On Saturday, the 22nd, all roads led to the Taj Ballroom, as Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research & Entrepreneurship Education rolled out its high profile corporate event Simergence- 2005. Over the years Simergence has successfully provided an enlightening meeting ground for industry and academia. With ‘Emerging India’, as the theme this year, the assembled students were elated as the dignitaries from the corporate world showered them with acute insights on the future course of Indian industry.
The keynote speaker for the event, Mr Gopalakrishnan, ED of Tata Sons, made an insightful presentation comparing the human behaviour to analogies from nature.
The first session started off with the much debated topic ‘Will India be able to meet the FII expectations?’ Mr Naresh Garg compared the intricacies of FDI and FII’s and came out strongly in support of the former. Mr Krishna Murthy Vijayan enlightened the audience, to the reasons India is being looked upon as a super potential FII destination. The unanimous opinion of the panel was that the Government should encourage the FII’s and clear the hurdles regarding their participation.
The next session was centred around ‘New Paradigms in Marketing Communication’.
The panel discussion was preceded by an entertaining presentation from the SISMREE students as they interspersed theory with entertainment and brought out new media of communication. Sanjay Behl, CMO of Reliance Industries presented in front of the keen audience, the concept of Digital Television, as he revealed that Reliance itself planned to come up with the first intersatellite television in India. Mr Neeraj Roy, CEO of Hungama.com spoke about the powerful medium that internet presented as a communicator and the strong potential that it held for the future.
A panel comprising of Mr. Niranjan Hiranandani, Mr. Ashish Chandrak, Mr. Anuj Bhargava & Mr. Sanjeev Manitri discussed the key issues facing Mumbai for developing it as a commercial hub. The discussions revolved around support services required by a city to thrive so a disaster like 26/7 could be averted.
Taking queues from Hong Kong & Shanghai Mr. Ashish Chandrak of the IDFC fame wants Mumbai to develop a conducive atmosphere for business. Even when the GDP of India grows at 8% Mumbai is just growing by 2% for its contribution. Mr. Hiranandani pointed out that the 66% of Mumbai’s population lives in slums and the government was to be blamed for it. This is due to, not fulfilled government promises Amending the rent act, Scrapping the urban cess & Redefining the zones.
Mr. Bhargava of HSBC insisted that Mumbai lacked the leadership and focus as Mr. T Chandrasekhar who turned Thane into a paradise. When compared to city like Dubai; Mumbai has just 4000 Hotel rooms compared to 40000 in the former. Speed of execution was also termed to be the Major factor when it comes to development. There are 3 essential deficits which Mumbai needs to cater to first being the resources of leadership; secondly Knowledge and Enlightenment; finally Authority to reduce the execution time. The need for paradigm shift in the minds of the people not only to think differently but to also make sure that the dream to be a Shanghai stays on track.