JSB 2nd Graduation Day

Summary

The speaker, at a convocation ceremony, praises the Johnson School of Business's rapid rise to prominence and its chairman's philanthropic efforts. He highlights the Indian economy's growth, creating opportunities for graduates, and the global recognition of Indian institutions. However, he also addresses societal issues like poverty and the employability gap, urging graduates to value continuous learning and convert it into an enjoyable pursuit. He emphasizes the importance of theoretical knowledge over mere experience, and concludes by encouraging the use of willpower and divine grace to excel in life.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The Johnson School of Business has a conducive atmosphere for higher learning with excellent infrastructure and is rapidly gaining recognition among business schools in South India.
• 🎓 The Chairman of the school is praised for his philanthropy, educationist approach, and active involvement in the administration, providing students with opportunities to learn from his entrepreneurial spirit.
• 📈 The Indian economy is experiencing double-digit growth, particularly in industry and services, creating abundant opportunities for young graduates, who are in high demand by companies.
• 🌏 India is increasingly recognized globally for its knowledge workers, with Indian institutions such as IITs and IIMs being rated higher than some of the world's top universities like Harvard and MIT.
• 💼 Despite the economic growth, there is a significant portion of the Indian population living below the poverty line, which the speaker attributes to industrial and corporate greed, as well as political corruption.
• 📊 A report reveals that a majority of graduates from Tamil Nadu are not immediately employable, suggesting a disconnect between educational institutions and industry needs.
• 📚 The speaker emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and converting learning into an enjoyable activity to stay relevant and excel in one's career.
• 👨‍🏫 Students are encouraged to find mentors, engage in teaching, and utilize online resources to continue their learning journey even after graduation.
• 🧠 The speaker warns against relying solely on experience without theoretical knowledge, as this can lead to misleading conclusions and poor decision-making.
• 💡 The ability to enjoy any activity, including learning, is within one's control, and persistence is key to making learning an enjoyable experience.
• 🙏 The grace of God is presented as a universal catalyst to help convert learning into an enjoyable activity, regardless of one's inherent willpower.

Q & A

Who is the speaker addressing in the convocation function?

The speaker is addressing the chairman of Johnson School of Business, Rotarian, Paul Harris fellow, vice-chairman, Mr. Kumar, Mr. Rogovin Ravi, Dean of Johnson School of Business, Mr. Mohan, deputy director, faculty members, distinguished invitees, graduating students, family members of the graduating students, and dear students.

What is the speaker's opinion on the infrastructure of the Johnson School of Business?

The speaker compliments the chairman for creating an excellent infrastructure with beautiful buildings, which is conducive to higher learning.

How does the speaker view the school's progress in the business education landscape?

The speaker acknowledges that within less than five years, the school has carved a niche for itself among business schools in South India and predicts it will soon be counted among the best.

What qualities does the speaker believe the students of Johnson School of Business have imbibed from the chairman and his sons?

The speaker believes the students have imbibed qualities such as hard work and diligence from the chairman and his sons, who are entrepreneurial industrialists actively participating in the school's administration.

What opportunities does the speaker highlight for the young graduates in India?

The speaker highlights that the growing Indian economy, especially in industry and services, is creating a lot of opportunities for young graduates, with companies eager to recruit them even before they finish their studies.

What perception does India have globally according to the speaker?

The speaker mentions that India is perceived globally as a country full of knowledge workers, including doctors, engineers, scientists, IT professionals, and research workers, and is known for producing some of the highest paid new recruits in the corporate world.

What concern does the speaker express about the Indian economy despite its growth?

The speaker expresses concern that despite the high growth rates, one in four Indians is still below the poverty line and doesn't have two square meals a day, attributing this to industrial and corporate greed and political corruption.

What is the speaker's view on the employability of graduates from Tamil Nadu?

The speaker cites a study indicating that only 20% of graduates from Tamil Nadu schools are immediately employable, another 20% could be employable with additional training, and over 60% are not employable at all based on their degrees.

What advice does the speaker give to the graduates about converting learning into an enjoyable activity?

The speaker advises the graduates to believe in their ability to convert any activity, including learning, into an enjoyable one, to persist in doing so, and to invoke the grace of God as a catalyst to make learning an enjoyable experience.

What misconception does the speaker warn the graduates against in relation to learning and experience?

The speaker warns the graduates against relying solely on experience-based conclusions without theoretical knowledge or analysis, as such conclusions can often mislead and lead to wrong conclusions.

What role does the speaker suggest for mentors and continuous learning in the graduates' future careers?

The speaker suggests that graduates should identify mentors in their organizations, consider teaching as a way to learn, and utilize online resources and libraries for continuous learning to stay relevant and excel in their careers.