Bright young lives stood at the threshold of a brilliant future. The very air at IMT Nagpur was charged with excitement and anticipation as business magnate Mukesh Ambani and Kamal Nath, Union Minister for Urban Development, Government of India addressed the gathering at IMT Nagpur’s Convocation, 2012, held on 3 March, 2012.
“This century is poised to become an India Century,” Chief Guest Shri Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani, a man who needs no introduction, said in his IMT Nagpur Convocation address. Those nine words had every member of the audience experience one emotion – a deep pride in India, and a deeper pride of being Indian.
Convocation 2012, on 3 March, was IMT Nagpur’s 7th, and turned into a memorable day, charged with brilliance. Mukesh Ambani was in his usual element as he told the students that success belonged to those who sought it. A huge factor in every success story is one person – you. “India is a land of a billion opportunities – not a billion problems. This is the centre of the world,” Ambani, a symbol of India’s transformation, said, adding, “These opportunities manifest themselves through the various challenges faced by our country. The youth power – you – will be central to converting challenges into opportunities.”
Shri Mukesh Ambani acknowledged that a graduation ceremony is an unforgettable landmark in any student’s life. But it is also a beginning. The beginning of the end of a comfortable life in exchange of real life challenges. Graduate Himanshu Arora said, “An IMT-ian is born with two lives. One is life at IMT – a mixture of anxiety, academics, friends, fun, joy, tears, love and passion. The second life is reality.” Obviously, he had been listening to Shri Ambani closely.
Sensing the excitement brewing within the students, Ambani told them, “Graduation is not about moving out. It actually means moving UP. Up the ladder of excellence, moving up the steps of responsibility, and do this with poise and character, enthusiasm and conviction. Graduate yourselves to a higher existence. Emotionally and spiritually.”
He went on to remind those waiting for their future to unfold, that they had many people to thank before their journey began. Parents, family and elders. All of them have made huge sacrifices to get the graduates to IMT. IMT Nagpur faculty, who had worked tirelessly on the graduating batch’s education received their share of applause, courtesy Mukesh Ambani’s acknowledgement of them.
“We have one of the best faculty pools in the country, and use online testing in some exams,” Dr. Rajendra Nargundkar, Director, IMT Nagpur said. “It is only in its 8th year, and is already among the top 20 private B-Schools in India.”A truly commendable achievement.
The students, most of them already placed in jobs that would fetch them an average of Rs. 5.4 lakhs per annum, sat at rapt attention, soaking in every moment.
Pushpinder Singh, a new graduate became sentimental at the thought of leaving the comfort zone that IMT Nagpur offered. “I wish life had an action replay button, I would will my time at IMT Nagpur back,” he sighed.
Shri Kamal Nath ended his address with some very relevant thoughts, thoughts that every student will replay in their minds. “Make the earth a happier planet. As you leave the portals of IMT Nagpur as trained managers, never forget you are the citizens of India,” he said. “Because you have received one of the best educations the country has to offer, you are saddled with a greater responsibility – to put education to use in a socially responsible manner. I wish you a great future. You have worked hard towards it. Now go out and grasp it.”
Orange Diary 