IIM Indore celebrated the 68th Republic Day with full patriotic fervor and enthusiasm on January 26, 2017. The celebration began with the flag hoisting ceremony by Professor Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Director, IIM Indore. Col. K.T. Udupa (Retd.), CAO, IIM Indore was also present on the occasion. This was followed by the National Anthem sung by all the students, faculty, staff and their family members present on the occasion.

Professor Rishikesha T. Krishnan then gave the Republic Day speech. He talked about where the country as a whole stands today and how much things have changed around us in a very short time.  ‘It seems just yesterday that we were talking excitedly about the prospects of globalization and how we are moving towards a world without barriers.  Yet, today, a wind of nationalism is blowing across many countries across the globe.  Protectionism and trade barriers are on the agenda everywhere.  Countries that projected themselves as beacons of open trade have turned inwards’, he noted.

Mentioning various challenges the country is facing today, Professor Krishnan said, ‘Democracy is taking new forms.  Mass movements are the order of the day, catalyzed by social media.  The representative democracy that is enshrined in our constitution is struggling to deal with this.  The nature of jobs and work is changing fast.  Automation and artificial intelligence are terms that have entered everyday conversation.’

Professor Krishnan also talked about some of the major shifts like Make in India and noted that it is quite difficult to foresee how manufacturing will look a decade from now. Given these trends we will need to be both clever and lucky to really enjoy a demographic dividend, he said.

He suggested the students to track, understand and explain these trends to the rest of society and be more adaptable and flexible without compromising depth and expert knowledge. ‘We need to use our creativity and ingenuity to seek out opportunities and share them with others.  These opportunities include new markets and products, changes in governance structures, and pioneering styles of leadership’, he concluded.

This was followed by tea and snacks for the entire IIM Indore community members.

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