Learning From Past and Present For Future....

Dear Friends,
Greetings and Congratulations from the blog of Rural Managers!
First, we take immense pride and pleasure in welcoming  'new managers in making' in the club of Rural Managers. This is a club of those who care for their 'roots (Indian Villages)'; and of those who care for the 'surroundings (Society of which we are part of). We represent professionals dealing with development, rural banking or rural-finance, agribusiness, rural marketing and many more for whom rural India is both gyaybhoomi (place to learn) and karmbhoomi (place to work). By joining the club of rural managers we dedicate ourselves to study and contribute to the sectors in more professional way.
Be clear, business and development are complementary and not competitive; and you can’t think of one without other. I am sure, at the end of two years you will not only be able to unravel the myth of “business managers don’t think of development, and development managers don’t appreciate the contribution of business”, but will also be able to learn skills of managing both simultaneously.
I also take this opportunity to welcome seniors who are back from their summer internship. I am sure you are now wiser, more professional, and closer to the reality. Build on the learnings you had...these are precious.
This blog assures you an interactive forum of discussions on meaningful subjects and appeals you to be the active partner in this noble venture. By signing in as the follower of the blog you not only join the group of elite rural managers but can also contribute to the cause for which you have decided to be a rural manager.
To start with I have invited Anuj who is one of those rural managers who have decided to dedicate themselves because of genuine interest in the sector to write for new members of our club. An engineer, worked in highly ranked IT company, did management with specialisation in rural management, currently contrtibuting to much needed health sector. I am sure, his welcome note will not only give you the importance of course but will also help you making best use of management education and institution which you have selected for yourself. He is an alumnus of XIMB so he talks about his alma mater but it is applicable for all the new members of club irrespective of institutions.
We Wish You Very rewarding Years ahear and A Very Bright Future.

With Best Wishes,
Niraj

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Dear Friends,

I am honoured by the fact that Prof. Niraj gave me this opportunity to welcome you all to the Rural Management program. First, let me congratulate you for choosing the path less travelled.
You stand on an important milestone in your career as well as your personal life. Because what you will experience in the coming 24 months or so will completely redefine you as an individual. XIMB as an institution is respected for moulding students to become professional managers and I truly believe in that. RM program also makes the students sensitive and it is this human aspect of the program that is the biggest differentiator it has from the rest of the courses offered anywhere in India.
XIMB is an amalgamation of cultures in the truest sense. With multiple residential programs running at the same time, the institute offers students with an opportunity to meet with the best minds in the country. We have a whole lot of faculty who are experts in their fields and believe me you are going to find it extremely difficult to find reasons to miss their sessions. Many of these ‘mentors’ come with credible industry experience, so you can count on their words of wisdom in the toughest moments in your professional life.
I have myself been through the journey and I will share my guiding light with you. One of my seniors told me – Keep your mind open. And I followed his advice. RM program is a niche course, yet I found it is so relevant to today’s business scenario that you cannot stop yourself from thinking about the possibilities that exist. Our world and our nation are in the midst of a chaos and you can hear all sorts of cries for ‘development’. RM program at XIMB gives you the space to define for yourself what ‘development’ truly means for you and for the people around you.
Let me also give you a word of caution. XIMB has a very open culture. That means that it leaves the onus on you to decide what you want to take away from it. So you may end up going back empty-handed if you do not utilize your time properly. We have all sorts of initiatives to shape your personality to become a really sensible and responsible human being and a highly competitive management professional. But it finally depends on you to what extent you are able to realize the potential in yourself.
Life at XIMB might also seem hard at times because we believe in academic rigour. One may also find oneself lost in the number of subjects one is supposed to study or the amount of assignments one is expected to deliver. Make sure that you define your purpose carefully, because that will help you sail through this maze.
Now the time for a hard-hitting fact. It is a common observation that students enter management program with a focus on ROI (return on investment). Generally this is determined only in terms of PLACEMENTS. While I personally agree that it is important to look at placements, but this consideration has to be made secondary to the learning that will take place during the next two years. You just cannot predict which job you will finally land up with. You can have high expectations and big dreams but do not make the mistake of missing the learning aspect because that is the only thing fully guaranteed at XIMB.
On the 17th day of July of 2010 you start your voyage to a successful career and I wish you good luck and hope you immensely benefit from your stay at XIMB. Keep your mind open, do not keep your ideas to yourself, seek guidance from your faculty inside and outside the classroom, make lots of friends, keep time for enjoyment, dream for a better world and believe in yourself.
Best Wishes,
Anuj Jindal
RM Program – XIMB, Class of 2010



In response to our blog, I got a very useful mail from Kiran, one of of our alumni, and I felt it worth sharing with you. I reproduce here and will be happy to get your comments..
Niraj
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Sir,
Warm Greetings !!
I was going through your blog & I thought ,why not share some insights which could probably act as pointers for future rural managers.

• There is no substitute to knowledge about varied subjects & diverse topics. This is especially helpful when you are asked to illustrate concepts to interviewers. You’ll never run out of examples or cite the ones given in text book (A key point of difference).Moreover, in marathon interviews lasting around 1-1.5 hrs, only knowledge can be the saviour! This knowledge has to transcend beyond text books & probably can only be acquired by voracious readers who read anything they can lay their hands on! Nonetheless, newspapers & magazines can be a good beginning.
• It is high time students understand the difference between marketing & sales/business development. In India, mostly fresh B-School graduates get a sales or business development profile, though designation may be different depending on the stature of the company & the concerned business school. Profiles in core marketing are only handled by experienced hands & such profiles are rarely offered in campus placements. If you closely observe the PGP placements at XIMB also you’ll realize this is the truth! It is an accepted & proven fact that recruiters usually don’t prefer women (unless they prove otherwise) for such roles (More so for RM Area companies viz. Amul, Monsanto, ITC etc.)The only exception has been new age sectors like telecom & media. This fact should be clarified at the outset to students especially females, so as to avoid any undue expectations on their part.
• Knowledge can’t help if one lacks soft skills viz. voice modulation, conviction & proper body language. This is one area where RM students have to do a lot of work & this can only be possible if in group presentations, all students are asked to present & appropriate post presentation feedback is given. Sadly, some students always prefer to remain in the background and faculty members haven’t taken due care of this aspect. Deduction in grades or higher weightage to class participation component doesn’t help and it has been proved again & again.
• Very few students understand the importance of CV Value & the fault lies with the academic fraternity also for the same. One has to understand & appreciate the fact that corporates look for your achievements in the two year stint at XIMB & not what you have achieved in the past. There are numerous ways to enhance CV Value like participation in Case Study Contests, Business Plans, and Live Projects etc. Faculty members should encourage such activities & provide necessary support also for it also enhances institutes’ Brand Equity outside.
• There is an acute lack of clarity w.r.t. career choice amongst rural management students. They have failed to appreciate the fact that PGDM & PGDM-RM are two different courses & one isn’t a substitute for other or for that matter PGDM-RM students aren’t poor second cousins of the flagship course. This is reflected during placement process, when our students apply in hordes for certain companies displaying herd mentality! A company may be good and pay a good compensation, but it’ll only take people who fit in into its scheme of things. Just because it is a good choice for one, doesn’t mean it is good for all & vice-versa. Similarly, students fail to judge their own standard for there is a huge difference between interest & capability and grades certainly aren’t a determinant of one’s standard or interest in a particular sector/company. Faculty members should assist the students in making informed career choices.

Thanking in advance for a patient reading!
Regards,
Kiran Jyoti Mahasuar
Alumnus,Class of 2010 (PGDM-RM)
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