Guest Lecture 2526

Guest Session on Industrial Relations and Collective Bargaining

The ESG Committee organized a guest session on Industrial Relations and Collective Bargaining on 17th September 2025, delivered by Mr. Kiran Kumar Shetty, HR Manager at ITC.

Mr. Shetty explained the core concepts of industrial relations and collective bargaining in an engaging manner, drawing parallels with stories from the Mahabharata to illustrate negotiation, conflict resolution, and consensus-building. He emphasized the role of trade unions in safeguarding employee interests and promoting healthy employer–employee relations.

He also shared insights into ITC’s growth journey (2002–2023) and its manufacturing presence across India, underscoring the strong link between industrial harmony and organizational success.

The session proved to be highly insightful, as it bridged theoretical knowledge with practical applications and enriched the students’ understanding of workplace relations and collective bargaining.

A session on Cyber Security

SDMIMD hosted a special guest lecture on Cybersecurity at its campus. The session was delivered by Dr. Ravichandra Kulkarni, Dean of Research and Development and Head of the Department of Cybersecurity at MIT Mysuru.

The lecture primarily focused on cybersecurity issues in business processes. Dr. Kulkarni highlighted the various types of cybersecurity threats and explained the precautionary measures organizations must adopt to safeguard themselves.

“Awareness of cybersecurity is the first step in preventing cyber scams. Understanding different types of threats and following best security practices can significantly reduce the risk of cybercrimes,” he emphasized.

He also presented statistics on cyber threats, scams, and victims, pointing out that these crimes are driven by multiple motives. Addressing the challenges of the digital era, Dr. Kulkarni noted that evolving technologies and the growing remote work culture have intensified risks, making the role of cyber law enforcement even more critical.

However, he suggested that proper policy development, robust risk management, and effective incident response planning can help organizations build stronger and more secure systems.

Presentations to Future Leaders: Mr. Bharath Sondur at SDMIMD

Mr. Bharath Sondur delivered an inspiring session on August 11, 2025, at SDMIMD as part of the Presentations to Future Leaders series, sharing his career journey across public and private sector banking. He emphasized adaptability, continuous learning, calculated risk-taking, and a growth mindset.

Key takeaways included learning from early roles, treating adversity as opportunity, flexibility in roles and locations, startup thinking, continuous upskilling, and self-belief.

He highlighted milestones such as expanding 1,000+ branches, recruiting 100,000+ candidates, enabling 50,000+ placements through Govt. programs, and launching impactful initiatives like the AKKA Credit Co-operative Society for women’s empowerment.

Mr. Sondur concluded by urging students to stay committed, embrace change, and pursue passion with purpose.

Session on Interview Tips for Success

SDMIMD hosted a guest session titled “Interview Tips for Success,” delivered by renowned professional trainer and coach Dr. Anuradha Varma, who brings over 30 years of experience in learning and development. The session was held on August 5, 2025.

Dr. Varma opened the session by addressing the challenges faced by newcomers in the corporate world. She emphasized that success for new employees hinges on maintaining a client-centric focus, collaborating effectively across functional teams, managing internal teams and external stakeholders, leading service delivery transformation, cultivating globally relevant skills, and demonstrating leadership qualities from the outset.

Highlighting the importance of preparation, Dr. Varma advised students to research the company and its interviewers thoroughly, practice commonly asked questions in advance, create a well-structured résumé, and refine both verbal and non-verbal communication skills to make a strong impression. Regarding negotiation, she stressed that candidates should be well-informed about industry salary standards, set realistic and honest expectations, and provide a clear rationale for their compensation requests.

Dr. Varma also guided participants on how to respond to common interview questions such as self-introduction, strengths and weaknesses, and career growth goals. She encouraged students to maintain a positive attitude throughout the interview to create a favorable impression on the interviewer.

The session concluded with an engaging Q&A segment, where students sought personalized advice and deeper insights. SDMIMD faculty members Dr. Mohammed Minhaj and Dr. Lakshmi Narayana, along with students, were present and actively participated in the session.

Bridging Academia and Industry at SDMIMD Mysuru!

At SDMIMD Mysuru, we are committed to shaping well-rounded professionals by facilitating learning beyond the classroom. In our continued efforts to connect academia with industry, we had the privilege of hosting the Infosys Team on campus on July 23, 2025. This engaging session fostered a strong linkage between the corporate world and our academic ecosystem.

These interactions offer students real-world perspectives, sharpen their adaptability, and build essential corporate competencies such as teamwork, leadership, and effective communication — ensuring they’re ready to excel in their professional journeys.

