NIKAI's Vaudeville:A Grand Success

The much awaited inter college event hosted by IMT Dubai was formally inaugurated by the Dean, Dr. Seth. He welcomed the guests from NIKAI group and the teams from six colleges of across from Dubai who participated in this event. Event began with the debate competition “Convince Me!” which was started by students of BITS Pilani Dubai followed by the teams from S.P. Jain, Middlesex and IMTD. These participants shared their valuable thoughts about “Discovery of Water on the Moon-Boon or Bane for Human Civilization” and defended their views against the questions raised by the audience. The team From BITS Pilani Dubai won the hearts of everyone and stood first followed by Middlesex as the runners up and S.P. Jain at the2nd and 3rd positions respectively.
Another highlight of the event was Electica (Presentation) where four teams from BITS Pilani, S.P. Jain and IMT shared their market researches and views about the Reliability and dependability of NIKAI products .the event was judged by Mr. Bapat, and Mr. Abhilash from NIKAI group who were the platinum sorcerers for the Vaudeville. The centre of attraction of the event was IMT team who presented live research examples and supported their facts with figures and surveys and proved themselves, with them was the team of S.P. Jain in a neck to neck competition but managed to walk away with the winning trophy.
Then came the most awaited event of the day, the Wiz-Quiz, hosted by Mr. Hemant Chaudhary. The event began with six teams and had four rounds. IMT secured the 1st position while S.P. Jain took the second position and BITS stood 3rd.

The stage was set in its crowning glory to welcome the most anticipated event of the year- Vaudeville 2009. The cultural event of IMT’s inter-college festival was marked with unbridled excitement that was later echoed by the audience as well. After the initial custom of lighting the lamp, the guests and the audience were held spellbound by an inauguration dance performed by the very talented Amrita. The first competition of the evening aptly titled ‘Lets Tap’ showcased an array of talented performances from students of various colleges. The group dance competition saw participants engaging in different dance styles that were either contemporary (IMT, Dubai), Indian (Mahatma Gandhi University) or street (Skyline college, BITS). A perfect combination of music, synchronization and some gravity-defying steps made the audience beg for more. United Colors of Benetton, one of the proud sponsors of Vaudeville 2009 gave the audience a glimpse of their Fall Winter collection. The clothes modelled by the IMT students themselves came across as extremely fashionable and wearable as expected out of the brand. The next segment of the event saw teams from two colleges, IMT Dubai and S.P. Jain respectively, battling it out in the Mad for Ad competition. This competition tested the teams’ ability to sell a product with conniving skills. If the parodies made up for some rib-tickling moments, then the following competition, ‘U n Me’ was definitely successful in soothing the senses. The duet singing segment presented some of the finest voices that swooned the audience throughout. Also, the official IMT song sung by fellow IMTians received a magnanimous response. The most awaited segment of the cultural event or in other words ‘Show Stopperz’ had participants scorching the ramp in a bid to win the best fashion show. Be it BITS’s ethnic wear round or Heriot-Watt’s all boy show or the host’s theme based Angels and Demons, it all culminated in a mesmerizing event. The audience was also treated with some lip-smacking delights from Pizza World, Puranmal and Royal Kebab, the other sponsors of Vaudeville 2009. Towards the end of the show Dr Abhilasha took the privilege of announcing the results that included the academics events as well. IMT Dubai took the first runner-up spot in Eclectica while they were declared winners in Wiz Quiz, Lets Tap, Show Stopperz thus, being the proud recipients of the Hero’s Trophy! An exhilarating performance by Point of View, a Dubai based rock band signaled the end of the cultural event and Vaudeville 2009. This festival would surely be etched in the minds of many for a long time.


Team METH..!!

Vaudeville'09

IMT-Dubai- Nov. 10, 2009- "Life is a festival only to the wise" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

IMT-Dubai is in festive mode with the ongoing preparations for Vaudeville: the second chapter, in association with Nikai Group. Vaudeville, one of its kind, a daylong affair organized by the student body, is scheduled on 23rd Nov’09.

The series of academic events, commencing at 10am, will be adjudged by league of industry experts, Mr. Girish Bapat, Vice President, Nikai Group; Mr. Anup Kumar, Assistant Vice President, Nikai Group; Mr. Abhilash Mathews, Marketing Manager, Nikai Group. Cultural events will start with the lighting of lamp by Dr. Ayoub Kazmi-Executive Director of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Village, Mr. Mahesh Shadadpuri, Director, Nikai Group; Dr. Farhad Rad Serecht, Director, IMT-Dubai and Mr. Masood Al Zarooni, Deira Island Front, Nakheel.

The occasion will be graced by the esteemed presence of various other big names from the corporate world. Mr. Raju Shashidhar- Branch Manager, Allianz Insurance; Col. Banwari Lal, Arcelor Mittal Dubai Steels, Middle East Logistics Head; Mr. Prakash Chugani, General Manager, Dulsco; Mr. Hursh Aggrawal, Deputy General Manager, Hitachi Gulf; Mr. Rajeev Negi, Retail Manager, United Colors of Benetton-Sisley;
Mr. Denis, Director-French Fashion Instiute; Mr. MNC Ray, CEO, OxySoft IT Solutions; Mr. Viresh Chand, Business Development Officer, Al Khazna Insurance Company; Mohammad Salen Al Ali, Assistant Branch Manager, Al Khazna Insurance Company and Mr. Puranmal, Managing Director-Vikas Constructions; to name a few.

