DREAM MERCHANTS

“You Have To Dream Before Your Dreams Can Come True.”

_ APJ Abdul Kalam

The students at FORE School of Management had a unique chance to gain knowledgeable insights through the “Opportunity Evaluation & How to write a B-Plan Workshop” conducted by Centre Fore Entrepreneurship and then the gauntlet was thrown down before them. The challenge was: coming up with a Business plan. CED’s event Dream Merchant was all about it. The headline said: “It's time now to scratch your mind, enlighten the visionary path and come up with an extraordinary Business Plan.” And everyone made sure that the opportunity should be tapped. After evaluating the executive summaries of various business plans submitted by the batch, CED shortlisted 5 teams for the final round held on 6^th march’13 in Virajam Auditorium, namely Storm Troopers, Small Wonders, Dreamers, Avensis and Avengers.

Each team had an idea to change the world, each member had a vision. But there could only be one winner and to judge that, CED called upon some illustrious minds from the corporate world viz. Mr. Ajay Tandon (Director, Citi Ventures), Mr. Tarun Bhalla (Founder, Building Blocks) and Mr. Abhishek Gupta (Founder, HR Synergy). The idea was that they would be able to better judge the feasibility of a plan by putting it in the real and practical context.

Dream Merchants event turned into a dynamic field where ideas were generated bandied around, discussed, discarded and sometimes, with much apprehension accepted, because apprehension is the key to precaution. Judges were very keen to explore the ideas thoroughly. Teams made presentation and every presentation was followed by an interactive Q&A sessions where students and judges posed questions and challenged the answers. The ideas presented by the teams were varied ranging from emergency medical services to home crèches; from customized smartphones to online forums for celebrity fashion; no avenue was left by the teams. It seemed that every business opportunity that could be exploited had been explored by the students.

Judges with Mrs. Anita T. Lal (Faculty-in-charge, CED) announcing the results.

All the teams were effective in their presentations and incisive in their answers. All the questions were tackled with; teams sometimes found themselves wrestling with contradiction, cornered by the questions but most of them found their way out after one or two bumps. But, Storm Troopers, with their idea of Zindagi 24x7 or emergency medical services (with Mumbai as target city) stole the glory and came out to be the winner of the event. Avengers came second and Avensis came third. Dreamers and Small wonders received praise and felicitations for participation. After a final address to the judges, teams and the audience, the event ended with a residual charm. The charm of a dream we hold close and don’t share because we fear. Something about Dream Merchants made us believe the cliché: Everything is possible.

HR CONCLAVE

On March 13, 2013 the Corporate Interaction Division at FORE organised an HR Conclave that brought together Experts from the Industry on a platform to discuss the contemporary scenario and challenges in the field of Human Resource Management. The Dignitaries included Mr A D Burman, Deputy General Manager HR at Maruti Suzuki, Mr G Jawahar Deputy General Manager at Power Grid and Mr Naveen Kumar from the field of HR Consulting.

Mr A D Burman started off with the Paradigm Shift in the Business Performance Management and the true value of a company-its people. He discussed about the Inclusive Growth policies at Maruti Suzuki India Limited that are focussed on achieving long term results. He highlighted the importance of providing a Fair Assessment and Rewards to the employees, the need for a communication channel and the value of sharing Business Success with the employees at different levels.

Mr G Jawahar talked about Talent Management- the key challenge being Employee Engagement. He stressed upon the need to recognise quality and appreciate hard work suitably. He brought forth the emergence and contribution of technology in the field of Human resource Management. Mr Jawahar also underlined the need of a feedback mechanism and developing an organisation wide culture that should run in its DNA.

Mr Naveen Kumar discussed about the challenges to Talent Retention in the era of Globalisation, focusing on the new opportunities which are available to the youth who is driven by excitement and the need to invest and develop the right people. He shared the contribution of having a strong Employee Connect Network. The Session concluded with the Q & A session with the Students gaining beneficial insights from the Experts.

