Dewang Meheta National Education Awards

Heartiest Congratulations to our students Deepesh Jethwani for securing 7th rank and Naila Kazi for securing 8th rank (2nd Runners-up in Female category) in the 'Best Student in Management Contest' at the prestigious 23rd Dewang Mehta National Education Awards, 2015 held in association with Hindustan Unilever Limited.

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Alumni Recognition - Mr Ravindra Datar

Heartiest Congratulations to Mr. Ravindra Datar, an alumnus of the 1996 batch, for being recognized among the Most Influential Marketing Leaders by World Marketing Congress in Mumbai on 28th November, 2015.

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Cross Cultural Program at Sydenham Institute

SIMSREE was proud to host Dr Hansang Lee and his students from Youngsan University, India Business Department from Korea, Busan. Lee and his team were on a visit to our institute as a part of cross cultural program. They had come to gain knowledge regarding the Indian work culture and career prospects in India. Dr. R.K.Srivastava Co-ordinated with them as our internal faculty. The team also got to interact with the students and other faculty members of our institute. We were pleased to engage them in our culture by introducing them to the " Dandiya Night" held in our campus.

                                  

They were pleased to have interacted with the students of our institute and looked forward to visit SIMSREE again.

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Mindz’15 : Analyze, Strategize, Ideate

Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education successfully organized Mindz’15, a first of its kind strategy competition in association with JLT India Limited. This was the second year into the association and the competition was held in October-November 2015 and was co-ordinated by the Corporate Relations Committee. The first and second rounds were held from 1^st October,2015 to 9^th October,2015. The finale was held at the JLTI office on 5th November, 2015.

Mindz’15 was an inter college event, that tested the statistical, strategic and analytical skills of the participants. This provided an opportunity to the students to prove their mettle against the best and most innovative B-Schools. The unique format of the competition enabled students to experience an ideal corporate interface like never before. Also, it was a first hand learning experience as they teamed up with people already working in the industry.

The competition consisted of 3 rounds:-

Round 1 - Online quiz: An online quiz consisting of 30 questions to be answered in 30 minutes. The top 3 teams from each college proceeded to the next round.

Round 2 - “Peril-O-Scope”: An online simulation strategy game to be played by the qualified teams. The top 6 teams will qualified to the next round.

Round 3 - Case Study: A Case Study presentation to the top management of JLT India Limited. In this round each team collaborated with one team from JLT itself. Each team was assigned a mentor from the Senior Managers, Heads or Directors of JLTI for the case study.

Participation:

Mindz’15 saw a total participation of over 800 individuals. Entry into the event was by invitation only. A total of 8 prestigious b-schools had been invited to this competition. 

·         Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education (SIMSREE)

·         Indian School of Business, Hyderabad (ISB)

·         Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS)

·         National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE)

·         K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR)

·         Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune (SIBM)

·         Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay (SJMSOM)

·         Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD)

This competition in itself was unique in the following terms:

·         The online simulation game was played concurrently by the participants and JLTI employees

·         Teams from b-schools which qualified from round 2 were merged with those qualifying from JLTI for round 3 i.e. the case study presentation

·         These teams were assigned a mentor each, who guided them through the case study round

·         The teams had to present the case study to senior JLTI management and their global counterparts for the final round

Prizes:

·         Rs. 75,000/- for the winning team

·         Rs. 40,000/- for the runner up

·         Rs. 10,000/- for the Most Impressive Student

The Finale:

The Final round of Mindz’15- the case study presentation was held on 5^h November, 2015, at JLTI, Mumbai. The top 6 teams qualifying from the second round (Periloscope), both from B-schools and JLTI were given primary topics to present on. Their presentation and ideas were judged by a panel comprising the JLTI management and their esteemed global counterparts. Mr Puneet Stayawadi, CEO JLT India was one of the members on the panel. Every presentation was followed by a comprehensive Q&A round. The contestants were judged on the quality of insights and research on the topic chosen, team work, presentation quality and responses to the questions asked by the panel.

