XLRI’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations conclude
Jamshedpur, Dec 7: Union Human Resource Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended the concluding ceremony of XLRI’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations on Saturday, marking 75 years of the institution’s establishment. Pradhan, along with Tata Steel MD TV Narendran, XLRI Director Father Sebastian George, and other dignitaries inaugurated the event with a ceremonial lamp-lighting.
Union Education Minister praised XLRI as the oldest business school in India, emphasizing its significant contribution to fostering leadership in both multinational corporations and the nation. He acknowledged that Tata Steel played a pivotal role in the establishment of XLRI, highlighting the institution’s historical and educational importance.
In his address, Pradhan emphasized India’s impressive economic growth, predicting that the country, currently the fifth-largest economy globally, would soon become the third-largest economy within the next two to three years due to its rapid economic expansion. Reflecting on India’s historical industrial journey, Pradhan stated, “While India was once enslaved during the first industrial revolution, became laborers during the second, and supervisors in the third, now in the fourth industrial revolution, it is our time to take ownership.”
He also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, highlighting the significant voluntary action of one crore Indians giving up their gas subsidies as a clear demonstration of the public’s trust in the government’s leadership. Pradhan also expressed his belief that India’s time to lead on the global stage has arrived.
The Platinum Jubilee celebrations also featured cultural performances by XLRI students and recognized several distinguished alumni for their exceptional contributions. The awards included the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to Jacob Varghese, Chief Integrator of Byrraju Foundation, for his long-standing impact in the sector.
The Academic Award went to Prof. K. Sivaramakrishnan, Professor of Accounting at Rice University, for his remarkable academic contributions. The Allied Field Award was given to Gautam Sen, Vice President-External Relations at FEVA Federation, and the Founder Co-CEO of Caregiver Sathi Foundation, for their impactful work beyond the corporate world. The Entrepreneur Award was presented to the Co-Founder and Director of Avina Holdings Pvt Ltd for their entrepreneurial excellence.
The Young Achievers Award was given to Rahul Sanghvi, MD & Partner at Boston Consulting Group, recognizing his significant accomplishments early in his career. Additionally, the Practicing Manager Award recognized Dr. Ashish Chand, President & CEO of Beldon Inc; Athar Shahab; Bijo Kurien, Chairman of the Retailers Association of India; and Brajesh Bajpai, Commercial Director at Vodacom Group, for their outstanding managerial contributions to their respective industries.
