LEM workshop by Prof Sunil Handa held at IIMK Campus from Oct 3rd to Oct 5th, 2008 was one of the best experiences I had at the campus.The experience is as fresh as if it just happened yesterday.
I was interacting with him on mails from July,08 when he finally accepted to come on campus. Sambha and I went to receive Prof Handa and Devashish Chakravarty (Quetzal) at Kozhikode International Airport.
As we sat in Car around 1:30 PM, Prof started asking things about Kozhikode. What is special in Kozhikode, where do u get those things, Can we go there now :) What do we do when we get to Campus. The whole plan for Prof was planned as to when he'll be taking LEM workshop in audi and when individual counseling. His first session was supposed to happen in the evening at 7 PM. That means he was free till evening. We thought he would like to take rest after the days journey
(Ahmedabad->Mumbai->Kozhikode->Campus). But energetic Prof asked me to keep individual sessions from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM and it was already 2:00 PM.
We had informed students Saturday, the next day for individual counseling. So now I told Sambha to stay with Prof and start his B-Plan session at 2:30 PM. That means I have time till 3:00 PM to arrange things. Managed another person for 3:00 PM slot and then I had to go myself as there was no person available for 3:30 PM slot.
The session was very interesting with Prof. I told Prof about B-Idea 1, it was about having an online portal for making students read book through pocket money. Prof said Students should have Role Model rather having money as incentive so said think for some other idea.Before he could ask for next student, I started with B-Idea 2 which was related to Medical Profession,
having a single platform for doctors and practioners. He said go for some another B-Idea. Then I came up with third B-Idea :) and it was related to Pellet Plant in Steel Sector.That idea he agreed upon and said huge opportunities are there in the sector. Finally I left the session
taking a smile with me. The session went for around one and a half hours. Some how managed to get people and kept Prof busy with students till 6:00 PM in evening. After the session Prof said to Devashsih “1-2 entrepreneurial material hein " And I got a good feel because some how I knew that even if there's 1 person he'z talking about I am in the list. And I also knew how the sessions for other went.
Then started Prof's first LEM session at 7 PM in evening. The Audi was jam packed. One of the guys asked Prof 'What it requires to be Entrepreneur'. And Prof had interesting answers with him. I remember Prof Saying "Junta ki pahtti hein". Also then his remarks like "Ladkiyaan bethi hein is liye bol nahi sakti baaki tum samazh jao" and the full audience laughs. He shared his journey of life, told different instances. How he shifted from distribution to his own
brand. Value of having your own brand, How marketing without distribution is failure. Never open a Company on your Father/Mother/Sons name. Everything was told with interesting examples.The session ended around 10 PM in night. And finally I had some time with me to manage next day's plan.
In the second workshop on Saturday Prof asked Devashish to take LEM workshop. He talks only logic and convinced people on their arguments. It was a good session but then Benchmark had been created by Prof Handa in the minds of students. And Prof has amazing skills when it comes to oration.
Next session was in evening and was too good session. He discussed different Sectors. He asked students to venture into Power Sector, Solar Energy future of India, Tourism. He asked students to be peoples Manager rather having useless attitude. He said be like Bill Clinton, Indira Gandhi. He told how he met Bill Clinton and Richard Branson. He said how important it is for you to care your parents and biggest day in life of parents is when a person tells them u have a great Son. The session ended again late night. There were many Start-Up Companies who had come for Start Up Fair and were also listening to him. The session was mind-boggling.
And how can I forget to mention the comment Sir gave "I asked one of u r ECell Coordinators Aaditya for Pen and he searched his pocket twice, how can it be there once he has not found it initially". And audience laughs. Mene kha Sir ko Not Fair :)Sir is so sharp that he'll observe everything to minutest of details you can't even imagine.
And then the final session was on Sunday Morning 9 AM. U can well imagine B-School-IIM-K-Sunday, how difficult it is to make people attend without compulsory attendance. But Prof would pull crowd by himself. He asked audience to tell things which we remembered from LEM. I told him three things 'People’s Manager', 'Biggest day for Parent' and 'tum logoin ki phatti hein'.
After that he also gave me 'Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry' which I have with me as his blessings. I do read it but have made a point not to complete it in one go :)
I was interacting with him on mails from July,08 when he finally accepted to come on campus. Sambha and I went to receive Prof Handa and Devashish Chakravarty (Quetzal) at Kozhikode International Airport.
