“No one is bothered more about an institute than its alumni”. A group of fifty professionals and entrepreneurs gathered at the Constitution Club of India, Delhi, on a cold Sunday morning and stood as testimony to these words of N. R. Narayana Murthy.
The third Annual General Meeting of the Alumni Association, or Aluminati as it is known in the IIM Rohtak community, was held on 15th January 16, 2017. The meet was attended by alumni right from the very first batch to some of the current students; Prof. Atanu Rakshit, Director, IIM Rohtak and Dr. Gopal Das, Head of Student and Alumni affairs, IIM Rohtak. The guests of honour were, Mr. Salil Agrawal, Mentor and Course Director, 91university and Mr. Atul Kumar, Cofounder, Bharath Entrepreneurs Network and NRI Family Health.
Prof. Rakshit, in his address, recounted the journey of the institute since its inception. He apprised the alumni of the developments that have occurred after their graduation and also those that are in the pipeline. Dr. Gopal Das emphasised the importance of a strong alumni base for an institute and its ability to build a brand.
Mr. Atul Kumar elaborated on how the brand of an institute opens doors for individuals but the brand itself is built by collective effort. He advised the audience to leverage the strategic location of IIM Rohtak in the NCR. Himself an entrepreneur, he encouraged the gathering to explore the startup world.
Mr. Salil Agrawal, a regular attendee at pan IIM meets, exhorted the audience to become a part of such gatherings. Speaking about the importance of networking at alumni gatherings he said, “Create a network not for today, not for tomorrow, but for nothing”. In his view, networking begins for its own sake. Benefits are collateral.
The alumni discussed the Vision 2022 document in the post lunch session. This document has detailed plans for improving alumni-institute interactions in a way that benefits the present students through better project opportunities, club activities and expert guidance. The discussion also addressed some operational issues faced by the Alumni Association.
The highlight of the meet was the launch of the IIM Rohtak Merchandise Portal. It is a web-store where students and alumni can order IIM Rohtak branded merchandise.
Thanks to the organising acumen of the Alumni Committee, the meet provided an excellent platform for the alumni to catch up with their peers and for the present students to seek the guidance of experienced professionals.