“The passion and dedication that emerges is awe inspiring. For this is an inter-college confluence, I encourage everyone to experience it”, OSS head Mrs. Abhilasha Singh quipped; in regards with the ongoing preparation of the fest.
The dawn-to-dusk extravaganza comprises of ‘Wiz Quiz’, ‘Convince me’ and ‘Eclectica’ in the array of academic events; whereas cultural league has ‘Lets tap’, ‘Show Stopperz’, ‘Mad for Ad’ and ‘You and Me’ tucked under its belt.

To add to the charm, the event will witness the presence of alumni of the college from all walks of life round the globe.
The event is sponsored by Nikai group, UAE Exchange, United Colours of Benetton, Kaya Skin Clinic, Puranmal and Pizza World; whereas Radio Spice, Khaleej Times and Gulf News have joined hands as media partners.


Team METH...!!

Intercollege Cricket Tournament: Day1

Ajman Cricket Grounds, 16th November, 2009- Even Sachin Tendulkar loses matches. It’s a humbling thought indeed, that great players, and great games have gone down the drain for the best of the best in the sport of Cricket. Something similar happened to the IMT cricket team, when they played their first Cricket match again Skyline University, Sharjah.
The less said about this place, the better. If IMTians did not already get the feel of living in stark desert conditions, this venue was enough to get that feeling out. The grounds were nothing but flattened fields, with a pitch, in the middle of nowhere. With a field and situations like that, the performances of the IMT and Skyline teams, were commendable to say the very least!
Upon winning the toss, the IMT team decided to bat first. Varun Deshwal and Amarjeet Singh, went in as opening batsmen. What an opening that was! The two batsmen made the best of the uneven ground and the fact that the ball wasn’t bouncing that much. Ball after ball, runs were scored, shots hit and Fours and Sixes flowed aplenty. The rest of the team, in the pavilion, cheered their Opening heroes, with escalating spirits, with each ball passing. The shots were spectacular and no less than any professional match being played. Both the players played phenomenally well, and had a partnership of a 100 runs (Deshwal 68, Singh 32).
The rest of the line-up gave their level best as well. Captain Sumit Nagre scored 19 while Rohan Popli scored 13 runs. Overall, an excellent performance by the batsmen brought the score to a total of 163, all out in 20 overs. An extremely good score to defend.
The next innings, turned the game around, in favour of Skyline University. As the afternoon sun climbed at its peak, and the wind levels rose higher, the IMT team went in to bowl. It is hard to pin-point exactly, what went wrong, but apparently something did since the bowling and fielding fell short of expectations. In the 2nd over, Nakul Sharma was able to take 1 wicket (lbw), which was indeed a good beginning to the 2nd innings. However, the bowling side soon became helpless with weaknesses in the fielding. Catches were missed, runs not saved, and boundaries became abundant, quite unfortunate as the team already had an excellent score to defend.
It being a true case of demoralisation, the Skyline team was definitely extremely skilled and fit, and had fabulously high energy levels. Their game was definitely commendable, and it is nothing but a learning experience to lose to such a skilled team and talented players.
The Skyline side made the required score of 164 in 14 overs, losing 2 wickets. At the end of the day, it was a good match, with lots of great moments when sixes went flying across the boundary, when players cheered for others, when the team came together at the beginning and end of the game, and loyalty of each and every IMT player, visible on their disappointed faces upon the end of the match. If anything, this match has taught the team about their short-comings, and they will definitely work on what they lacked today. Their effort must be supported and their determination and skill lauded!
Next match is to be held on 17th November 2009, against Middlesex University.
Media and PR Committee wishes the team for their upcoming endeavours!!

The Team and Scores

Batting Line-up
1. Varun Deshwal --- 68
2. Amarjit Singh --- 32
3. Deepak Nagar --- 3
4. Rohan Popli --- 13
5. Sumit Nagre --- 19
6. Rohit Seth ---1
7. Amit Kumar --- 2
8. Nakul Sharma --- 0
9. Nipun Magoo --- 0
10. Arjun Rajasekaran --- 0
11. Shailendra Bhaskar --- 0
12. Parth Gaglani

Bowling
1. Nakul Sharma ( 1 wicket)
2. Arjun Rajasekaran
3. Nipun Magoo (1 wicket)
4. Amit Kumar

Developing will power for transformational change

Speaker: Anna Doiliani

IMT-D, 5th Nov., 2009- Sister Anna was welcomed by an enthusiastic audience at IMT-D. The workshop, indeed a crucial one for our future managers, allowed them to take a self-perspective journey on becoming leaders of self first before all else. Sister Anna highlighted that when individuals are able to conquer their minds, they invariably become masters of it and meditation helps them in doing so.

“Meditation is the wisdom for being in tune with our inner qualities and to think deeply about several aspects of truth”, Sister Anna quipped.

