Amaethon 2015, one of the largest Food and Agribusiness Summits of its kind, with over 600 participants from India and abroad, was organized by the students of IIM Ahmedabad from January 16-18, 2015. The inaugural keynote address was delivered by Ms. Mohini Datt of World Bank, and highlighting the priority given to the agriculture and food sector by the World Bank, and the great need for sharing and cooperation among South Asian nations in this regard. This was followed by the address of Prof. G. Raghuram, Dean-Faculty, which traced the evolution of the Post Graduate Programme in Agribusiness Management to becoming the top-ranked agri-business programme in the world. He also emphasized the value systems that go into creating an institution like IIMA. Prof. Vasant Gandhi, Faculty Adviser - Amaethon 2015 and Chairperson, Centre for Management in Agriculture, IIMA talked about the challenges and opportunities facing the food and agriculture sector due to a growing population, scarce resources, urbanization, commercialization of agriculture, liberalization of the economy, and changing food habits of the population He also highlighted the journey of Amaethon from a small event to its current form, with participants from India and overseas. He highlighted the stellar role played the students, led by Saurabh Pandey, the chief coordinator, and the faculty and staff of the Institute. The inauguration set the tone for a vibrant three-day summit, the biggest of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.
The inauguration function was followed by a panel discussion "The Food Dialogue", moderated by Prof. Vasant Gandhi, IIMA. The panelists were Prof. G. Raghuram, and eminent industrialists like Mr. Atul Chaturvedi, CEO, Adani Wilmar, Dr. N. Seetharama, Executive Director, ABLE, and Mr. S. Venkataramani, Chief Marketing Officer, ABT Foods-Sakthi Group. The panelists highlighted the need for food security in the country and the important initiatives undertaken, including an efficient public distribution system, introduction and commercialization of biotechnology, and extension of the growth and success strategy of dairy into other sectors of agriculture.
The panel discussion on "Women Leaders in Social Entrepreneurship" was moderated by Prof. Asha Kaul, IIMA and included panelists like Ms. Lalitha Kumaramangalam, Chairperson, NCW, Ms. Archana Garodia Gupta, President Elect of FLO (women’s wing of FICCI), Ms. Reema Nanavati, SEWA and Dr. Indira Nityanandam, Visiting Faculty, IIMA. The panelists spoke about the importance of skill building in women to help them overcome fear and become effective leaders. Ms. Garudia Gupta shared the success story of one of her colleagues who ran rural BPOs. Mrs.Kumaramangalam spoke about the self-help groups (SHGs) which have helped empower women, and the emergence of new women entrepreneurship groups. She also talked the need for changes in policy and infrastructure development to cater to this group.
The day concluded with a short play on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by IIMACTS, the institute’s theatre club, followed by a musical performance by Music Club of IIMA, which was enjoyed by all.
The second day of Amaethon- 2015, on January 17, began with a workshop on "Cold Storage and Warehousing", conducted by Prof. Debjit Roy, IIMA. The workshop aimed to provide an understanding of the gap between the current and desired status of storage facilities in India, and ways to bridge the gap. The workshop was followed by "Venture Space Discussion". The panelists for the discussion were Ms. Sonal Baid, Founder, Aura Herbal Textiles Ltd., Mr. Avinashi Sharan, Founder & Ex- CEO, Cinque Education and Mr. V. Pradeep Kumar, Executive Director, Mother India Farms. The discussion brought out the issues and opportunities faced by start-ups, and described ways to explore new business avenues. There was also a panel discussion on "Value Chain of Agricultural Commodities" led by Prof. Gopal Naik, IIM Bangalore, Prof. Chetan Soman, IIMA and Prof. Vasant Gandhi, IIMA where current issues in the supply chain management, particularly in agribusiness sector, were discussed.
The afternoon session began on an exhilarating note, with a performance by stand-up comedian, Mr. Deepak Gopalakrishnan, popularly known as Chuck, dealing with the daily trials and tribulations of current and aspiring MBA graduates, which had everyone in splits. This entertaining session was followed by the "ICT Dialogue", a panel discussion involving Mr. Baskar S. Reddy, Executive Director, Syngenta Foundation, Prof. Kavita Ranganathan, Information Systems Area, IIMA, Mr. Neil Patel, Founder, Awaaz.De and Mr. Balwant Singh, Director, Seedbuzz. The discussion centered on the importance of information and communication technologies in enhancing farmer incomes in agriculture, besides a host of other applications.