Code of Conduct as per Mr. Shubendu Kumar

On January 7, 2013 the Corporate Interaction Division of FORE conducted an Anubhuti session with FORE Alumni Mr. Shubendu Kumar on the importance of code of conduct in a business organisation. Mr. Kumar talked about how learning at a b-school was not just a culmination of knowledge about the business aspect of work, but learning how to work in an organisation was also a very important aspect of the b-school education.  Mr. Shubendu advised the students that what one needs to do in the organisation is ‘aim for an impact that you want to deliver’. In simple words he stressed upon how there was a basic code of conduct that each company expected one to follow even without the induction program that each company provides with. Thus, he talked about the basic mantra of believing in team work, maintaining the office decorum and having complete accountability of our actions. He also put special emphasis on ensuring that one is always clear about the doubts regarding code of conduct and ensure that no unknowing mistake is committed.

He divided his presentation into various parts to make sure that he took the students through all the intricacies of what an organisation may expect out of an individual. Thus, he talked about rapport building and non-verbal communication. He also, mentioned about how important was it to follow the basic meeting etiquette, and to remember that the culture of a workplace is never documented, only observed and followed.  Another lesson that he taught one and all present was the learning of interpersonal skills that included both verbal and non-verbal communication. While the former included traits such as conviction, confidence and enthusiasm; the latter stressed upon following proper body language etc. Another important aspect of interpersonal skill was the communication styles. He basically talked of 3 major styles, namely aggressive, passive and assertive and talked of how one should be aware of their own style and act accordingly.

Lastly he handled the queries posed by the students and ensured that all students left with the key lesson that often it was common sense and logic more than anything else that was essential for the personal and professional development of an individual both within an organisation and even outside one. 

RENDEZVOUS 2012

The FORE Alumni Network  organized Rendezvous 2012 on November 27, where those alumni of FORE who had done exceptionally well were called upon to share their experiences and address the present batch at FORE.

The five alumni who graced the evening and made the panel of the esteemed alumni for the event were namely Mr. Harkawal Singh (Batch 2001), Mr. Sitesh Padhee (Batch 2003), Mr. Ishu Bhasin (Batch 2007), Ms. Prakriti Wadhwa (Batch 2008) and Ms. Radhika Gupta. (Batch 2010).

Ms. Prakriti Wadhwa, who is currently working as an Associate Project Director- Qualitative and Shopper consulting group at TNS was the first speaker of the evening. She started the evening on a high note by reminding everyone of how tough it is to survive that first year in an MBA College “with groups that are never the ones you want to work with but the same is going to happen in organizations and this is what will help you all later.”

Following her was Ms. Radhika Gupta, a Senior Associate in the Telecom, Media and Technology domain at Grail Research. She kept her speech light hearted and tried to relate to the audience while reminding all to keep hope regarding placements and to not be rigid in their choice, as her last words were “ you should either do what you love, or love what you do and I chose the latter.”

Next to grace the stage was Mr. Sitesh Padhee who is currently handling corporate relations for mortgages in Delhi NCR.  Mr. Padhee reminded the students of how “in the corporate world it is your team that is responsible for you success, and each and every team member is equally important for success.”

Next was Mr. Ishu Bhasin, Brand Manager for Hero MotoCorp, handling marketing campaigns of the CD series (CD Dawn, CD Deluxe etc.) as well as the Splendor Portfolio (Splendor Plus, Splendor PRO, Splendor NXG, Super Splendor etc.). He started it off by a simple statement that he was all about "marketing, marketing, marketing”. He also reminded the batch of how it is the CV that selects you, but the road ahead is based on your acumen and talent.

The last speaker of the evening was Mr. Har Kawal Singh, who is currently working as Senior Manager- Marketing in Oral care products at Dabur. He reminded the students of how beneficial the committees at FORE are for an individual’s overall development. He spoke about how “being a member of FCD myself helped me gain confidence, and improve upon my communication skills, especially when it comes to communicating with the corporate world”.

All the alumni answered questions from the students that range from as simple as about the correct CV to thought provoking ones like the lack of work experience and how it influenced an individual. It was a highly interactive and informative session with all the students enjoying the chance of having their doubts cleared and learning from the experience that the alumni shared.  As the evening came to an end there were more than a few fears relieved, a few doubts cleared and a better understanding of what life after FORE might entail.

'AASHAYEIN' - Spreading Hope..

Aashayein is an event organized by Team Antar (CSR committee of FSM), in association with Salaam Baalak Trust. 12 members of Team Antar, along with a 40+ volunteers from our college visited DMRC Shelter Home near Tis Hazari Metro station on 21^st October 2012. In a daylong event, they interacted with the kids, organized competitions, dined together and had a memorable time.