Team 'SimQuest' from SIMSREE won the JLTI Mindz'15 competition after a splendid performance.  
Team 'The Winning Brew' from SIMSR won the runners-up award.

Sanandan Deshpande from the winning team also won the 'Most Impressive Student' award.

 The members of the winning team from SIMSREE were praised for their leadership qualities and the poise shown by them throughout the presentation and the subsequent Q&A round.

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The Corporate Connect - Mr. Sachin Shilavat

Corporate Relations Committee, SIMSREE organized a Corporate Connect session on 31^st October with Mr. Sachin Shilavat. Mr Shilavat is currently Head-Motor and Automotive alliances at Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd with a vast experience of more than 15 years in General Insurance(Retail & Bancassurance), FMCG- Retail/ Institutional sales, Insurance- Retail, Alternate Channels, Direct channels, Channel management, Automotive Alliances.

Mr Shilavat spoke on the evolution of the insurance industry from the time when customers had to wait in long queues for an insurance to the current where getting an insurance takes only a few minutes. The insurance industry, like any other, has grown massively with the entrance of many private players into the picture as oppose to the presence of only government institutions initially. He emphasized that only product innovation and technology can prove to be a differentiating factor when there are so many companies targeting the same customer base and with an increased level of awareness about the different products among the customers. Although the government is trying to encourage people to get automotive insurance, a lot more needs to be implemented in terms of execution of regulations  in order for people in general to understand the importance and necessity of having an insurance. Till then the companies will find it difficult to reach to a wider base of customers especially in reaching the two wheeler vehicle insurance customers in rural areas. Any other effort by any company in increasing the awareness about insurance product would be seen as a strategic move to enhance product sales. He also spoke about his professional journey in the varied industries and his learning from them. He concluded by stating that a marketing personnel needs to show ownership of the business he/she is selling and take complete responsibility for the job.

The session provided students valuable insights in the insurance marketing sector. We would like to thank sir for his valuable time and knowledge sharing with our students.

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Coffee with Alumni Mr. Manish Daswani

On 26^th October, 2015, we were privileged to have an interaction with Manish Daswani, an alumnus of the 2003 batch, for an engaging session over a cup of coffee. The venue for the session was the swanky Bank of America office at Nariman Point in Mumbai. Manish, a payments & cash management professional is currently working as Director, Commercial Cards in the Asia Pacific cards team at Bank of America.

‘Work hard, stay humble and be honest; not just to your work but also to yourself’, was the advice that Manish gave the students before the students asked him about the topics of their interest. Manish explained about his transition from a Marketing graduate at SIMSREE to working as a Banking professional. He emphasized on the fact that every job role does not require one to be an expert in theoretical knowledge. It is equally, if not more important to demonstrate the ability to take ownership and lead by example. He asked the students to focus on developing these softer skills during their tenure at SIMSREE.

Manish then explained the various career options in banking and spoke in detail about corporate banking roles in particular. A healthy discussion followed about thecash management business and the opportunities and threats in the same. Students’ doubts on Mobile Wallets, disruption of banking through fintech, growth of SMEs in India, and the focus of Banks in these areas were cleared by him. Manish also helped the students understand the methods of revenue generation of banks, difference between cash management and treasury, difference between and the importance of Mobile Wallets and Payment Banks and how the introduction of these may affect the Retail Banking sector in the longer term. This was then followed by Manish’s views on digital money, fintech, bitcoin, and contactless cards.

Towards the end, Manish discussed various career options available in the banking sector for students specializing in marketing. He encouraged the students to introspect and to think about their areas of interest and expertise, and to try and establish their careers in an area that they are passionate about. ‘You will probably spend one third of your adult life working– might as well make sure it’s fun’, he concluded.

The Alumni Committee thanks Mr. Manish Daswani for the enriching session and hopes to continue this association. 

