Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu launched the third installment of its flagship event here on Saturday.

The Leadership Summit, is a two-day grand event from 26-27 February welcoming the global heavyweights from industry, government, and other walks of life.

Professor B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, inaugurated the event by ‘Lighting of the Lamp’ in the presence of Dr. Muqbil Burhan, Program Chair, and Dr. Prateek Jain, Program Co-Chair, Leadership Summit.

The main theme for this year is centered around “Leadership next for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, with the primary focus on self-reliance, self-sustenance, adopted by the Government of India and making India a part of the global economy.

This would be possible by the promotion of efficient, competitive, and robust policies that are vital for creating a self-sufficient nation.

Dr. Muqbil Burhan emphasized the role of leaders with regards to providing motivation, clarity of purpose, and guidance for greater efficiency.

Prof. Sahay spoke about its rich legacy and how despite the pandemic, the institute persisted and hosted the event in a blended model. Talking about this year’s theme, he spoke on the need to have great leaders at the helm in order to make the country self-reliant.

He reminded the audience of the shortage of PPE kits at the onset of the pandemic, and how the country persisted and not just met its own demand but also became a global exporter in such a short interval of time.

Prof. Sahay motivated the audience to become job-creators rather than be job seekers and lauded how the number of “Unicorns” in India has substantially increased over the past year.

In the first panel discussion, the institute got an opportunity to host visionaries who talked about “The Great Reset: Navigating through disruptions at the workplace.”

Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-founder, of Infosys, kick-started the session by reminding me of the growing uncertainties in the corporate world and how the industries need to take advantage of emerging opportunities and continue to evolve with the changing environment.

He further spoke as to how the pandemic accelerated the pace of digital technology in organizations, which led to the emergence of hybrid work culture.

Carrying the discussion forward, Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Higher Education and Information, J&K, spoke about the three major requirements required with regards to education.

According to him, this included education leading to more contribution from individuals towards the development of society, imparting knowledge for humanism and justice, and building fair relations.

He further talked about the drastic changes that the education system has undergone in recent years. He emphasized the need for a robust ecosystem of innovation in this digital age.

Anil Kaul, Managing Director, Tata, Capital Housing Finance, greatly added to the discussion by sharing his experiences. He talked at length about the evolved expectations of customers and the increased importance of innovation in the workplace.

He advised the future leaders on giving priority to customers first and highlighted the need to reimagine, adapt and disrupt. At the same time, he mentioned the accompanying risks and talked about the different ways by which
JB Singh, President, and CEO, Interglobe Hotels, led the discussion by providing insights on the various business models and changing customer preferences in the challenging business environment.

He reiterated the need for all the leaders to slow down and embrace the uncertainty. He urged all the stakeholders to continue to contribute to society at large. He advised the audience on the need to be disciplined and be passionate about their goals.

During the second panel discussion, the institute got an opportunity to host esteemed women visionaries who talked about “Envision, Empower and Exceed”.

Dr. Kiran Bedi, Former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and the First Woman IPS Officer graced the event with her virtual presence and addressed the audience with her inspiring words.

She highlighted the significance of having a disciplined routine and a healthy schedule in life to empower oneself and emphasized the power of “We” over “Me,”.

She further stressed the need of working as a team, in all walks of life. She also made a mention about the latest book authored by her – “Fearless Governance”, and gave a blueprint for good governance by quoting real-life examples. She urged everyone to stay agile, remain need-based and not greed-based.

Deepika Kumari, Professional Archer, Padmashri, and Arjuna Awardee provided detailed insights into the theme, “Envision, Empower and Exceed”.

She began the discussion by speaking on her overall journey, success, and growth in all phases of life. Elaborating it further, she emphasized the cruciality of tough circumstances and the detrimental effects of being in comfort zones.

The ace player also shared interesting lessons from her professional journey. According to her, the biggest opponent for anyone is their own selves.

In the third panel discussion, the institute got an opportunity to host Dr. Vijay Gambhire, President & Director, The Sirpur Paper Mills Limited (a subsidiary of JK Paper Limited) spoke on the topic, ‘Transitioning traditional Industries into digital age’. Dr. Gambhire emphasized the importance of digital transformation in this era.

He was also of the opinion that digital penetration has been massive in India recently, and investments and awareness among people are catalyzing this process further.

Pandemic was another key reason that was instrumental for the companies, to sustain themselves and turn the crisis around and revamp their existing operations. He concluded his speech by stressing that change is essential for growth and should be embraced by all in order to stay relevant in this era.