Campus News

Symposium on Business Services and Operations

The Symposium on Business Services and Operations, organized by SDMIMD, was held on January 24, 2025. The event began with an introduction by Dr. Anand Sasikumar, Assistant Professor, followed by the inaugural address by Dr. S.N. Prasad, Director of SDMIMD. Dr. Prasad emphasized the growing importance of AI in manufacturing and services, highlighting the essential skills that business school students must develop to succeed in a technology-driven corporate landscape.
 
The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Abhijith M.K., CEO of iiiQ, who provided insights into the evolution of Industry 4.0 and automation. He discussed how technology is transforming companies and the varying levels of automation across different sectors. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Ellur Anand, Associate Professor.
 
Following this, a panel discussion on "Industry 4.0 in Business Operations and Services: Opportunities and Challenges" took place. The panel featured industry experts:
 
  • Mr. Hariharamahadevan, Director-Manufacturing, Schneider Electric Ltd.
  • Mr. Kochat Narendran, President, Afcom Logistics
  • Mr. Rishu Kumar, National Business Manager, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Anand Sasikumar. Panelists explored the role of IoT, AI, and data analytics in driving operational excellence, while also addressing regulatory and compliance challenges in adopting Industry 4.0 technologies. The panel highlighted the increasing focus on sustainability, where technology acts as a catalyst, and emphasized the importance of balancing automation with the human touch in business operations.
 
The symposium also featured an expert talk by Mr. Naveen Kollatur, COO of Driver Logistics, who examined the concept of the circular supply chain and its relevance across industries. He elaborated on customer perspectives related to the principles of reuse, refurbish, and recycle, emphasizing sustainability in modern business practices.
 
The event successfully brought together academicians, industry leaders, and students to explore the transformative potential of emerging technologies in business services and operations.

6th International Conference on Marketing – “Marketing in the AI Era: Reshaping Global Marketing”

The inaugural ceremony of the 6th International Conference on Marketing at SDMIMD, Mysuru, was graced by Mr. Rajeev Krishnan, a visionary leader who has been the Vice president of Target Corporation in the US and the Ex-MD & CEO of SPAR/Max Hypermarket. In his keynote address he spoke about the importance of every company having a DNA that tells its story and marketing has to always has to take into perspective the differences and a deep understanding of the consumer that is critical for success. India is very vast and has immense scope and everyone has opportunity to do well but passion & purpose is critical. In his inaugural remarks (Lt. Col.) Dr. S.N. Prasad talked about the pros and cons of AI in marketing quoting several examples. Dr. Keerthan Raj, Conference Chairperson briefed about the conference and welcomed the gathering. 
 
The conference provided a platform for the presentation of very interesting research papers on AI IN Marketing by participants from all over the country. There was a panel discussion with eminent panelists from corporate and academic groups, Capt. Vaibhav Goutam Suresh, Deputy Director, School for Aviation & Aerospace Management, Mr. Rajesh Gotur, Mphasis, Mr. Gajana Kamath, Amazon India and Dr. Nalini Palaniswamy, Prestige Institute of Management sharing their thoughts and perspectives. The valedictory program was graced by Ms. Jyothika Nayak, s senior strategist with SAP, Robert Bosch India and has multidimensional experiences in business and marketing strategies and she shared her insights with the audience.

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SDMIMD Launches Start Up Lab to Nurture Entrepreneurial Spirit

SDM Institute for Management Development Start Up Lab was inaugurated on 6th Jan 2025. SDMIMD Start Up Lab drives and fosters initiatives on Start Up Entrepreneurship in the campus, providing an ecosystem to ideate, plan, and conceptualise business ideas into reality. The Start Up Lab was inaugurated by Sri. Sudheer Shankar, General Manager, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, a Govt. of Karnataka initiative. Director, Dr. (Lt. Col.) S.N. Prasad, presided over the programme; Dr. Keerthan Raj, Chairperson, Entrepreneurship Committee briefed about the Start Up Lab Inititiave. The students also presented Start Up business plans to a panel of judges and received appreciation and feedback. 

SDMIMD students visited Wemill, Mysore

As a part of ESG Seminar Course on ‘Women Empowerment’, on 3rd January 2025, a group of SDMIMD students, along with Dr. Mousumi Sengupta, visited WeMill, at Bilikere Village, Mysore. Wemill is a social business initiative, where 14 first-generation rural women social entrepreneurs are involved in making ragi and millet-based products. The project has been designed and implemented by Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) and is a CSR initiative of Wuerth Elektronik India Pvt. Ltd. The visit was facilitated by Mr. Janardhan, Mr, Bhagabhan, and Mr. Yogesh of GRAAM. The visit was an opportunity to experience the dedication of the rural mothers of India as the entrepreneurs. We extend our sincere thanks to all the women entrepreneurs at Wemill,  for their whole-hearted hospitality and sharing their life-changing experience, during the visit.

SDMIMD Extends Financial Support to NGOs as Part of Social Responsibility Initiatives

As part of its social responsibility initiatives, SDMIMD Mysuru extended financial support to several NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) on January 2, 2025.
 
SDMIMD has consistently provided financial aid to NGOs over the years. Through its Socially Relevant Project (SRP) activities, SDMIMD students actively engage with various NGOs to address pressing social issues and contribute meaningful solutions.
 