The session featured key leaders from Infosys:

Mr. Shreekrishna N, Group Project Manager – Highlighted Infosys’ footprint across Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Technology sectors and explained the end-to-end recruitment process.
Mr. Sundaram R M, Talent Acquisition Leader – Emphasized how real-world engagement builds essential skills for workplace success.
Mr. Shubham Pandey, Campus Recruiter – Delivered a high-energy motivational talk, followed by a vibrant Q&A session that made the interaction even more enriching.
Ms. Sherly Matcha, Associate Lead – Talent Acquisition – Introduced the Ingenious Ambassador Campaign, a platform for fostering student leadership, and Ingenious One, which offers opportunities for live projects, certifications, and internships.

This visit on July 23, 2025, marked not just a knowledge-sharing experience, but also the beginning of a deeper collaboration between Infosys and our aspiring future professionals.

Invited Talk on Personal Branding by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

On July 12, 2025, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Professor of Marketing at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Canada, delivered an insightful talk on Personal Branding as part of the Orientation Program for the PGDM 2025–27 batch at SDMIMD. Dr. Radhakrishnan emphasized the importance of building a strong personal brand in today’s competitive landscape, offering practical strategies for self-positioning, credibility building, and effective communication. The session encouraged students to consciously shape their professional identity and align it with their values and career aspirations.

Invited Talk by Mr. M. Nikhilesh, Founder & CEO, Kalisu Foundation

As part of the Orientation Program for the PGDM 2025–27 batch, SDMIMD was privileged to host Mr. M. Nikhilesh, Founder and CEO of Kalisu Foundation, Mysuru, on July 12, 2025. In his inspiring session, Mr. Nikhilesh shared insights from his journey in social entrepreneurship, highlighting the role of purpose-driven leadership and the importance of education in driving community transformation. His talk encouraged students to embrace responsibility, think beyond conventional success, and contribute meaningfully to society.

Workshop on ‘Resilient Leader: Cultivating Wellness for Peak Performance’ by Mr. A.R. Dwarakanath

SDMIMD organized a workshop on ‘Resilient Leader: Cultivating Wellness for Peak Performance’ as part of the Orientation Program for the PGDM 2025–27 batch. The session was conducted by Mr. A.R. Dwarakanath, Yoga Trainer, on July 11, 2025.

During the session, Mr. Dwarakanath stated, “Improving shareholder value is the prime task of any business organization. Therefore, companies need individuals who can think strategically and build sustainable business models, rather than those with cognitive bias.”

He emphasized that healthy individuals are crucial for organizational success and highlighted that resilient leaders must think beyond boundaries and focus on simple actions that can have a long-term impact.

Integrating Ayurveda and Yoga for Holistic Well-being – Talk by Dr. C.S. Anilkumar Dixit

As part of the Orientation Program at SDMIMD, Dr. C.S. Anilkumar Dixit, a renowned expert in Ayurvedic and Yogic practices, delivered an insightful session on July 10, 2025, emphasizing the integration of Ayurveda and Yoga into daily life. Drawing from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Dr. Dixit highlighted the holistic approach of these ancient sciences in promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. He spoke on the foundational concept of Ahimsa (non-violence), the importance of setting clear intentions, and the role of traditional Indian cooking and spices in enhancing immunity. Stressing values such as truthfulness, contentment, and gratitude, Dr. Dixit encouraged students to adopt mindful practices for a balanced and fulfilling life.

Insightful Session on Navigating Technology Evolution and Building Tech-First Organizations

Dr. Navin Shankar Patel delivered a highly insightful talk on Navigating Technology Evolution and Building Tech-First Organizations on July 9, 2025, at SDMIMD. The session explored how technology continues to shape the business environment and emphasized the strategic shifts necessary for organizations to thrive in the digital era.

Key discussion points included the role of foundational technologies in the progress of civilization and a retrospective look at six decades of technological evolution. Dr. Patel illustrated how companies such as Blackberry, Nokia, and Byju's exemplify the risks associated with failing to adapt to rapid technological change. He introduced the concept of the Competitive Gravity Well, using Tesla as a case study to demonstrate how integrated technology ecosystems can create sustainable competitive advantage.

The anatomy of a tech-first organization was further illustrated through examples from Starbucks, Spotify, and Amazon, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making. A detailed walkthrough of the AI and GenAI value chain was presented using the “5 Cs” framework—Capture, Curate, Compute, Create, and Commercialize.

Additionally, Dr. Patel shared the “4 P” framework—Purpose, People, Process, and Platform—citing Reliance Jio as a benchmark example of a tech-first company.

To prepare future managers, he emphasized the importance of competencies such as data storytelling, prompt engineering, change management, Cloud and FinOps skills, continuous learning, and responsible AI governance.

The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, where students explored the discussed themes in greater depth, making it an enriching and future-focused learning experience.