The last panel discussion of the day, "Development Dialogue" was focused on driving the development agenda through agriculture in South Asian region. The panelists included Ms. Mohini Datt, World Bank, Mr. Ashish Bhutani, Jt. Secretary, Dept. of Marketing, Union Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, Mr. S.K. Gupta, President & Director, JK Agri Genetics Ltd., and Prof. Ankur Sarin, Public Systems Group, IIMA. The panel was moderated by Mr. G. Chandrashekhar, a columnist with The Hindu Business Line. The speakers spoke on the similar challenges faced by South Asian countries and the need for inclusive development. Several thought-provoking questions were raised about policies, roles for the public and private sector in technology development and propagation. There was a sense of optimism about the future but also caution about the long-term sustainability of any approach adopted. Participants from Sri Lanka and Bhutan also shared their views and the challenges being faced by their respective countries and the strategies being adopted by their respective policy makers.
The day ended with a classical santoor, sarod and tabla recital at the Louis Kahn Plaza.
The concluding day of Amaethon 2015 was flagged off with a "Run for Amaethon", an event held in collaboration with the Sports Committee of IIMA. Two runs, of 5 and 10 km, were organized, aimed at sensitizing people against food wastage. An enthusiastic participation of around 300 people was witnessed. This was followed by a session conducted by motivational speaker, Akash Gautam. The lively speaker held the audience in thrall as he exhorted them to take a holistic view of life and make happiness the prime objective in life.
The first session post-lunch was the Rural Marketing workshop, conducted by Mr. Pradeep Kashyap, Founder and CEO, MART. Citing statistics and anecdotes, Mr. Kashyap emphasized the importance of rural markets and the unique strategies that are required to cater to the consumers in rural markets. The next session was a workshop on data analytics by Prof. Arindam Banerjee, Marketing Area, IIMA, which imparted valuable insights to the participants about utilizing the concepts of data analytics in consumer behavior research, with an agribusiness focus.
The valedictory session was graced by entrepreneur-instructor, Mr. Sunil Handa and Prof. Poornima Varma, Centre for Management in Agriculture, IIMA. Prof. Varma said that the sheer size and economic importance of agribusiness in a country like India necessitated a multi-dimensional perspective to the field. She hoped that the event was successful in highlighting the opportunities and challenges faced by the sector in India and its neighboring countries. The key-note address was made by Mr. Sunil Handa, where he encouraged the youth to challenge status-quo, raise questions and explore the path of entrepreneurship. Citing his own example and that of a few of his students, he opined that agribusiness was brimming with entrepreneurial opportunities which should be exploited by youngsters with zeal and passion.
The event came to a close with the awarding of medals to the winners of the "Run for Amaethon" and certificates and prizes to winners of other competitions. The closure of the event was marked by cake-cutting and release of sky lanterns by all the participants and organizers.
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The inauguration function was followed by a panel discussion "The Food Dialogue", moderated by Prof. Vasant Gandhi, IIMA. The panelists were Prof. G. Raghuram, and eminent industrialists like Mr. Atul Chaturvedi, CEO, Adani Wilmar, Dr. N. Seetharama, Executive Director, ABLE, and Mr. S. Venkataramani, Chief Marketing Officer, ABT Foods-Sakthi Group. The panelists highlighted the need for food security in the country and the important initiatives undertaken, including an efficient public distribution system, introduction and commercialization of biotechnology, and extension of the growth and success strategy of dairy into other sectors of agriculture.
The panel discussion on "Women Leaders in Social Entrepreneurship" was moderated by Prof. Asha Kaul, IIMA and included panelists like Ms. Lalitha Kumaramangalam, Chairperson, NCW, Ms. Archana Garodia Gupta, President Elect of FLO (women’s wing of FICCI), Ms. Reema Nanavati, SEWA and Dr. Indira Nityanandam, Visiting Faculty, IIMA. The panelists spoke about the importance of skill building in women to help them overcome fear and become effective leaders. Ms. Garudia Gupta shared the success story of one of her colleagues who ran rural BPOs. Mrs.Kumaramangalam spoke about the self-help groups (SHGs) which have helped empower women, and the emergence of new women entrepreneurship groups. She also talked the need for changes in policy and infrastructure development to cater to this group.
The day concluded with a short play on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by IIMACTS, the institute’s theatre club, followed by a musical performance by Music Club of IIMA, which was enjoyed by all.