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Batch Reunion 2005

A reunion for the 2005 batch was organized by the SIMREE Alumni Committee to celebrate ten glorious years of its graduation on 24th October, 2005. The venue was the college campus, where the alumni relived the magical days of their college life. The meet was graced by the presence of Dr. M.A. Khan, former Director of SIMSREE and by our esteemed professor, Mr. Aashish Pawaskar. The evening began with the alumni touring the college and reminiscing their days together. They spoke of the changes that have taken place in the college since they graduated. The alumni also recounted inspiring stories of their journey after graduating from the college. This was followed by a speech by Dr. M.A. Khan highlighting college affairs and accomplishments around the year. Sir also sent his best wishes to fellow alumni for scaling greater heights and bringing glory to their lives and the institution.

Mr. Pawaskar requested the alumni to contribute to various college activities, in any manner they could; may it be monetary or otherwise. We also witnessed an interactive discussion with our alumni on ways to reinforce the purpose of alumni meets and suggestions to further strengthen alumni engagement.

Informal discussions followed after a cake-cutting ceremony to celebrate the occasion. Brief photography sessions for the gathered crowd culminated the evening. Delicious food and beverages were served after the session and the alumni had freewheeling discussions with the representatives of the present batch. Mr. Shailendra Jahagirdar, an alumnus from the 2005 batch, concluded the event by congratulating the Alumni Committee for the lovely evening and their unrelenting assistance in making this reunion of the 2005 batch successful evening.

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Coffee with Alumni Mr.Vernon Fernandes

On the 26^th of September, the Alumni Committee welcomed Mr. Vernon Fernandes, an alumnus of the 2014 batch, for a Coffee with Alumni session to address a few students of the junior batch. Mr. Fernandes is an Assistant Manager in the Corporate and Investment Banking Team at Citicorp Services India Ltd. He has experience in the Equity Research markets, Portfolio Management, and Investment Banking sectors and has also been associated with the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, NVS Brokerage Pvt. Ltd. and CRISIL.

The session started with the students introducing themselves and sharing their memorable moments at SIMSREE. Mr. Fernandes then introduced himself as an avid investor and spoke about the prestigious Dewang Mehta National Award that he had won during his college days. He gave a thorough description of the opportunities in the financial sector which include Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, Investment Banking, Corporate Banking, etc. Mr. Fernandes then shared a detailed account of a career in different segments like Insurance, where one could opt for Sales or Actuarial Sciences; Asset Management, where people are spoilt for choices between Equity Research and Mutual Fund; Alternative Asset Management, where portfolios like Real Estate Investment or Private Equity are the best choices. The students were also briefed about the types of trading. While sharing the experience of his transition from back end to front end office in investment banking, he stated that the passion to work is of paramount significance in a profile like investment banking which involves strenuous working hours. Students were also given tips to crack their interviews by engaging in crisp replies as expected by any interviewer. A simple lesson of ‘Make an offer that the interviewer cannot refuse’ was what Mr. Fernandes insisted upon, as an interviewee is always judged relatively with the other competitors. The students were encouraged to participate in various competitions which would eventually help them in developing their personality to pave their way to the top. Students were advised to avoid looking at the materialistic aspects of the job during selection as job satisfaction and happiness matters in the long run. Inspiring the students with real life examples, he encouraged them to never feel dejected or give up as hard work is the key to success.

We thank Mr. Vernon Fernandes for taking time out of his busy schedule to visit the campus and sharing his valuable insights.

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Guest Lecture by Ms. Shraddha Khare

In today’s information age, the telecommunication industry has a vital role to play. Considered as the backbone of industrial and economic development, the industry has been aiding delivery of voice and data services at rapidly increasing speeds, and thus, has been revolutionizing human communication. With this, on 30^th September, the Alumni Committee welcomed Ms. Shraddha Khare. Mam, an alumna of the 1994 batch, is the General Manager-Prepaid Operations at Idea Cellular. With over 12 years of experience in the telecom sector, the session revolved around the Telecom Industry: The Enabler of India's Digital Revolution.             