This year, SDMIMD has extended financial assistance to Chetana Trust, Divya Deepa Charitable Trust’s Kaliyuva Mane, Arivu Vidya Samsthe, Pratham, Shakthidama, Pinjarapole, Asha Kirana Hospital, Vasavi Shanthidhama, ATMA Foundation – Thrissur, Kerala, and Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM). These organizations have provided valuable opportunities for SDMIMD students to undertake Socially Relevant Projects (SRPs) and gain hands-on experience in addressing societal challenges.

Guest lecture on "Women Empowerment: Issues and challenges"

On 21st December 2024, Mr. Bhagavan Bidarakote, Lead Partnerships & Impact Consulting at Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) delivered a guest lecture on "Women Empowerment: Issues and challenges" at SDMIMD campus. During the lecture, Mr. Bhagavan shared his experience of being a part of several significant projects on empowering women. Mr. Bhagavan opined that Indian youth need to be involved more in activities, which aim to uplift the status of women in our society. The lecture was organized as a part of the ESG Seminar course on “Women Empowerment”.   

Guest lecture on "Brand Management"

Mr. Rajeev Krishnan, an accomplished professional with over 30 years of experience, including 20 years in the US with renowned organizations such as Target Group, McKinsey, and Spar Hypermarket, delivered an insightful guest lecture on "Brand Management" held on December 23, 2024.
 
During the session, Mr. Rajeev shared his vast experience in the field of branding, highlighting key strategies for building and managing successful global brands. He emphasized the importance of understanding consumer behavior, leveraging innovation, and maintaining brand consistency in a dynamic market.
 
The lecture was organized as part of the Industry Expert Series, providing students with a unique opportunity to interact with a seasoned industry leader and gain practical insights into the world of brand management.

12th International HR Conference on “Navigating the Human Capital Management in the Digital Era”

SDMIMD organized the 12th International HR Conference on “Navigating the Human Capital Management in the Digital Era”, on 19 and 20 December 2024. 
 
The Conference was inaugurated on 19 December, 2024 by the Chief Guest Mr. Amit Kumar, Vice President and Business Unit Head of Schneider Electric India Pvt Ltd Mysore and the Guest of honor Mr. Kalyan Varanasi, Associate Director - HR at India PepsiCo Capability Center, Hyderabad. Mr. Amit emphasized that in the digital era, companies need to focus on the need for transformation in the leadership style and mindset shifts among employees. He advised the students to follow their passion to become the future leaders. Mr. Kalyan Varanasi illustrated how organizations may get benefits from the faster and more data-driven HR decisions. He also pointed out that many organizations are now considering tier-II cities for business operation expansion due to digital advancements. Dr. S.N. Prasad, Director, SDMIMD welcomed the participants and highlighted how communication norms in corporations have evolved over the years, due to appropriate usage of digital tools. He emphasized on the need for change in the mindset of organizations to embrace the digital tools for managing HR processes. Dr. Mousumi Sengupta, Dean - International Relations, SDMIMD and Conference Chair, mentioned that though digital technologies are becoming significant tools for the HR functions, companies need to consider the potential downsides, such as, increasing job insecurity, challenges related to deterioration of mental well-being among employees, and take appropriate actions to address such challenges.
 
The conference witnessed invited talks from distinguished national and international speakers from corporate world and academia, such as, Mr. Sunam Datta, Chief Commercial Officer of Skyplan (Dubai, UAE); Dr. Raihan Taqui Syed, Faculty Member at the United Arab Emirates University (Abu Dhabi, UAE); Mr. Ravi Kumar, Head of HR at Feedback Advisory (Bangalore); Dr. Stephen Aro-Gordon, Faculty Member at Muscat College (Oman); Mr. Ganesh J, Business Head at Employee Research Advisory Services, Feedback Insights; and, Mr. Nirbhay Lumde, Senior Vice President – ESG & Sustainability at Prestige Group (Bangalore).
 
More than 125 participants from India and abroad attended the conference to present their research on contemporary HR issues. The conference concluded on 20 December, 2024, with a valedictory function featuring Utsav Agarwal, Director of Bhoruka Fabcons Pvt Ltd. Mysore, as the distinguished speaker.

Case Workshop by Prof. Vasant Sivaraman

SDMIMD had the privilege of hosting Prof. Vasant Sivaraman, Professor at SP Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai. He had interactive sessions with the Faculty on best practices of crafting teaching cases on December 17, 2024. Prof. Vasant shared his experience and expertise of case writing and teaching which was very insightful and highly received.  The event was held at the SDMIMD campus.  Dr S N Prasad Director SDMIMD  delivered opening remarks to the program. Dr B Venkatraja, Chairperson- SDM Research Centre for Management Studies welcomed and introduced the Guest. 

Pioneering International Collaborative Research at SDMIMD

We are delighted to announce a significant milestone in SDMIMD's journey of fostering global academic collaborations. Dr. Mousumi Sengupta, Professor of HR & OB and Dean - International Relations, and Dr. Sunil M.V., Assistant Professor of Systems and General Management, have successfully completed SDMIMD’s first international collaborative research project on the Indian bibliography of whistleblowing.
 
This project was undertaken as part of the BI Norwegian Business School's prestigious research initiative. The comprehensive report has been submitted to the Norwegian researchers, contributing valuable insights to the ongoing project.
 
We are proud to share that the Global Bibliography of Whistleblowing Research—a rich and continuously expanding resource—has now been made accessible. This resource represents a remarkable effort to advance knowledge and understanding in the critical area of whistleblowing.
 
Explore the bibliography and its contributions here: 
 
This accomplishment underscores SDMIMD's commitment to impactful research and international collaboration, reflecting our vision to contribute to global academic discourses.