She emphasised on the fact that as humans, we tend to assimilate a lot of information and our intellect has the power to discriminate this information. By developing this power, we are in turn able to discriminate thoughts that are a hindrance to our aims or higher needs. Thus, success is connected to thoughts. Students were then introduced to a short exercise on meditation that could be practised on a daily basis. After a couple of questions, a motivational song titled “Sunscreen” was presented by the students- a perfect ending to an eye-opening session.

Satyam's resurrection

IMT-Dubai, 3rd November, 2009

Satyam: The name of the company has itself become synonymous with one of the biggest financial and business frauds of this generation. When Ramalinga Raju sent out that infamous confession letter, a scandal erupted and consumed one of India’s biggest IT giants into a gaping hole. The company’s assets had been greatly overstated and the financial statements majorly tweaked, by the head of the company.
The question now arises is, what is happening with Satyam: the company? What are the after-effects of such a blow to a company that big? And what steps have been taken to possibly restore the IT company?
On Tuesday, IMT students got the privilege of an interactive session with the highly inspirational and practical person behind one of the biggest turnarounds in recent times. They got a first-hand insight into all the issues and got a chance to discuss the significant answers, with a person directly involved in the aftermath processes, Mr. T.N. Manoharan.
Mr. Manoharan commenced his discourse with some general information about Satyam, like the strength of 53,000 employees, around 650 clients (prior the crisis) and while mentioning the fact that the Satyam brand was one of the most recognised in India and the world, he quipped, “Satyam was like riding the white tiger”. It was followed by the mention of the very famous confession letter by Mr. Raju, due to which company fell into the crisis. Thereafter he started his tenure as a member of the government-appointed Board of Directors, for the revival of the company.
The esteemed guest went on to discuss the first three agenda that the board had to follow. The first task of the new board was to ensure contract continuity. Since the firm had almost no liquidity, the board decided to borrow from external sources like banks and financial institutions to sustain and generate enough funds to keep the business running. Second was to retain the employees, possibly one of the most demanding. For this, the team motivated the work-force and held all lines of communication open and started an e-newsletter, to keep the employees informed about the progress of the firm. Finally, the BOD had to ensure retaining customers. As Mr. Manoharan explained, Satyam’s clients were locked-in for at least a period of 3 months, within which they were able to retain around 90% of them.
The session was extremely interactive with some interesting questions about various facets of the company being asked to the speaker. Dr. Manoharan gave some precious advice while concluding that, “We succeeded because we worked with the noble intention of reviving Satyam. Took no remuneration, worked pro bono. Because, everything is not money. What you learn ethically is what you deserve.” Wise words, which really hit the nail on the head.
All that has been written and spoken about Satyam was nowhere compared to this interactive session which had all the management theories into the context of a real life scenario.

Team M.E.T.H...!!

M.E.N.-Second Chapter

IMT-D, 28th Oct., 2009- Marketing was truly on fire at IMT Dubai!

After the grand success of the first chapter on October 14th; the second took place on the 28th of October with new guests and alter subject matter held up by perennial zeal of the IMT student body.
Consumer Behaviour in Different Perspective: very much relevant to the current market scenario in the Gulf region, with changing demographics, dynamic economy and diversity in consumer segments; was the topic of discussion.
Dr.Mohan Agarwal opened the session, introducing the objective behind M.E.N. and the agenda for the evening. He highlighted the importance of consumer behaviour and how IMT as a brand has been able to add value to the Gulf environment. He underlined the differentiating factor of this marketing summit, referring to the presentation prepared by IMT Marketing students on Du, which was commendable.
Presentation was followed by the discourse of Mr. Piyush Mathur, head of AC Nielson Group, one of the biggest giants in Market Research in the region. The esteemed guest spoke about the insights that consumers can provide the marketers and emphasised on the idea that there are opportunities even in these times. Inspirational and thought-provoking words, to say the very least.
The next key note speaker, Mr. Deepak Chandran, Vice President and Head - Cards Portfolio Management, Emirates NBD. He presented an insightful case of marketing for a financial product, a skywards credit card. He talked about how the team was able to design a product to target a niche market, which proved to be acumen in regards with the deft usage of market research for product development, promotion and sales.
The session was concluded with the final speaker, Mr. Vikram Krishna, Head of Retail Loans, Emirates NBD. He asserted the consumer behaviour in the region citing examples from the captivating campaign designed to make people “Borrow Wisely”. The novelty of the concept was highly intriguing and gave insights into the adaptation of organisational perception according to the consumer behaviour.
Overall, the session was extremely engaging and inspirational. The scale and precision of the event was impressive to the students and to the guessed, who voiced their admiration on several occasion. On the whole, this was yet another milepost to the credit of IMT Dubai and team M.E.N.


Team METH...!!

Image vs. Reality: Incense of Perception in the Service Industry

IMT-D, 18th Oct., 2009- The students of IMT-Dubai have always shown immense enthusiasm in being addressed by corporate minds. And on 18th October 2009, it was no different when IMT's halls were honoured to have Mr. David Carrey, the Director of Facilities Management and his esteemed colleague, Mr. Rohit Dalmia, the Business Development Manager of Facilities Management of the Oasis Investment company LLC. of Al Shirawi Group of Companies. Facilities Management focuses on providing specialized building services for their clients.

The session began with a brief introduction from Mr. Dalmia, who highlighted key aspects of his organisation giving the students an ideal and accurate picture of the real world scenario, human perception and strategies of Al Shirawi.

