IIML gets set for Manfest

The Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, (IIML) is planning a few innovative activities during its annual student festival Manfest, to be held from January 16-18.

The theme for this year's edition is 'leadership' and the institute has invited leaders from fields like sports, public policy and the media to participate in a workshop.

Among those attending will be former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman Pradeep Baijal and Raghunath Medge, who runs a dabba or tiffin delivery system in Mumbai.

"There is a lot that business managers can learn from leaders in diverse areas. The workshop intends to capture the wealth of practical knowledge, creativity and organisational skills of such people," explains Professor Anil Chaturvedi, the person co-ordinating the show.

IIML students will have an opportunity to test their skills in different fields. L&T, Escotel and UP Awas Vikas Parishad will be there to provide participants an opportunity to come up with marketing, operations and human resources solutions for different real life situations.

The three companies may even implement some of the best solutions, and there is also a prize money of Rs 30,000 for the winner.

Nearly 500 students will get a chance to make an impression on their prospective employers like ABN Amro, Hindustan Lever, Philips, Indian Oil and Maruti, the managers of which will attend the fest.

"For the corporates present, this will be an opportunity to get fresh ideas and spot future managers," says Kanika Kalra, an IIML student and member of the core committee for the event.

Another addition this year at IIML is the 'Journal of Excellence', a compilation of select research papers on the theme of 'Understanding Change for Management' brought out in association with the AV Birla Group.

The winning entries will be published in the form of a journal and circulated among corporates and business schools. This year the students will also be pitting themselves against corporate teams to know where they stand. The total prize-money of Rs 5 lakh on offer at the festival is just an added incentive.