                       

The students were enlightened about the evolution of the telecom industry from 1G to 4G, and possibly 5G in the future. The students also learned about the action that the industry will witness as the players as well as the subscribers gear up for 4G launch in India. The students were awestruck on learning about the facts and figures about the number of telecom users not only in India but also around the world. A proper distribution chart helped everyone gain insights on the reasons behind the growing need for broadband and the leading operators in the world. ‘Adaptation of the new technology is always a challenge, but customers are demanding. So if you as an operator are able to satisfy the customers’ demands, then you have the customers’ loyalty’, was the advice that would help  each person intending to enter the telecom world. Knowledge transfer on the evolution of the telecom industry in India, the importance of having mobile standards, contribution of the telecom sector to India’s GDP, India’s vision in 2020, eKranti, Internet of things, Payment banking, M2M opportunities, and the role of regulator in the telecom industry, were the highlights of the session. The batch’s doubts about Net Neutrality, National Telecom Policy (NTP 2012), tariff deciding factors, 4G, etc. were cleared to everyone’s content.

The session ended on a high note about the possible positive growth expected in the telecom industry with the current ‘Digital India’ project. We thank Ms. Shraddha Khare for enlightening the batch and sharing her valuable time and thoughts.

                                                                 

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Guest Lecture by Mr. Sachin Khandelwal

On 20th of August, 2015, Mr. Sachin Khandelwal, an alumnus of the 1992 batch, was welcomed by the Alumni Committee on campus for a guest lecture to address the junior batch. Mr. Sachin Khandelwal has over two decades of experience in the finance and banking industries and is currently the CEO and MD of Magma Housing Finance and Chief Sales Officer at Magma Fincorp.

Mr. Khandelwal started the lecture by stating the value of management education. Sir, then, opened the floor to questions and students came up with a variety of questions ranging from general questions related to the syllabus and specialisations to specific questions about the finance industry. Mr. Khandelwal answered all of the students’ questions with ease and poise.

Mr. Khandelwal spoke about the causes of financial crises and the importance of sticking to the basics. Sir then emphasised on the value of inter-personal relationships. Sir also mentioned the changing world order and the importance of regulations. Sir spoke about the need to understand every discipline of management as every job requires an interplay of various management disciplines. Sir then underscored the need to know oneself well and encouraged each student to align current opportunities with their dreams. Sir urged students to innovate and watch out for competing products from related industries.

Mr. Khandelwal explained to the students the need to work hard and look for projects that are related to their field of interest to gain experience. Sir stressed on the significance of following one’s passion with conviction. Sir emphasised on the importance of managing people and time, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

The batch enjoyed the lecture and was encouraged by Mr. Khandelwal to introspect regularly and to follow their passion. We thank Mr. Khandelwal for visiting the campus and sharing his valuable insights with the batch.

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Book Donation Drive

The Student Social Responsibility (SSR) in collaboration with Sydenham Management Review Committee organized a Book Donation drive on the 15th of October 2015 on the eve of the 84^th birth anniversary of Former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam which was celebrated throughout the state as ‘Vaachan Prerna Diwas’. The objective of the drive was to encourage the culture of extra-curricular reading in children from diverse backgrounds. The event was in sync with the state government’s policy to observe a day of remembrance for Dr. Kalam.

On this August occasion more than 150 books comprising of various genres were provided to 15 students who are presently part of the ‘Lakshya’ initiative started by SIMSREE. ‘Lakshya’ is an initiative wherein the students of SIMSREE are actively involved in educating the children of a local night shelter ’Sparc’ with the ‘Lakshya’ of enabling them to develop a strong foundation for the bright and promising future that awaits them. This is being implemented from July 2015 at SIMSREE.

  

Along with books the students were enlightened with precious words of advice by Mr. Kailash, the coordinator of ’Sparc’. Prof. Agnelo Menezes, Principal of St. Xaviers College was also a part of the event. The children were also addressed by the faculty members of SIMSREE.

 As a whole, the drive acted as a very good introduction for the students to the world of reading.

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