As we sat in Car around 1:30 PM, Prof started asking things about Kozhikode. What is special in Kozhikode, where do u get those things, Can we go there now :) What do we do when we get to Campus. The whole plan for Prof was planned as to when he'll be taking LEM workshop in audi and when individual counseling. His first session was supposed to happen in the evening at 7 PM. That means he was free till evening. We thought he would like to take rest after the days journey
(Ahmedabad->Mumbai->Kozhikode->Campus). But energetic Prof asked me to keep individual sessions from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM and it was already 2:00 PM.
We had informed students Saturday, the next day for individual counseling. So now I told Sambha to stay with Prof and start his B-Plan session at 2:30 PM. That means I have time till 3:00 PM to arrange things. Managed another person for 3:00 PM slot and then I had to go myself as there was no person available for 3:30 PM slot.
The session was very interesting with Prof. I told Prof about B-Idea 1, it was about having an online portal for making students read book through pocket money. Prof said Students should have Role Model rather having money as incentive so said think for some other idea.Before he could ask for next student, I started with B-Idea 2 which was related to Medical Profession,
having a single platform for doctors and practioners. He said go for some another B-Idea. Then I came up with third B-Idea :) and it was related to Pellet Plant in Steel Sector.That idea he agreed upon and said huge opportunities are there in the sector. Finally I left the session
taking a smile with me. The session went for around one and a half hours. Some how managed to get people and kept Prof busy with students till 6:00 PM in evening. After the session Prof said to Devashsih “1-2 entrepreneurial material hein " And I got a good feel because some how I knew that even if there's 1 person he'z talking about I am in the list. And I also knew how the sessions for other went.
Then started Prof's first LEM session at 7 PM in evening. The Audi was jam packed. One of the guys asked Prof 'What it requires to be Entrepreneur'. And Prof had interesting answers with him. I remember Prof Saying "Junta ki pahtti hein". Also then his remarks like "Ladkiyaan bethi hein is liye bol nahi sakti baaki tum samazh jao" and the full audience laughs. He shared his journey of life, told different instances. How he shifted from distribution to his own
brand. Value of having your own brand, How marketing without distribution is failure. Never open a Company on your Father/Mother/Sons name. Everything was told with interesting examples.The session ended around 10 PM in night. And finally I had some time with me to manage next day's plan.
In the second workshop on Saturday Prof asked Devashish to take LEM workshop. He talks only logic and convinced people on their arguments. It was a good session but then Benchmark had been created by Prof Handa in the minds of students. And Prof has amazing skills when it comes to oration.
Next session was in evening and was too good session. He discussed different Sectors. He asked students to venture into Power Sector, Solar Energy future of India, Tourism. He asked students to be peoples Manager rather having useless attitude. He said be like Bill Clinton, Indira Gandhi. He told how he met Bill Clinton and Richard Branson. He said how important it is for you to care your parents and biggest day in life of parents is when a person tells them u have a great Son. The session ended again late night. There were many Start-Up Companies who had come for Start Up Fair and were also listening to him. The session was mind-boggling.
And how can I forget to mention the comment Sir gave "I asked one of u r ECell Coordinators Aaditya for Pen and he searched his pocket twice, how can it be there once he has not found it initially". And audience laughs. Mene kha Sir ko Not Fair :)Sir is so sharp that he'll observe everything to minutest of details you can't even imagine.
And then the final session was on Sunday Morning 9 AM. U can well imagine B-School-IIM-K-Sunday, how difficult it is to make people attend without compulsory attendance. But Prof would pull crowd by himself. He asked audience to tell things which we remembered from LEM. I told him three things 'People’s Manager', 'Biggest day for Parent' and 'tum logoin ki phatti hein'.
After that he also gave me 'Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry' which I have with me as his blessings. I do read it but have made a point not to complete it in one go :)
Overall the best thing foe me was managing the whole LEM for Prof Handa. It’s an experience which makes you learn like anything. Stay with a person of such a high esteem even for a day and you would learn the difference in yourself.
3 comments:
Stay foolish, stay hungry :- by Steve Jobs, CEO, APPLE Inc during Stanford Graduation Ceremony. I have seen that video and this four words are in my mind ever since. I think entrepreneur spirit does not come by buying andi it is not available in any shop. Sprit of being Entrepreneur requires lots of patience and devotion towards your work to make the dream successful. Everyone is the Entrepreneur by nature but they didn’t realized what had did work in their lifetime is unique in some sense. And some who realize didnt had courage or fail to show up devotion to it. I don’t know much about entrepreneur spirit but I think it lies in my blood, just I need to realize where and how i can bring change. I have read your blog regarding Mr. Handa visit to your campus, But i didnt feel the passion of writing his words into action in this blog. I am sure your blog is going to make me read about other templates you had it. Thanks for sharing.
-Sharmil shah
MBA-Finance,
Hofstra University
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