At the first convocation of the BITS School of Management (BITSoM), Kumar Mangalam Birla, Principal, BITS Pilani, called on students to have foresight about their careers. “Look ahead. Think of vertical returns over a period of time. I know that as ambitious and driven young people, it’s not always easy at the moment. But trust me, it will help. Great leaders understand that pioneering breakthroughs take time and require patience,” he said.
He also encourages them to build their own group of companions. “No pioneer succeeds alone. Whether on long days when your path seems unclear or in times when you need to find explosive inspiration, you will look to the people around you. Your companions are not only professional colleagues but also people in whom you fully trust and support your success,” he said.
Mumbai-based School B, on Friday, held a convocation for the founding class of 2021-2023 at NCPA, Mumbai, where 137 MBA students received their management degrees in the presence of the Guest Director , Uday Kotak, MD and CEO, Bank Kotak Mahindra.
Also read: ISB Scholarship makes India’s No. 1 MBA more accessible to deserving students
Kotak, in his opening remarks, congratulated “the first batch of graduates of a unique business management school.” Advising students, he said, “Entrepreneurs fail when they are not professional enough and professionals fail when they are not entrepreneurial enough. Professional entrepreneurship is the core quality that the future will require.”
Professor V Ramgopal Rao, Vice-Chancellor of BITS Pilani, said: “Education takes you to positions and opens up new opportunities. To continue to be a lifelong student, keep an open mind and ask questions.” He added, “never compromise your rules and never lower your standards for honesty and integrity.”
Prime Minister, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chief Guest, Uday Kotak, Vice Chancellor, Professor V Ramgopal Rao, Founding Chancellor, Dr Ranjan Banerjee, members of the Board of Trustees and Faculty of BITSoM led the Parade graduation class performance.
Also read: Solid final placement at top B-schools alleviates concerns about hiring slowdown
Dr. Banerjee, said, “I wanted to leave you with a thought that I shared on day one, approaching life with the default collaborative filter. Situations are more interdependent than purely competitive, and most business schools do not emphasize this enough.” He also added, “Institutions do not transform individuals. They provide an environment in which individuals can transform themselves, and the credit ultimately goes to our founding class and the collaborative culture they have built.”
The convening ceremony was attended by more than 600 people, including students, their families, faculty members and the BITSoM team.