“It didn’t take much time to wash off the paint from our faces after the face painting competition, but a happy tinge will always be there…,” one of the volunteers said after getting back from Salaam Baalak Trust.

Volunteers from FORE with the young kids after Face Painting Competition

How much does a smile cost? Just another smile. This idea is epitomized in a day, and this is the idea Aashayein is based upon- to make one day in a child’s life special. The students took a day out for the kids and every minute of it was made worthwhile as they witnessed the hidden talents and the creative streak the kids had. They not only did just good; they excelled in the all the competitions- painting, face painting, balloon competition, paper dance, interactive quiz, Tambola and of course, cricket. Face painting made the thought of putting on make-up before a Saturday night-out bland and dull. In Painting competition, the kids showed how to apply thoughts instead of colours and during the quiz, one could easily have spotted 2 or 3 Derek O’Briens among them. In a nutshell, the games everyone played were not competitive, they were spirited.

Kids share smiles with the volunteers

Afterwards, everyone had lunch together. Lunch was served by the Team members and the volunteers. The kids interacted with everyone, told them little anecdotes from their eventful lives, stories so frivolously told yet so deeply and beautiful. Then, a documentary was shown to the kids to make them understand the importance of education and its role in their future lives, how it will shape the days to come and how it will be the only power they can wield to show the world that it is not the luck but the will of a person which takes one ahead in the race.

GOING BACK THE MEMORY LANE – JUBILATE 2012

“Many a time’s memories rush forward unbidden, and yet if given a time to recollect the moments, The incidents are recounted in an effortless rhythm.”

The warm evening of October 13, 2012 saw FORE School of Management lit up with more than just flowers and lights; it was lit up with the sense of excitement and more importantly a sense of nostalgia as the present students of FORE geared up to meet the esteemed alumni.  With all the committees joining hands to prepare for the final day, it was essentially an effort of the FORE Alumni Network along with the Think Tank team and Team Nexus. The annual meet responsible for bringing together the past and the present of FORE, started in the evening amidst warm welcome by the students with ‘tikas’ and warm smiles all around.  Once the alumni and directors assembled in the Virajam Auditorium, the comparers of the day Amrit Sagar and Pallavi had the ball rolling.

The evening started with a warm recollection of what college life was all about with these words by Amrit “What memories over the years to us come by, with a never a thought of the old building’s lack! No one minded the cracked windowsills; or the stairs so worn, many took spills.” With these words he built up the nostalgic note for the evening, where everyone sat recollecting their past. With the traditional lighting of the ceremonial lamp, the proceedings were officially initiated. Thereafter, Dr. Anupam Narula, Professor in charge FORE School of Management addressed the audience with his welcome note, and the show finally began. 

In his usual enigmatic style, Dr. J.K. Das, Director FORE School of Management, bid a warm welcome to his past students –the alumni to their Alma Mater.  His words were enough to bring alive the charm of the evening as everyone sat enraptured by his knowledge and the memorable moments that he helped remember. He was followed by Vice President Treasurer, Dr. B.B.L Madhukar who honored the dais with his evergreen words. His subtle charisma coupled with his unique ideas brought a new fire to the evening.  Thereafter Mr. R.C. Sharma, President, took up the dais to bid welcome to the gathered alumni.  He reminded one and all of how FORE had come such long way since its inception, proudly talking about the upcoming building at Sonipat as well as the ongoing construction in the present building. Following him was President Emeritus, Professor R.P. Billimoria who, in his usual fashion, kept his speech short and sweet but filled with an enigmatic essence.  Last, but not the least, to embrace the dais was the President of FORE Alumni Association, Mr. Sachin Jain.  His words not only pepped up the liveliness of the evening but also served as a reminder of all the wonderful ways in which FORE alumni can be in touch, be it through the FORE Face book page, or other efforts.

And as Mr. Sachin bid farewell to the dais, it was time for the awards. Back after a hiatus of four years the awards were Alumni Recognition Awards given for Executive Leadership, Entrepreneurship and for Public Contribution. This time the recipients of the awards were Mr. Rakesh Mathur, Mr. Sanjeev Bajaj and Ms. Anjum Chopra respectively.

