         Mr. Amitabh Ranjan, Registrar, Indian Institute of Public Administration Govt. of India.

·         Ms. Shivani Singh, MOC Niti Ayog/ Industry Expert AICTE.

·         Dr. Rajan Gupta, Director, Data Science & AI/ML, Deutsche Telekom Digital Lab.

·         Mr. Abhishek Pathak, Regional Head, ICICI Bank.

·         Mr. Ritesh Chandra, Ex-Banker (Regional Credit Head-Yes Bank) and Educator.

Mr. Amitabh Ranjan, Registrar at Indian Institute of Public Administration Govt. of India was the moderator of the session. He highlighted the importance of AI governance, the need for upskilling and reskilling workers, and how AI is accelerating transformation across industries.

Ms. Shivani Singh, National Head Govt. Projects, LG Electronics, focused on the importance of responsible AI usage, highlighting the need for accurate and unbiased data. She also said Human intervention is crucial to ensure accountability and accuracy.

Dr. Rajan Gupta, Director , Data Science & AI/ML, Deutsche Telekom Digital Lab, Mr. Rajan highlighted the evolution of data analysis from descriptive to prescriptive, emphasizing the shift from understanding data to predicting trends and optimizing processes.

Mr. Abhishek Pathak, Regional Head, ICICI Bank focuses on the importance of human consciousness in AI decision-making. AI should be used as a "co-pilot" to support human decision-making, rather than replacing it.

Mr. Ritesh Chandra, Ex-Banker (Regional Credit Head–Yes Bank) Educator highlighted the challenges of regulatory compliance and KYC in the banking sector.

The session was quite interactive and concluded with the presentation of plaque of honor as a token of gratitude.

Panel Session-II on theme “Navigating the Challenges of AI and ML in Business: Risks, Roadblocks, and Realities” witnessed stimulating discussions from the panelists, who shared their expertise on the evolving role of AI and ML in business and the challenges surrounding their adoption.

·         Ms. Ritika Mathur, Partner, Human Capital Consulting, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP

·         Mr. Sujit Kumar, Head-Human Resource (Marketing), Matix Fertilizers and Chemical Limited

·         Mr. Viney Kaushik, CHRO, Nuberg Engineering Ltd.

·         Muhammad Raza Siddiqui, Vice President, Black Rock

·         Mr. Rajeev SootaVice President - IT, Usha International

Ms. Ritika Mathur, Partner, Human Capital Consulting, Grant Thornton Bharat LLPemphasized AI’s impact on human capital management, urging organizations to align workforce strategies with AI-driven changes. She highlighted AI’s ethical replication, biases in recruitment algorithms, and the need to understand AI as a tool.

Mr. Sujit Kumar, Head-Human Resource (Marketing), Matix Fertilizers and Chemical Limited delved into the essence of the AI boosts HR, marketing, and agriculture, enhancing talent acquisition, engagement, and efficiency with tech like drones and XRD. It supports cost-saving, collaboration, and data-driven decisions.

Mr. Viney Kaushik, CHRO, Nuberg Engineering Ltd highlighted the importance of ethical AI, its growing role in daily life, and its impact on everything from GPS to relationships. AI, he said, should be embraced responsibly as an extension of human innovation, shaped by a higher force.

Muhammad Raza Siddiqui, Vice President, Black Rock discussedAI's impact on finance, highlighting data quality, automation, and regulatory challenges. Emphasis was placed on the need for human oversight, ethical use, and managing cyber fraud risks while ensuring responsible AI deployment.

Mr. Rajeev Soota Vice President - IT, Usha Internationalemphasized on how AI relies on data, lacks emotions, and transforms jobs instead of replacing them. How it enhances IT with automation and cybersecurity, and supports HR in recruitment and workforce management.

The session concluded on AI’s transformative impact on business, HR, finance, and IT, stressing ethical use, data integrity, and human oversight. Speakers emphasized that AI and ML enhances, not replaces, human potentialbut reinforce the need for responsible adoption and skill development. Finally with the presentation of plaque of honor as a token of gratitude the summit came to an end. 

