A tryst with higher mortals

Prof. Sunil Handa visited the IIMK campus last week. Kumar Vivek, PGP 11, reports:

He mesmerizes you the very first time. Sixty minutes – and it’s enough for him to convince a packed IIM Kozhikode classroom that servitude is the worst nightmare which can happen in the career of an IIM graduate.

Sunil Handa, the 53-something pioneer of Laboratory in Entrepreneurial Motivation (LEM) and a visiting faculty across IIMs puts himself at ease with students from the very beginning – communicating in “their” language! Shattering all myths about the “riskiness” of entrepreneurial ventures and “cushiness” of fixed-income jobs, his arguments flawlessly describle the limited growth potential in an employee setup. Coming from a man who has experimented with 7 businesses after graduating from an IIM in 1979, the realities of the corporate world and its ‘job’ nature embed themselves on the minds of every listener. “Each one of you has the capabilities to make it big” – his advice reverberates with numerous live examples of his students in his rich teaching career, spanning a little over one and half decades.

“Be an employer – Be the Superman!” is the theme of a poster he circulates. Augmenting the effect is his “box-theory” – you cannot be contented when you are “contained” – whether its salary growth, career growth, or service to the nation; to be effective requires being on your own.

Discussing the importance of an MBA curriculum, he repeatedly drives his point of how the course structure and case discussions can shape the entire personality of the participants and the students should, well, study! Further, to top everything, his motto is - giving back to the society. Millions of dollars of his personal wealth were contributed to Eklavya, the educational foundation he established. The man, with his uncanny ability to connect, is not only a teacher but an amazing inspiration.

Life is short, “Ab nahin to kab?”!! – If not now, then when?

Prof Sunil Handa also spent 3 days with the senior students, 3 days packed with intense intellectual stimulation and inspiring anecdotes. We hope to see many more visits from you, Sir.


Update: Prof Sunil Handa mailed in the LEM slogan, that he had not discussed so far but planned to bring up in his next visit. In his own words: "It's a bit of funny hindi-english mix, basically says there is no tomorrow, there is no yesterday, there is only HERE and NOW :

not to kab, not to tab, but to ab,

not to kahan, not to wahan, but to yahan!!

Ciao Professore!

Yesterday, PGP-11 bid goodbye to one of its most beloved professors - Dr. Mathew, when the course "Social Transformation of India" was wrapped up with the screening of the Italian film, "Ciao Professore!" (translates to Goodbye Professor) The film - a light hearted comedy, highlights the social situation prevailing in Southern Italy in the early '90s. Sounds like serious stuff, but throw in a dozen 8-year olds who swear imaginatively and yet retain their innocence, and an honest North Italian Professor and voila! you've an entertaining fare on your hands. Everything said and done, this movie was a befitting finale to a string of foreign movies that were shown as part of the course curriculum.

Before the screening of the movie began, StudCon members felicitated Dr. Mathew for having enlightened us during the course by raising a lot of questions, most of them very uncomfortable and probing ones. After the students gave him a standing ovation, he took over the mike and spoke about how he was skeptical before coming here about the way the course would be received by the students. In a speech peppered with Mathewisms, he added that he was very happy to have had a chance to teach us and hoped to come back to teach at IIMK. We'd love to meet you again, Sir. Ciao!

The list of movies that were shown during the course:

Colors of Paradise (Iranian)
Two women (Iranian)
Grave of the fireflies (Japanese)
All About My Mother (Spanish)

In the name of the father (English)
Central Station (Brazilian)
Ciao Professore! (Italian)

To Sir, with Love...

Through the course of our lives we are taught by many teachers but very rarely do we come across one who completely changes our outlook, who becomes the proverbial 'Friend, Philosopher and Guide'. Professor Wilson Mackaden was one such teacher. Every single student and teacher we approached to get quotes for this article said almost the same thing about him - he was joy personified, a moment in his presence was enough to lift your spirits, no matter how low you were.

Professor Mackaden was born in Belgaum in Karnataka in 1933, he came to Kozhikode in 1963 to join Malabar Christian College as a lecturer. He retired from the college as the head of the English Department. Retirement was not his cup of tea though and soon he joined the MES College. We had the good luck of having him in our campus as a part of the Centre of Excellence.

Following are a few quotes collected from Professors and students close to him:

Professor Unnikrishnan:

"Always cheerful in his disposition, he made everyone who interacted with him feel good and happy. With his sad demise, the IIMK PGP has lost a trusted well wisher and an inspiring teacher."

Professor R. Pillai:

"Prof Mackaden was the embodiment of selfless service. He was a man of immense energy for whom age was never a limiting factor. His humble nature appealed to everyone. He will be sorely missed by all."

Professor K. K. Ramesh:

"Prof. Mackaden had an aura of positive energy around him. My first interaction with him was when I started teaching at IIM Kozhikode and this very meeting influenced my own perspective towards life. It filled me with enthusiasm and cheer. His characteristic style of greeting everyone, including his students, with a joyful 'Hi!' is still fresh in my memory. Prof. Mackaden was a person of great humility and he will be dearly missed by everyone who came in touch with him."

Aruna(PGP10):

"Prof Mackaden, the name somehow still fills me with energy. Although old his energy put us twenty somethings to shame. His love for teaching and students was so evident in his classes. He always had a joke to tell and a smile to share. Professor Mackaden you are missed Sir."

Vishal Bondwal(PGP09):

"Professor Mackaden had an amazing perkiness and joie de vivre which were immensely contagious. He was more active than people half his age. His amazing enthusiasm and energy couldn't be rivalled, even by his students. His stories were interesting and even though he belonged to the old school in terms of his emphasis on grammar and pronunciation, his classes were never boring. All of us looked forward to his classes, especially because in the thick of the IIM grind his classes were a welcome break from the usual and they kind of recharged you. I fondly remember a presentation I gave on culture, which stretched on for more than an hour, but Prof. Mack didn't say a thing. He was very witty, even outside the class. His conversation was usually sprinkled with insightful experiences ranging from his boating hobby (memories of the Calicut Boat Club) to Jiddu Krishnamurti's philosophy and the time he had spent studying under him personally. "

His colleagues and students really miss him and I'm sure PGP11 reading this article, would feel they missed a great teacher...

Remembering Mack