Mr Carrey, a veteran of the Royal Navy , having years of experience in the service and hospitality industry, then took the stage leaving an enthralled audience hanging to his every word. He questioned everyone's reality and perception. He then related it to the his current area of expertise, the service industry. He emphasized the need for adding value to a service or a product and selling it to a potential employee as well as a client. The need to invent, re-invent is necessary, he said, to increase profitability and give clients what they want. He repeatedly said it was of utmost importance to respect one's employees no matter their rank, treat them with the highest regard, motivate them, for they form the foundation of an organization.

His presentation also consisted of a series of questions of varying subjects yet related to each other, involving all students to think, jot down answers and participate.

The students of IMT have benefited from this immensely. Mr. Carrey has been able to provide an opportunity for them to see the world a bit differently and make a huge difference.

Team METH…!!

Diwali Mela...!!

IMT-D, 16th Oct, 2009- For people living outside their country, small events connecting them with their homeland can touch hearts. Day-to-day life away from home is hard enough, but when it comes to being away from home on festivals, homesickness reaches new levels altogether.
At IMT Dubai, there is a clear understanding of these sentiments, and every effort is made to make the students feel as much at home as possible. The Diwali Event organised by the ECAC and the Sports Committee was one such attempt that reminded IMT students that they are a part of a large family, the IMT family!
Preparations started with gusto in the early afternoon of 16th October, as people started setting up their stalls for the Diwali Mela. Some innovative ideas, some investment and lots of profit! People set up different kinds of stalls, to attract people and get a chance to early revenue.
Soon enough, people starting filing into the courtyard to have fun at the stalls. From simple card and luck games, to refreshments, from Diwali sweets to interesting games, from a professional Mehendi-wali to Basketball, there was a medley of attractions, which generated a lot of interest among students!
At 7 pm, the IMT students were requested to join the ECAC members and the faculty into the recreation room, for Lakshmi Pooja and Aarti. Once inside, it felt no less than being in a mandir. With the murti of Goddess Lakshmi residing in the room, the feel was spiritual and pure. Everyone assembled at the front of the room, where Dr.Abhilasha lit the Diwali diya. The room then reverberated with the tune of Jai Laxmi Ramana, with everyone singing along the aarti. After the pooja, the thaali was circulated around the room, and bhog halwa distributed. It truly felt like being in a mandir with family! The togetherness and purety of the festival bounced of the walls and people’s faces radiated with smiles. Everyone wished each other a happy diwali, hugged friends and shook hands. Special Moments…
Following the successful stalls came an equally engaging Cultural Event, where IMT students got a chance to present their talents in front of everyone. The hosts of the event, Pranay Sachdev and Neha Mathur, kept the event pepped up and conversationalist.
There were many fantastic performances by the students, but the ones that really stood out were the Solo Dance by Dimpy Kachhia and the Dance by Rohan Popli and Group. Both really took one’s breath away! Apart from these performances, the finale of the evening, The Indo-Western Fashion Show, choreographed by Apeksha Mehta and Gloria D’Souza, made everyone sit up and applaud in amazement! The first ever fashion show of IMT was a huge success!
After the Cultural Event, the stalls were opened again for people to enjoy. The night ended with shouts of joy and laughter echoing through the campus. The spirit of the Diwali burnt long and strong, and IMT celebrated its 2nd Diwali.
A Home away from Home!!


Team METH...!!

Marketing on Fire...!!

IMT-D, 14th Oct, 2009- IMT’s brand’s growth is inevitable by the standard of events and corporate recognition that the college gets each year. With the attempt of bringing in real world corporates into our campus, and having them share some of their precious knowledge and experiences with us, IMT organised Marketing Excellence Network. The event was organised under the leadership of Dr. Mohan Agarwal, whose guidance and ideas made the event a success.
The event took a lot of meticulous planning and organisation, and students of the IMT played a major part in it. A committee of sorts was formed, and work was assigned in a very detailed manner to all the volunteers. Corporates were contacted and invites and notices sent out, presentations made, neighbouring colleges were informed, grand scale promotions done, and much more. All in a matter of a week. So credit goes to all the people behind this event. IMT students enthusiastically arrived to the event and the room looked impressive and well set-up.
The event rolled, with the speakers arriving. The main speakers were Mr. Nidal Abou Zaki, Managing Director, Orient Planet PR and Marketing, Mr Brajesh Bajpayi, Head MENA Region – Marico Industries, U.A.E and Mr Ricky Husaini, Chief Investment Officer, DARE, U.A.E.
Each speaker talked about their field of expertise, their experience in the company they work for, and a roomful of students clung on to each word spoken. Each one of them spoke out of true experience, gave real-time examples, spoke about theory and supported with very interesting practises. For students of Management, their talks were enlightening and appealing. The expertise that was discussed was priceless and the advise given sound. A phrase that stood out in the entire seminar was, “ fail early, fail cheap”, an advice given by Mr. Bajpaye. Simple words that teach so much. Another advice that really haunted the listeners was given by Mr.Ricky Husaini, who very intensely asked the room, “when was the last time you spent half a day with yourself, for yourself?” That simple question got everyone introspecting. His advice that followed was that, each one of us should spend at least half a day with ourselves, thinking about ourselves, to be really able to decide what we want in life, where we want to be in our lives, how we want to proceed, what we want to do. Wise words, special moment.
The Seminar came to a close with an interesting question answer session. Students took initiative in asking field-related questions to the speakers, who very willingly obliged and answered each question clearly. On behalf of all the students, a big thank you is in order for these people, who spared their time and expertise with so much grace and showed so much enthusiasm for the event. Without their presence, this event would have been totally incomplete!
People at IMT-D are looking forward to keeping up this tradition of MEN and plan to follow through with it every year.


