On 24th September, 2014 the entire PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016 of IGTC Mumbai witnessed its first formal, suave and prim event – the 58th Annual General Meeting of the Indo German Chamber of Commerce. This extravagant extravaganza gave us a platform to realize the importance of being a part of the educational institution, the Indo-German Training Centre (IGTC).
Hotel Trident was lined up with stalls set up by different German company sponsors to showcase their niche products and by many high profile managers who were present to attend the event. The event was a perfect amalgamation of knowledge, experience and perfection, which are a few out of a list of many of the qualities that makes Germany the “Land of Ideas”. Amidst this exclusive gathering, the IGTC students stood apart from the crowd with their enthusiasm and euphoria, adorned in their striking white and blue IGTC T-shirts.
The entire hallway was lit up and the murmurs softened as the Chief Guest Honorable Dr. Raghuram Rajan, Governor, Reserve Bank of India walked towards the dais accompanied by H.E. Ambassador Michael Steiner, German Ambassador to India and Dr. Armin Bruck, President of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and other dignitaries.
Dr. Bruck welcomed all the dignitaries and surprised everyone by greeting them in Hindi. Dr. Rajan addressed the audience with his calm demeanor and left them with a wonderful after-thought saying that for progress, a conducive environment is needed, only then can opportunities be created and sustained. He also stressed on the need for vocational training in India, and complemented the Germans for their Dual Education System. Mr. Ronnie Screwvala encouraged the need for sports as a unifying factor amongst the youth in the country. Dr. Santosh Mehrotra shared his ground-breaking research findings and highlighted how Indians have a very low inclination towards training and skill development. As a remedy to this problem, Dr. Mehrotra proposed that companies should establish a sinking fund, which would be used to train employees and help plough back profits for the companies.
Ambassador Steiner quoted, “For us (The Embassy) here in India, the Modi election campaign was stunning. This government had a perfect start and has made some good progress towards good governance. The first budget was not the reinvention of the wheel; it was realistic and has sent the right signals.” He emphasized that Indians must maintain a good image of their country, in front of the potential investors.
Mr. Steinruecke then announced the IGCC Award for Outstanding Contribution towards the Promotion of Indo-German Economic Relations to TATA Consultancy Services Ltd. and to Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd. The Award for Outstanding Export Performance by an Indo-German joint venture was given to TFL Quinn India Pvt. Ltd. and Trelleborg Vibracoustic (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Lastly, the most awaited Dr. Günter Krüger Awards for Excellence was presented to the most outstanding student of the Indo-German Training Centre. Mr. Gokul Kannan from IGTC Bangalore, Ms. Renuka Rukmani from IGTC Chennai, Mr. Shashank Chandrasekharan from IGTC Kolkata and Mr. Amol Lokegaonkar from IGTC Mumbai were felicitated by Dr. Raghuram Rajan; a moment that the trainees will cherish for the rest of their lives. A special plaque was also presented to Mr. A. Krishna from Bosch Ltd. for his guidance and direction to the Indo-German HR Partner Forum. Mr. Ramesh Shankar from Siemens Ltd. joined the presentation ceremony as the new President of the Indo-German HR Partner Forum.
What one could not miss out was the special mention and appreciation attained by IGTC for imparting the German Dual Education System in India. Germany being the role-model for such training is the world leader in skill development. This is no coincidence that we, at IGTC, follow a modernized version of this almost 500 year old German tradition of vocational training.
We, IGTCians, were swelled with pride when Mr. Steinruecke addressed the IGTCians as the future of the country. The entire event imbibed in us, the need to live up to the expectations of the Chamber, and the great heights which we, as IGTC students, need to achieve. We learnt that to make a difference, it is not only the thought that is important but also the action plan, discipline and dedication to actualize it. But what is most critical is a deep belief in ourselves and the Dual Education System that we are a part of. We are now aware that we represent the future of a changing education system, that we are its Brand Ambassadors. While this instilled an immense pride, it also reminded us of the great responsibility that we now shoulder.
By the end of the event, industrialists and executives were curious about us and wanted to know us better. IGTCians were spotted socializing with high profile managers and German delegates throughout the event. Pride, honour and recognition. These emotions ran through every IGTC student and the IGTC Director, Faculty and Managers. The glorious evening of 24th September, 2014 will always remind us to perform better and beyond.
Contributed by Aakanksha, Abbas, Surbhi, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016
