Kolkata, : The inauguration ceremony of the 18th batch of the Post Graduate Program for Executives for Visionary Leadership in Manufacturing (PGPEX-VLM) was conducted at IIM, Calcutta, on 19th April 2024. The PGPEX-VLM is a one-year, full-time residential program conducted jointly by three premier institutes in India – IIM Calcutta, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Madras – with a mission to develop future visionary leaders for the manufacturing sector so as to enhance the global competitiveness of India’s manufacturing sector.
The ceremony was inaugurated with IIMC's traditional lamp lighting by the Chief Guest, Mr. NAKAGAWA Koichi, Consul-General of Japan in Kolkata, Prof.BhaskarChakrabarti, Director-in-Charge (Acting) and Dean (Academic Programmes) of IIM Calcutta, Ms. Shigeko INABA, JICA expert, Sustainable Global Business Breakthrough Ecosystem (SGBBE) Project, Prof.Deepu Philip, Coordinator, PGPEX-VLM, IIT Kanpur, Prof.ManjuJaiswall, member of IIMC's Board of Governors, Prof.NisigandhaBhuyan, Chairperson of IIMC’s MCHV, and Prof.Sudhir S. Jaiswall, Chairperson PGPEX-VLM, IIM Calcutta.
The event was attended virtually by Prof. M. Thenmozhi, Head of the Department of Management Studies, IIT Madras, Mr. G.Sunderraman, Chairperson, Senior Advisory Committee, VLFM-CII and Executive Vice President, Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd, Prof. Yukio YOKOI and Prof. Akiko ITO from Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan, Mr. Manabu IIDA, JICA Chief Advisor of SGBBE Project, and Prof.PrajamitraBhuyan, IIMC’s Operations Management group.
His Excellency, Mr. NAGAKAWA Koichi, highlighted the strong India-Japan ties that have been growing from strength to strength with partnerships in the high-speed rail project and the development of the north-eastern regions of India through the Japan-India Act East Forum. He hopes that the VLM program will further contribute to the promoting bilateral economic relationship and people to people exchanges.
Prof.BhaskarChakrabarti highlighted the distinctiveness of the tri-institute programme that has been recognized by accrediting agencies EQUIS and AMBA as the most unique and relevant programme in line with India's focus on manufacturing excellence. He also praised the programme's structure, which encourages the fulfillment of the UN's sustainable development goals: #9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure), #17 (Partnerships for the goals), and more.
Prof.Deepu Philip shed light on the varied cultural experiences that the participating students would experience throughout the programme, instilling in the students the personality of flexibility and adaptability. According to him, one of the critical aspects of the programme is to 'Unlearn and Learn' and reinvent themselves into visionary leaders. Prof.Thenmozhi emphasized the growing importance and relevance of manufacturing in the Indian context and the shift in the manufacturing landscape due to emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence. Mr. Sunderraman, Executive Vice President-Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd, touched on the topics of Fishbowl Learning and Monozukuri (the Japanese principle of mindfulness, discipline, and the pursuit of perfection) and connected them to the 'Make in India' initiative.
Prof. Yukio YOKOI from Nagoya University explained the experience of his institute's collaboration with the program, which has been effective since last year. Ms. Shigeko INABA from JICA congratulated the students and explained the critical role of JICA in the long-term sustenance of India-Japan ties in the fields of manufacturing and technology.
Prof.Sudhir S. Jaiswall, Chairperson, PGPEX-VLM, IIM Calcutta, gave a vote of thanks to conclude the occasion. The program's ability to meet the expanding demand for techno-managerial leaders who will influence the neo-industrial revolution highlights its uniqueness. Since 2007, the programme has nurtured an array of visionary leaders who preserve the fundamental values of the VLM community.
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