Team METH...!!

Guest Lecture- Marketing Research...!!

IMT-D, 14th Oct., 2009- It was a pleasure to sit in Hall 6-7 and listen to what our guest speaker, Mr. Aditya Gokhale (Director, Business Intelligence & M.R., DU) had to say. He connected with the audience almost instantaneously. His examples on Marketing research were as candid as they could be. There was not a single point in time during the guest lecture when he did not make everyone smile or laugh, because he had them all in splits. Hailing from Mumbai, his attitude towards the audience was very straightforward and casual. Using lingos that are popular among today’s youngsters, he grabbed the attention from the very first minute of his lecture.
He did not speak much about DU, although most of the students expected him to enumerate instances when DU used Marketing research extensively. He, however, spoke on Marketing research as a subject topic-but deviated quite often to speak of personal experiences in the field of Marketing research, not necessarily those from his experiences at DU. He spoke of the various syndromes that marketers have, and how all future marketing aspirants should steer clear from them. He also stressed on improving the Return on investment in the field of Marketing Research. In one his main points he stated that Marketing research should be objective, and must not even include anything that is indirectly relevant to the research study. His points on Marketing research were unmistakable and there were no doubts in anyone’s minds regarding the subject topic.
All in all, it was quite an interactive and interesting session. IMT hopes to have him again in the future for more insight into the world of marketing research.


Team METH...!!

FOB Final Event- Mens Cricket...!!

IMT-D, 13th Oct., 2009- After a week of sports, fun, cheering and high spirits, we finally came to an exhilarating end of The “Fresh of the Boat” Sports Week. The final cricket match between the Juniors and the Seniors went on to a riveting finale, with hearts almost jumping out of their bodies and the pulse racing to an overwhelming pace.
Even before the match started, people starting filing in, standing on the sidelines and observing the teams warm up and practice. There was a general excitement in the air, this being the final event of the weeklong program. The boundaries were made, the usual preparations for the speakers and mikes done, and finally, the big golden trophy was brought out, to be handed over to the winners of the tournament. The Sports Committee was as vibrant and organised as ever, taking care of every little detail to make the event go smoothly. Once again, a huge pat on their back, and a big feather in their cap!
The match started at around 4 pm, on a fairly cool afternoon (by Dubai standards). The Junior team, in their clean whites and the Senior team with their mean black t-shirts lined up in the parking lot/cricket field. The teams were led by Anuj Sharma (seniors) and Rahul Singh (juniors). Rahul won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Although all players were highly lauded for their skill and determination during the game, there were some players and some moments, which stood out. From the Senior side, a player worth mentioning is Deepak Nagar, who put the other side into some serious trouble with his powerful shots and skilful batting. Similarly, from the Junior side, Puneet Soni and Rizwan Akhtar added a lot of zeal and enthusiasm to the game. On the bowling side, Saurabh Aggarwal from the seniors and Arjun Rajeskaran from the Junior side performed exceptionally well.
After a nerve wracking game and a nail-biting, explosive ending, the scores were: Seniors 75, Juniors 73/9. The match went on to the last ball, with 4 runs needed out of 1 ball. The intensity could be seen on the faces of everyone standing on the sidelines, waiting for that last ball to determine what team would win. Finally, the ball was played and the Seniors walked away with the victory. An excited throb of people ran on to the field, the taste of achievement and glee visible on their faces.

The teams were once again lined up near the dais. Dr. Abhilasha and Dr. Seth spoke some encouraging and inspirational words, encouraging the students to take part in more activities like this and play an active role in events at IMT. They congratulated the Sports Committee and the ECAC for their efforts and success of the FOB tournament, and lauded all the teams and players who participated in the events.
Thus…with the shiny golden trophy presented to The Seniors, the FOB came to a close, only till next year, with new teams, new excitement and whole new energy and a will to be better!


Team METH...!!

The Right Sales Pitch!!

Guest Lecture -Retail Management

IMT-D, 11th Oct., 2009- IMT Dubai was graced with the esteemed presence of Mrs. Nidhi Bansal. She currently holds the position of Key Retail Manager at Comtel, the Business Representative of Sony Ericsson in the Middle- East.

She addressed students, yesterday, about the vastly intriguing field of Retail Management, engrossing them into a highly interactive discussion on retailing and making the right strategic decisions.

She emphasized the importance of the Customer and adding value to the services and products they require in order to retain them. She incorporated real examples of both extraordinary corporate successes and colossal failures to highlight the importance of making the right decisions at the right time. This will ensure survival and sustainability to the company, thereby ensuring distributors that a retail chain has the capacity to cater their mutual needs.

