21st Convocation Ceremony of Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management, Hyderabad

The 21st Convocation Ceremony of the Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management for the Graduands of the year 2013-15 was held on Saturday

19th September, 2015, at the Institute’s Auditorium at Bachupally. Prof. Bala V. Balachandran, J.L Kellogg Distinguished Professor (Emeritus in Service) of Accounting & Information Management, Northwestern University and Founder, Dean and Chairperson, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, addressed the 21st convocation as chief guest and conferred the PG Diploma to students at a glittering ceremony. The ceremony will be presided over by Mr. B. Krishnaiah, Vice-President, Vignana Jyothi and graced by Dr. D.N. Rao, General Secretary, Vignana Jyothi; Sri Harish Chandra Prasad, Joint Secretary, Vignana Jyothi; Dr. Kamal Ghosh Ray, Director, Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management; Governing Council members, guests from the Corporates and Academia, faculty members and students.

The solemn occasion was marked by jubilance and euphoria amongst the outgoing students as they received their degrees amidst loud applause from their fellow students, parents and faculty. 195 students were conferred the Post Graduate Diploma in Management by the chief guest and meritorious graduands were awarded medals and prizes.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Krishnaiah said, the Institute has long legacy of turning out students with sharp business acumen and Industry ready to take on the challenges of the corporate world. Our alumni have made a mark and enhanced the reputation of the institute. The current batch of students have shown great promise and have the potential to go places.

About Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management (VJIM):
Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management (VJIM) is an innovation driven B-School, set up in 1993. It is an autonomous institute approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)& Ministry of HRD, Government of India, for awarding a two-year Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM). The program is approved by NBA and equivalent to (AIU). The institute is reputed for its rigorous academic standards and quality of interactive methods of education, structured in world-class patterns. VJIM is The PGDM curriculum is designed in line with peer B-Schools and reviewed annually for relevance in consultation with industry, academia and alumni. The main thrust of the curriculum is designed to make the students industry ready by inculcating in them an ability to learn from real life situations. The course curriculum is designed to foster strong conceptual orientation on the basis of various Management disciplines; a positive attitude with sound business ethics to make the students excel both personally and professionally. The institute has been ranked among the top 15% of the Best B-Schools in India as per the Business Standard Survey- 2015 of IMRB, Business Standard. It has won the most Innovative B School award, South India by MBA by Choice and DNA India. The institute is a member AACSB International has also entered into foreign collaboration with University of North Texas, Stanford University and Egade Business School to provide international exposure and experience to the students.

Profile of Professor Bala V. Balachandran:
Prof. Bala V. Balachandran is a name to reckon with in the academic and corporate world. His work has earned numerous scholastic honors, awards, and fellowships, and he serves as a consultant to senior management in industry, as well as to the U.S. Air Force. He has provided executive education for various companies and the government and is the program director for "Managing Cost Information for Effective Strategic Decisions," a three-day program conducted at the James L. Allen Center each year. He was instrumental in creating the India Business Club and I formulating its activities at Kellogg, which typically culminates with the annual IBC conference in April. He has authored more than 55 research articles and also has the rare honor (for an Indian in America) of having an endowed chair professorship in his name.He is the recipient of the fourth highest civilian award of the Government of India the ‘Padmashri’ in 2001, awarded in recognition of his contribution towards higher education in India.

Prof. Bala was a part of the team that recruited the first set of faculty members for IIM Bangalore in the late 60’s. He has been instrumental in designing the MBA Programs at MDI, Gurgaon in early 90s and ISB at Hyderabad at the turn of this century and Great Lakes Institute of Management at Chennai in 2004. He has chaired the Dean Search and Faculty and Curriculum committees at ISB until 2002 and now serves as Founder and Dean of Great Lakes Institute of Management.

He is a full time faculty member in the area of Accounting and Finance and chairs the Academic Advisory Council at Great Lakes since his retirement from Kellogg in 2008. Prof.Bala also serves several Indian ministries in the advisory capacity and is currently involved with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in setting up of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs. He also serves on the International Advisory Board of the UniTAR at Kuala Lumpur and renders consulting/advisory services to the top brass of the Malaysian Government. He also serves as the Executive Professor and Strategy Advisor to the Dean, at the Bauer College, University of Houston with special responsibility in conceptualizing and delivering Executive Education degree programs in India with special focus on the energy sector.