IIM Trichy inaugurates the Second Batch of the Executive Programme in Leadership and Change Management (EPLCM)

Trichy:  The Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli inaugurated the second Batch of Executive Programme in Leadership and Change Management (EPLCM) on February 20, 2022. The 9-month program, to be held on Sundays, is designed to help working professionals enhance their leadership and change management skills to anticipate, strategize, and execute change in their organizations.

The event began with a lamp lighting ceremony followed by an address by the Programme Director, Prof. Abhishek Totawar. He welcomed guests and participants to the inauguration function and briefly discussed the programme design. He highlighted that the course is spread over nine months, comprising 135 contact hours and one campus visit. He shed light on the batch profile, which comprised 71 participants, of which 15% are women. Furthermore, 53% of the batch holds post-graduate degrees and hail from diverse educational backgrounds such as engineering, science, medicine, etc. The average work experience of the batch stands at 15.3 years across diverse fields such as IT, banking, manufacturing, FMCG, and engineering services. He welcomed the participants to the programme.

The Chairperson of Executive Education and Consulting, Professor Prashant Gupta, emphasized the importance of the programme by noting that change is the only constant and that equipping oneself with the skills required to handle change is crucial for leaders. He further highlighted that the Executive Education and Consulting department strives to provide executive education programs expected from a top-tier business school such as the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli. Currently, ten such programmes are offered at the institute to help working professionals hone their skills. He wished the participants the best as they embark on a rigorous and demanding journey of the programme.

This was followed by an address by Dr. Nagendra V. Chowdary, Head of Academic Relations and Learner Success – TIMES TSW. He welcomed the participants and expressed his excitement for them as they now have an opportunity to learn from the brightest minds in the industry and academia through their peers and professors. He wished the participants the best for the nine months ahead and encouraged them to put their best foot forward.

The Director, Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh, addressed the audience. He began by extending a warm welcome to the participants and the Chief Guest. He remarked that leadership could be summarised as the act of coming together to work as one while supporting each other to promote each other’s mental, physical and spiritual happiness. He commended the students on the choice of pursuing this programme as it shows their motivation and dedication towards learning. Commenting on the rigor of the programme, he reminded the participants that nothing that comes easy is worth achieving. So, while the programme is demanding in nature, the effort put in by the students will bear fruits that will sustain them in their careers. He also reminded the participants that leaders must lead by example, which is by virtue of their work. He emphasized that humility is the hallmark of a true professional, especially as one attains seniority in their career.

Following this, the Chief Guest Shri. Arup Sinha, Executive Director, Northern Region Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), delivered the inaugural address. He opened his address by noting that everyone has taken on the role of a change manager in how we adapted to the world since the pandemic. In a professional context, he highlighted how new leaders are eager to bring change to their organization but need to examine the need of hours before executing changes. He drew on his experience and highlighted how the energy sector, driven by fossil fuels so far and focussed on its bottom line, is experiencing a significant change as it begins to factor in a new parameter – the environment. The industry now faces the challenge of reconciling diverse parameters such as profitability, economy, energy, and the environment, and this calls for not just technical understanding but emotional intelligence to deal with the new requirements. He summarised how we could strategize the process of change, but the human dynamics of change need to be handled from the bottom-up as well for a successful transition. He further noted how incentivizing change is merely cosmetic if it does not address concerns and fears of the people involved or impacted by the change. He emphasized the Director’s message by reminding participants that leaders have to walk the talk.

This was followed by the vote of thanks delivered by Prof. Sajeet Pradhan, Programme Director. He thanked all the people and teams that made the event possible and the participants for their enthusiastic participation in the program.

The event concluded with the National Anthem.