The key to becoming the top retailer, she said, is to ensure the customers receive maximum value for the goods and services they buy through innovation and competition. Once a company achieve the distinction of a top brand in the eyes of the customer, it is easy for the company to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship with the customers.

Last but not the least, the need for cost control was also pointed out by her, for which she said: “One Dirham earned is One Dirham saved". Cost control ensures quality goods for a reduced price which is attractive to consumers, thereby increasing profitability of the retailer.

The talk was an interactive display of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm which will definitely benefit all the students by giving them a heads-up on retail management and the workings of a corporate body.


Team METH...!!

FOB-Day 4...!!

Cricket Match: Faculty vs Students

IMT-D, 11th Oct., 2009- The highly anticipated cricket match played between the faculty and students was held today at the IMT ground. It kick started with the faculty team winning the toss and opting to bat. The opening batsman of the team, Mr.Gyan, made a mark on the team's innings with a series of impressive sixes and fours. His commendable 39 runs made him the highest team scorer as well. After a tough ride, the students’ team restricted the faculty’s innings to 101 runs for 5 wickets. The overall vibe emanated by our very own audience was positive and brimming with enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the students’ team took up the challenge with gusto, the highest scoring batsman being Rohan who scored an appreciable 33 runs. Eventually, their innings was settled to 78 runs for 4 wickets but, not so without a fight! Kudos to the faculty team for an eventful evening!


Team METH...!!

FOB-Day 3...!!

IMT-D, 10th Oct, 2009- On the Day 3 of FOB, the cricket field started to get really crowded with the spectators. The first match began by 4pm. IMT witnessed its 3rd cricket match, which was between the teams lead by Anuj Sharma and Anuj Parwal. It was kind of a one sided contest; ANUJ PARWAL's team won the toss & chose to bat first and posted a target of 65 runs in front of their opponents. The rival team easily achieved it in less than five overs, led by brilliant batting of Mr. Deepak Nagar who played an unbeatable knock with some huge shots to the fence. Spectators were heard talking about his performance after the match.

The most awaited event of the whole FOB happened yesterday. Yes, no prizes for guessing, here we are talking about FRENCH Cricket for Girls. The match was between the teams of 2009 fall and 2008 batches. IMT witnessed a captivating match with a flurry of sixes from both sides. 2009 batch team chose to bat first and performed incredibly by posting a modest target of 65 runs on the score board for their senior counterpart, but a phenomenal batting display by Ms. NIKUNJ from the 2008 batch's team was witnessed by the audience, who slammed 4 sixes in an over; a record in IMT History OF Cricket in both men and women cricket. The 2008 batch team easily achieved the set target and won the first ever French cricket in IMT.

Now everyone is waiting anxiously for the final match, scheduled tomorrow: dated 11.10.09, time-4:00pm; which will decide the winner of the mens cricket of 2009.

Media and PR Committee wishes luck to both the teams. May the best team win.


Team METH...!!

LAN PARTY (Inter College Counter-Strike Tournament).

IMT-Dubai, 9th -10th Oct, 2009- IMT saw the first of its kind, two days inter-college gaming competition. Hall No.6 in the Academic Block buzzed with activity, when teams from various colleges around IMT took active part in Counter-strike. Students flocked into IMT from Manipal, Mahatma Gandhi University, SP Jain and BITS; everyone eager to participate in the unique event!
The Counter-strike event was a joint venture of Sports Committee and ECAC, strongly supported by IT Committee, and of course, carefully covered by the Media Committee. The promotions for the event were on a fairly large scale, and they surely succeeded in generating the crowd and the reaction that such an event required. The work that must have gone through to make the event look so professional is remarkable!
The competitions ran in flow, with people taking relatively little time to setup their equipment before the matches. The games generated a lot of interest, specially the ones with results like 16-0, and there were many of those! Students came up with pretty creative names for their teams; namely K155, IMT Clan, which added to the amusement of the event.

Day One

Eight matches were held on the first day, with each team comprising of 5 members. The excitement levels reached the ceiling and players got involved in their respective games.
The game itself involves terrorists and counter terrorists whose mission is to get by each other without losing their lives. The graphics of the game are downright fascinating, and even the untrained eye finds them impressive. The game is all about strategy and teamwork, which most teams understood very well, and followed diligently. So, not only was it a fun experience, as an MBA school, this simple gaming activity taught the basic lessons of organization, teamwork, appropriate strategy, plan of action and implementing a strategic plan.
Time elapsed, and teams got eliminated but the energy levels of the gamers just kept escalating.

