LIGHTING SPARKS OF INNOVATION

Education at the institute is about devising solutions that have the social reality of the country firmly at their centre

- M.G. Arun

As Prof. Varun Nagaraj, dean of the S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), appears for an interaction in his office at the institute's sprawling campus in Andheri, Mumbai, one cannot help but notice a striking blue plaque that's fixed on the wall behind him, which states its vision-to be recognised globally as an innovative and socially-conscious management school. And these are the twin guiding stars-innovation and social awareness-that the 43-year-old institute has kept in its sights while framing its programmes chiefly around them, so that they give students a comprehensive exposure to academics as well as the environment they are living in, helping them better cope with the rising demands of the world of business.

SPJIMR's flagship programme, the two-year postgraduate diploma in management (PGDM), focuses on four specialisations-Finance, Operations, Marketing, and Information Management and Analytics. "However, we noticed that the nature of problem-solving was changing to a point where industry was looking for those with more integrated skills," says Nagaraj. For the past two years, therefore, SPJIMR has included 'general management' in its bouquet of specialisations.