As each recipient received his/ her award, they recounted moments spent at FORE and how it had shaped them to be the person they are today. The first up on the dais was Mr. Rakesh Mathur, the current director (sales) for Industrial Technologies, who not only has had an exemplary career of 17 years but has also managed a$22 million plus portfolio. He fondly remembered all of his teachers and talked about how he is still in touch with the faculty at FORE as they had a huge role to play in making him the person he is today. Up next was Mr. Sanjeev Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Holdings & Investment Limited, since April 2012. A part of FMG 2, he very rightly proclaimed that FORE was as much a part of his life as he was of FORE and talked of how the learning that we receive at the college turn back to help us in endless moments in life. To end the awards was none other than Ms. Anjum Chopra, the recipient of Arjuna Award (for her achievement and contribution to women’s cricket in India.) With her subtle sense of humor and invigorating charm she added a new wave to the evening, reminding one and all of the multitude ways in which FORE served as a source of great fun and even greater memories. Her adventures served as an inspiration to the students, a reminder to the audience, and a delight to the teachers.

The night seemed never to end, such was the charm that spread and this charm was further carried on by the cultural event that the students had planned. Before the advent of the events, the crowd got together for a short game of FORE Tambola and the enthusiasm with which the alumni responded to the questions about their own FORE was overwhelming. Not a single memory was lost, not a single fact mistaken, and the alumni and faculty together enjoyed the game with the innocent competitiveness that drives us all.

No sooner had the game ended, that the cultural event started. The students of FORE had endeavored to give the alumni a brief flashback journey into their two years spent at FORE and thus using skit, power point presentations and a sensational band performance, the students managed to revive the feeling that being a Foreian is all about. Depicting the life of a kid who just got into FORE, the skit was a delightful attempt at showcasing the highlights of an MBA graduate- the scary examinations, the excessive case studies, the first crush, the placement victory. The band performance in the end acted as the cherry on the cake, leaving everyone mesmerized as the crowd hummed to tunes of songs old and new.

It was with a silent grace that the evening came to an end. However as  the alumni were guided to food and cocktail, the atmosphere was such that it was evident that though the evening might have ended, the feeling of being a part of FORE lives on forever, only to be relived once again year after year. 

KREATE- Letting the thought flow

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development at FORE School of Management is synonymous for being the supporter of everything that’s new and different. And this fact was further proved by the intra-college competition KREATE recently held in the college.  True to its motto, this event by CED acted as the perfect platform to enable the budding entrepreneurs at FORE to give voice to their ideas.  With Mr. Sahil Malhotra, the CEO of Crisp Software Solutions, our very own Dr. Anita Lal acting as the judges for the event , and the first year batch of FORE as offering rebuttals, the participants knew they had to deliver to please, and each and every one of the competing teams stood true to their mark.

KREATE was basically an idea generation competition and was divided into two rounds. A preliminary round had already been conducted wherein various teams submitted an executive summary of their business idea. Thereafter 5 teams were shortlisted for the final round held on October 11, 2012. The five shortlisted teams were Scrappers, Sanrakshan, Invincible, Astitva and Savvy.The teams were judged on three parameters which were content, presentation and the time taken to present. Each team was given 3 minutes for the presentation and a buzzer was be rung at exactly 2 minutes and 30 seconds to give the teams a chance to wrap up their presentation in the remaining time. Thereafter there was a round for questions and answer between the teams and audience and the judges.

From waste management schemes to ideas of movie cafes to online grocery shopping portals, the ideas were as wide as they were well rehearsed. Each and every time put in their effort to not only showcase the best presentation, but also highlight the intricate points of a business plan such as the revenue and expenditure details, the expected challenges etc.  The highlight of the event was perhaps the poise and confidence with which the teams handled any and every question flung their way. However there could only be one winner and they were Vinoth Kannan and Kumar Varun from team Scrappers, with Anshul Gupta, Aarushi Jain and Mansee Saxena from team Sanrakhshan coming to a close second. The first prize winners would have direct entry into the inter college b-plan competition held by CED in the form of Concoct.

In the end Mr. Malhotra graciously gave advice on how the remaining teams could one day turn their idea into a reality. Dr. Lal also went on to remind the teams of how it was always better to test their idea and improve upon the flaws so that the final result could emerge with least mistakes. Both the teams and the audience paid close attention to this parting advice. All in all it was an educational and entertaining event enjoyed by one and all.