The second day of Amaethon- 2015, on January 17, began with a workshop on "Cold Storage and Warehousing", conducted by Prof. Debjit Roy, IIMA. The workshop aimed to provide an understanding of the gap between the current and desired status of storage facilities in India, and ways to bridge the gap. The workshop was followed by "Venture Space Discussion". The panelists for the discussion were Ms. Sonal Baid, Founder, Aura Herbal Textiles Ltd., Mr. Avinashi Sharan, Founder & Ex- CEO, Cinque Education and Mr. V. Pradeep Kumar, Executive Director, Mother India Farms. The discussion brought out the issues and opportunities faced by start-ups, and described ways to explore new business avenues. There was also a panel discussion on "Value Chain of Agricultural Commodities" led by Prof. Gopal Naik, IIM Bangalore, Prof. Chetan Soman, IIMA and Prof. Vasant Gandhi, IIMA where current issues in the supply chain management, particularly in agribusiness sector, were discussed.
The afternoon session began on an exhilarating note, with a performance by stand-up comedian, Mr. Deepak Gopalakrishnan, popularly known as Chuck, dealing with the daily trials and tribulations of current and aspiring MBA graduates, which had everyone in splits. This entertaining session was followed by the "ICT Dialogue", a panel discussion involving Mr. Baskar S. Reddy, Executive Director, Syngenta Foundation, Prof. Kavita Ranganathan, Information Systems Area, IIMA, Mr. Neil Patel, Founder, Awaaz.De and Mr. Balwant Singh, Director, Seedbuzz. The discussion centered on the importance of information and communication technologies in enhancing farmer incomes in agriculture, besides a host of other applications.
The last panel discussion of the day, "Development Dialogue" was focused on driving the development agenda through agriculture in South Asian region. The panelists included Ms. Mohini Datt, World Bank, Mr. Ashish Bhutani, Jt. Secretary, Dept. of Marketing, Union Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India, Mr. S.K. Gupta, President & Director, JK Agri Genetics Ltd., and Prof. Ankur Sarin, Public Systems Group, IIMA. The panel was moderated by Mr. G. Chandrashekhar, a columnist with The Hindu Business Line. The speakers spoke on the similar challenges faced by South Asian countries and the need for inclusive development. Several thought-provoking questions were raised about policies, roles for the public and private sector in technology development and propagation. There was a sense of optimism about the future but also caution about the long-term sustainability of any approach adopted. Participants from Sri Lanka and Bhutan also shared their views and the challenges being faced by their respective countries and the strategies being adopted by their respective policy makers.
The day ended with a classical santoor, sarod and tabla recital at the Louis Kahn Plaza.
The concluding day of Amaethon 2015 was flagged off with a "Run for Amaethon", an event held in collaboration with the Sports Committee of IIMA. Two runs, of 5 and 10 km, were organized, aimed at sensitizing people against food wastage. An enthusiastic participation of around 300 people was witnessed. This was followed by a session conducted by motivational speaker, Akash Gautam. The lively speaker held the audience in thrall as he exhorted them to take a holistic view of life and make happiness the prime objective in life.
The first session post-lunch was the Rural Marketing workshop, conducted by Mr. Pradeep Kashyap, Founder and CEO, MART. Citing statistics and anecdotes, Mr. Kashyap emphasized the importance of rural markets and the unique strategies that are required to cater to the consumers in rural markets. The next session was a workshop on data analytics by Prof. Arindam Banerjee, Marketing Area, IIMA, which imparted valuable insights to the participants about utilizing the concepts of data analytics in consumer behavior research, with an agribusiness focus.
The valedictory session was graced by entrepreneur-instructor, Mr. Sunil Handa and Prof. Poornima Varma, Centre for Management in Agriculture, IIMA. Prof. Varma said that the sheer size and economic importance of agribusiness in a country like India necessitated a multi-dimensional perspective to the field. She hoped that the event was successful in highlighting the opportunities and challenges faced by the sector in India and its neighboring countries. The key-note address was made by Mr. Sunil Handa, where he encouraged the youth to challenge status-quo, raise questions and explore the path of entrepreneurship. Citing his own example and that of a few of his students, he opined that agribusiness was brimming with entrepreneurial opportunities which should be exploited by youngsters with zeal and passion.
The event came to a close with the awarding of medals to the winners of the "Run for Amaethon" and certificates and prizes to winners of other competitions. The closure of the event was marked by cake-cutting and release of sky lanterns by all the participants and organizers.
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