The Resource person was Mr. Akhilesh N. Singh, an accomplished Management Consultant, and Corporate Trainer & Head Lean Solutions.  Prof.(Dr.) Ajay Kumar, Director ITS School of Management welcomed Mr. Akhilesh N.Singh , Management Consultant  & Lean Expert, with a plant sapling. In his opening remarks, Prof. (Dr.) Ajay Kumar urged the budding managers to understand the salience of ‘Lean Concepts” in Business Process Re Engineering (BPR) and  how to enhance the efficiency and productivity of an organization.  He also urged future leaders to imbibe “Lean Principles” as a tool to problem solving approach to the business processes.

In his opening remarks Mr. Akhilesh N. Singh, Lean Expert, drew attention of the participants on two basic facts: ‘Customer Satisfaction & Wealth Creation’ are the two basic objectives of an organization. He further added how Toyota Production System (TPS) gave a big blow to “Big Three”- ie Ford, Chrysler & General Motors (GM) and emerged the largest selling car in the 1980s in US market. He elaborated “Lean Production Approach” which became the ultimate success for Toyota. He also touched upon ‘Lean Transformation Framework’, BPR steps-Lean Approach, and finally the benefits of BPR & Lean.

The Q & A session was also scheduled for raising queries.. The Coordinator of the programme was Dr. Shailendra Kumar Dube, Professor & Area Chair Operations Management.The participating students became aware about a new approach of Lean towards Business Process Reengineering(BPR).

The objective of this event was to analyze the announcements of recently presented interim union budget by Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and to explore the impact of budget announcements on various sectors for students with critical thinking and innovative presentation skills

Participation Breakdown.

Pre budget Quiz: 15 members

Presentation showcase: 8 teams

Questionnaire Round: 5 teams

The Program was organized under the gracious presence of Dr. Ajay Kumar, Director I.T.S School of Management; Dr. Anusha Agarwal, PGDM Chairperson; Dr Namita Mishra, Coordinator Finance Club,Dr. Shailendra Kumar Dube and  Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, the judges of the event.Dr. Richa Agrawal also grace the occasion.

Dr. Ajay kumar sir and Dr. Namita Mishra shared their insights and inspiring words, and Manish Prasad(club President), highlighted the key elements of budget based on different expenditure After the completion of the events the prizes are distributed by Dr. Ajay Kumar (Director, PGDM) ,Dr. Anusha Agarwal,(Chairperson, PGDM), Dr Namita Mishra, Co-Ordinator and by the judges .

Details of the winners:

1st Place - Alpha Investors

Members: Mohammad Zeeshan khan, Rahul kumar Gupta, Sikha Sarawagi

2nd Place - Sitaraman Squad

Members: Premjeet kumar Shrivastava, Tanya Choudhary, Simran Raj

3rd Place - Big Bull

Members: Rajat Gupta, Priyanshu Kumar, Mohit Kumar

Pre budget quiz winners:

3rd place- Priyanshu kumar

2nd place- Yashi Maurya

1st place- Ashutosh Kumar

Best performance winner: Mohit Kumar

Innovative Budget Award: Pranshu Agarwal

Dr. Ajay Kumar (Director, PGDM) , Dr. Anusha Agarwal, (Chairperson, PGDM), Dr Namita Mishra, Co-ordinator and jury members felicitated the winning teams with trophies and certificates of appreciation. All participating teams received certificates of participation.

Outcome: Students able to apply group dynamics, their promotional skills, discharging individual responsibility to achieve the objective of the club.  Gain the knowledge of empowering themselves and demonstrating the importance of interactive learning and skill-building in finance.

A financial model represents a company's past and present operations while forecasting future performance. Understanding these models is crucial, as they serve as decision-making tools for businesses. Executives use them to estimate costs and project potential profits for proposed ventures.

During the workshop, students developed a PPP Financial Model in Excel, integrating past, present, and forecasted data. The model was structured into three key components: Input, Output, and Management Summary. By the end of the session, students were able to analyze whether an investment in the project would be viable.

The workshop witnessed enthusiastic participation, with students actively engaging in discussions. The debriefing session highlighted the importance and real-world relevance of financial modeling. The highly interactive nature of the session ensured deep learning and engagement among students.