Score Board (the teams mentioned in the bracket won):
Round 1

Match 1: Hell Guardian v/s KW (KW)
Match 2: Lucid Night v/s Carpe Noctum (Carpe Noctum)
Match 3: IMT Clan v/s Mariners (IMT Clan)
Match 4: Come to Papa v/s [S3X] (S3X)
Match 5: Dynamos v/s K155 (K155)
Match 6: P.B* v/s Amigo (P.B.)
Match 7: KW v/s Rascalas (KW)
Match8: K155 v/s S3X (K155)

P.B.*=Paustic Bhojan


Day Two

Day 2 began with a lot of enthusiasm amongst the teams and the spectators. As most of the students went for an early brunch so as not to miss even the slightest of the match. The first semi-final began at 2pm between K155 & CN. , Which was a success for the CN team and was followed by a match between PB & IMT Clan where the IMT Clan made us proud. Despite being a new team IMT Clan performed really well & gave a tough time to all its competitors. The announcement of results for the semi-finals was no less than a nerve racking situation for all the four teams. The semi-finals were followed by the grand finale (the final Match) which began in full throttle at 4pm. The whole campus was so excited that everyone was rushing to cheer their hommies (IMT Clan) which showed up on the seating space in the room the whole place got packed with students cheering & screaming for their team & pushing them to perform better. The teams had decided that who so ever performs best in the three maps & scores well wins the title. K155 (BITS’ team) had been the best performing team so far and had beaten almost everyone by 16-0 and IMT Clan was the only team to stand against them and score 16-13 in their first match. This was a really tight game; all the spectators had crossed their fingers and were excited about the whole match. The fight was neck to neck, and it was very difficult to say which team will walk out of the arena as a winning, finally K155 won after taking a really tough fight from IMT Clan.

Score Board (Teams mentioned in the bracket won)
Semis

Match 1: K155 v/s CN (K155)
Match 2: PB v/s IMT Clan (IMT Clan)

Finals : IMT Clan v/s K155 (K155)


The ECAC, Sports and IT Committee Members were constantly present, to organize and help with the matches. Even at the end of the event, they remained focused and worked conjointly which lead to a spectacular show. So, a hearty applause goes to them for pulling off this grand event for IMT!
The Media Committee would also like to extend gratitude towards all the students from participating colleges who made the event stupendous!

Team METH...!!

FOB...Day 2!

Cricket Tournament


IMT-Dubai, Oct. 9, 2009- Fresh off the Boat, the four day sports event (8th -11th October) organised at the IMT campus by Sports Committee commenced its second day of activities with India's favourite pastime: CRICKET!!

At 6:00 am, players, enthusiasts and supporters all gathered to watch match one (Juniors Vs Juniors) on the agenda while matches two and three (seniors Vs Seniors) were played in the afternoon after the Inter-College Counter Strike Tournament.
All the three matches were played to shortlist finalists for the final match of the tournament (juniors v/s seniors), scheduled to be played on 11th October’09: final day of the event.

The matches were played with great vigour and to loud cheers. However, the winning teams were sailing ahead by miles.

The winning Juniors' team lead by Rahul Singh of the September ’09 batch scored 99 runs while the Seniors' team lead by Rohan Popli scored 91 runs. All this is promising to lead to one extraordinary Finals' match which might become the crown jewel of the Fresh off the Boat Sports Tournament.

Good Luck to All the Boys!!


Team METH...!!

Fresh Off the Boat...Day 1!!

Soccer


IMT-D, 8th Oct., 2009- The “Freshers” witnessed IMT Dubai’s first organised sporting event. A football match was held, between the Seniors and the Juniors, at the grounds of the campus, first of the many events planned for Sports Week at IMT. Music blared, energy vibrated throughout the campus and the plush green grass invited the players to perform their very best. The event was much Much more than just a soccer game, it was a foundation for the next two years of bonding and team spirit.

Students at IMT started pouring into the courtyard/lawn, when music began reverberating through the campus at around 4 pm. The energy was almost tangible, running through people’s blood and smiles. Prior to that, the members of the Sports Committee, who were in charge of organising this event, worked the entire afternoon to make the necessary preparations for the match. Observers noticed their enthusiasm, organisation and heed for detail. Everything down to the last bottle of water was taken care of. Tables and chairs were set up, speakers were put all around the field to give a great sound effect and a huge gold trophy resurfaced to be presented to the winning team. So, a big kudos and applaud is in order for the Sports Committee for their impeccable work!

The event started right on time with the opening speech by Dr. Mohan Agarwal, who in his usual style emphasized on the implications of these sporting events in a business school. His words were encouraging as always. Then, the two teams lined up in the center of the field and through the speakers came seeping out the Indian National Anthem. That moment, of togetherness, of passion, of an inexplicable racing of the heartbeat, of goose bumps, was magical to say the very least. Those 2 minutes of pure serenity would be ingrained in the memory of every person present at that moment for many years to come.

Then the game commenced and the racing heartbeats broke records as the adrenaline levels rose to their peaks, not only for the players, but also the crowd, which gathered to cheer for the players. Both 2008 and 2009 batches cheered their respective teams, and the atmosphere was no different from attending a Manchester United match in the stadium! While the players sped across the field, playing like pros, people stood on the sidelines and cheered the players on. The energy of all the players is commendable. Their spirit and determination was truly impressive and people took pleasure in cheering both the teams on!

The 2008 batch walked away with the cup, at the end of the game, but after a game this exhilarating it mattered more how it was played, than who won. Having said that, a hearty congratulations and pat on the back goes to the all the 2008 batch team members! A special mention must be given to their spirit and attitude towards the 2009 fall batch during and after the game. The match ended on a friendly note, and the spirit of the sport was kept alive!

The first sporting event of the academic year 2009-2010, was undoubtedly a huge success! IMT students are now extremely charged up and waiting with bated breath for the upcoming events of Sports Week!


Team METH...!!

