16th February, 2015: In an interesting initiative to better understand the rural sector of the Indian economy, Jaipuria Noida’s students got an opportunity to interact with and help a group of framers. The day long event was aptly called ‘Rural Day’ was part of E-week, and it involved multiple activities, including spending time with farmers and an agricultural scientist, debating and drama.

The day started with Jaipuria students traveling to go and spent time with nine farmers from the neighbourhood villages of Mahawar, Kudi Khera (Ghaziabad). A health checkup was also organized for these farmers and it was interesting to note according to Dr. Rajesh Kesri, that they were in much better health in their 70s and 80s than their much younger city counterparts. The day was also graced by one of the most senior agricultural scientists in the country, Dr. V Kumar, who engaged in one-on-one conversations with the farmers.

In his talk, Dr. Kumar shared his experience of working with farmers, the issues and challenges they grapple with and the “policy paralysis” of the Government. He then went on to offer solutions that can change things on individual and community level, through means like dairy farming, horticulture, regular soil testing and making the most out of the services offered by the Government. Students also got the opportunity to interact with the farmers and learn about the ground realities in their own words. This was quite an eye-opening experience for many students, as their interaction with rural communities and farmers has been limited.

Two more activities were planned for the day, and these activities were followed by the debate on the question: “Is rural India the new bottom of the pyramid”. There were participants speaking for and against the motion in what turned out to be quite an engaging discussion. Tushar Walia won the first prize speaking for the motion, and Pranjal Srivastava was also awarded the first prize, while speaking against it. At the end of the debate, it was agreed that companies need to look at the poor as valuable customers. In addition, the key to farming in the future lies in sustainable business models, effective distribution channels and working with the right partners.

The finale of the event was a drama titled “Lighting of Rural India”. It was presented by a talented bunch of students from the institute. In keeping with the theme of the event, the play highlighted the divide between city and rural life, while trying to build a new, sustainable connection between the two. The show was high on energy and made good use of humour to convey important messages and themes. Putting the simplicity and significance of rural India and farmers in the spotlight, the day emphasized rural India’s untapped potential that future managers could help realize.

Jaipuria, Noida recently organized its first communications conclave with the theme “Corporate Communication: Do you see what I see?” The event, held on the 31st of January, 2015 was organized by faculty coordinators of the institute, and it aimed to drill home the importance of Business communications amongst future managers. Through panel discussions that brought together some of the sharpest and experienced minds in the field, it managed to do just that.

The Chief Guest, Mr. Lavleen Raheja, CEO & Chairman, Franklin Covey began the proceedings with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. It was followed by the welcome address by Dr. Poonam Sharma, who talked about the likes of Mr. Barack Obama and Mr. Narendra Modi, who have been consistently “touching people’s hearts” with their inimitable communication skills. She also stressed the importance of effective communications in a range of areas, including sales and marketing.

Mr. Raheja then gave a presentation on “7 Habits of High Effectiveness”. His ability to articulate complex ideas had the audience hooked from the first word. One of the important points he made was the significance of trust; for this topic, he used the example of GE, which has used trust as its driving marketing strategy to reach out to customers. He also added, “There is a growing demand for the art of communication amongst corporate companies and it has to be followed with actions.”

The panel discussion titled “Effective Communication, A tool for communication without authority” brought many prominent industry leaders together. This included Capt. Ved Prakash Singh, Corporate Head – HR, Jamna Auto Industries Ltd; Ms. Ira Aggarwal, Director Mission, I AM; Col. M.S Vilkhu, Advanced Communicator, Toastmaster International; and Ms. Mridula Lawrence, India Communications lead, CSC. Building upon their business experience, the panellists highlighted the importance of effective communication within teams, in cross functional teams and among people across all age groups.

The second panel titled “INSERT TITLE OF PANEL” brought together even more luminaries from the corporate world, including Mr. K.D Singh VP, Corporate Services, Maruti Suzuki Ltd, Ms. Poonam Jain, Founder President, Suprayas and DTM Toastmasters International, and Ms. Urvashi Sareen, Senior Manager, HR Tech, Mahindra. Sharing anecdotes and experiences with their own big name brands, the experts focussed on barriers in effective communications. They also offered ways to mitigate these barriers, which was quite helpful to future managers in attendance. Overall, the event offered participants an insight into corporate communications, which in many ways is the backbone of successful organizations.