Kerala-based management gurus in US as Kansas University celebrates growing clout of Indian economy

Taking note of the growing economic power of India, the University of Kansas which is widely respected as one of the most prestigious universities in America is organising an International Business Week from September 12 with focus on India’s rapidly evolving business environment.

As the famed university is set to celebrate the Indian growth, two eminent personalities from India, Mr. G. Vijaya Raghavan and Prof. K. Balakrishnan from Asian School of Business (ASB), Kerala will deliver keynote lectures on India’s growing clout as an economic power in the world.

International Business Week, from September 12 to 16, is a new event being organised by the School of Business of the Kansas University, to enhance the understanding of global business. This year, India has been selected as focus because of its growing clout in the world.

“The high growth rate of the Indian economy, a burgeoning and increasingly affluent middle class, and high service emphasis all imply that understanding India is a critical component of today’s business education,” said Kissan Joseph, Professor of Marketing at Institute of International Business (IIB).

On September 12 Mr Raghavan and Prof. Balakrishnan will speak at 7.30 pm in the Kansas Union. They will highlight marketing and entrepreneurship in India.

The following morning on September 13 at 7 am, they will deliver a presentation over breakfast at the Kansas Union Edwards Campus titled ‘India: Ancient Land, Modern Opportunities.’ Finally, the week will be rounded out by a student case competition featuring a business problem set in the Indian retail setting and a faculty forum.

Expressing his happiness to have such distinguished guests to deliver lectures during the International Business Week, Prof. Tailan Chi, Faculty Director for IIB said, “The most exciting part of our efforts in developing exchange opportunities in India is that we now have a very resourceful host, the Asian School of Business.”

Mr G Vijaya Raghavan is the Director of the Board at the ASB and founding CEO of Technopark Trivandrum, the first technology and Software Park in India. At present, he is also a member of the Kerala State Planning Board. He is also the President of VMA Consultants Pvt Ltd. Mr Vijaya Raghavan is a former President of International Association of Science Parks (Asia Pacific) and Hon. Director of Trivandrum International School.

Prof. Balakrishnan is the Dean of ASB. He has 22 years of industrial experience across various sectors, functions and organisations such as Blue Star Ltd, Sanmar Group and Escorts Ltd. He was the COO/CEO of Century Wood Ltd & Raman Boards Ltd, an ABB subsidiary. Prof. Balakrishnan has exposure to functional areas of management include marketing, contracting, and corporate management. He has travelled abroad extensively in the pursuit of International Business with MNCs such as IKEA, Westinghouse, York, Siemens and others. He set up India’s first automated solid wood furniture facility as a green field 100 per cent export oriented unit. Apart from this, Prof. Balakrishnan has participated actively in the process of Indian industry moving from a protected environment to global competitiveness.

Collectively, these two distinguished persons from ASB bring a wealth of knowledge and many years of experience in business and business education.

Mr Vijaya Raghavan said a group of 30 students from the University of Kansas will visit ASB in December this year. A group from the University had earlier visited the ASB last year.