Public Speaking Competition

IMT-D, 7th Oct., 2009- IMT’s Corporate Community organised a simulation public speaking event, with the topic of “Peak Oil Era”, discussing whether the worldwide oil reserves are coming to an end. The idea of the event was to make people speak at official business events and conferences, promote public speaking and to prepare the students for participating in business events and conferences. There were some hiccups in the organisation, but the idea and intention were noble.
Around 4 pm, when the speakers and judges arrived, the event started rolling. There was a brief introduction given by a member of the Corporate Committee, and the speakers were called on the floor. The speakers were Aditya Kumar, Gaurav Tyagi, Amandeep Singh Kohli and Subhanshu Garg, all from the 2008 batch. Their preparation and presentation was high in standard and flow. The research and data collected was extensive and the facts presented intriguing. Every one of them presented their opinion with clarity and was confident in the way he conducted the speeches. Overall performance of the speakers was impressive, to say the very least. Their presentations are available with the Media Committee.
The topic chosen, The Peak Oil Era, was interesting and relevant in terms of content. People chose to argue different sides of the oil debate. Interesting facts came up, like the one that it’ll be another 140 years before the world runs out of Oil reserves. A contradicting fact, USA Today reported that we only have 14 years of reserves. Interesting insight into Oil as an energy source. The speakers presented clear sited facts and figures regarding the oil reserves in different countries, discussed consumer behaviour in the industry, discussed the reasons and speculations behind the threat of diminishing oil reserves and briefly provided conclusions about various factors affecting these results.
Overall, the small event served the purpose of giving the speakers a chance to practise speaking on such business related and current issues, experience a business competition scenario and get the opportunity to work on an important business issue. IMT and the Corporate Committee are planning to host many more such events in the near future, and we hope for them to be successes.

Team METH...!!

CONSUMER COMPLICITY-COUNTERFEIT GOODS

IMT, Dubai-October 6, 2009- Guest Lecture aimed at discussing consumer complicity with counterfeit goods and the main categories of counterfeiting.
Dr. Peggy Chaudhary, assistant professor-Department of Management and Operations, at Villanova University outlined the approach of the research that was done to find valid data in both the categories, using which a model for complicity was made. Her contention was that the complicity model, which consists of personal and environmental factors, offers a much clearer direction against counterfeiting.
Traditional counterfeiting deals with virtual and physical goods like software, movies, books etc.; non-traditional on the other hand deals with consumer goods like pharmaceutical drugs, foods and beverages etc. She justified the necessity for a clear understanding of the model by mentioning that a large number of world’s population actively deals with counterfeit goods like watches, clothes, software, music etc.
Dr. Chaudhary emphasized on personal and environmental factors which help in giving a clear definition of complicity once they are determined by new age market research methods equipped with new ideas and techniques. She also highlighted the major ineffectual anti-counterfeiting campaigns over the years, for which hedonic shopping experiences, blog rebuttals, futile social and de-marketing actions were the prominent reasons.
She acknowledged models of Walt Disney for education of the consumer, Pfizer for evoking a sense of fear while using non-traditional counterfeit product, 3D holograms used for the empowerment of the consumer, and new innovative techniques such as E-Pedigree; as one of the most successful ideas and campaigns.
She concluded in the context of her book that despite improved technologies and effective campaigns counterfeiting can’t be abolished completely. Hence, a realistic picture of counterfeiting business would help in attaining a managerial perspective of the subject matter.


Team METH...!!

Frehsers Bash@Keva

Keva Lounge, Dubai-5th Oct., 2009- Keva Lounge put its regular lights out, switched its disco lights on, and was flooded with juniors and seniors of IMT Dubai, living up the party scene of the city. Thus started a night of pure fun, and frolic. The dance floor buzzed with movement, the sofas buzzed with conversations and the lawns outside buzzed…in the ears of the people who came out from the extremely loud music.
The 2008 batch took the initiative in organising an “unofficial” Freshers’ Bash, and took care of just about everything that makes a party come to life. The batch of 2009 fall was waiting eagerly for this first real night-out as a big group in Dubai city, and 2008 batch made that possible. The efforts that went into organising the event will only be appreciated and lauded. The ECAC committee played a major role in gathering people, finding the right place (bullseye!) and negotiating a good deal with the club (phew!).
Keva Lounge is a relaxed hangout spot for the first part of the evening, with plush redness bathing it with the air of class and sophistication. The bar sprawls across half the place, and prompt and efficient bartenders fix some wonderful cocktails and pour some neat drinks. As the night progresses, the place converts into a disco club, with the dance floor in the middle of the place livened up with danceable Desi beats, the DJ making a real party out of our night out. At regular intervals the dance floor was consumed with white smoke, which made the experience of dancing in the darkness even more mystical. Overall, a good choice for a place to have the party!
Upon speaking with the batch of 2009, it is evident that they enjoyed the frolicking bash completely and totally! The dancing, the drinks and the people! The fact that the place was filled with only people from our college was indeed a good thing. There were familiar faces and a comfort level, which is often hard to get in clubs. So, the familiarity of the situation made it seem like having a club night at a friend’s house!
So, IMT’s students partied the night away, had some entertaining conversations and mainly cut the final ice that existed somewhere between the juniors and the seniors. Now that the beginning has been so exhilarating, we are now looking forward to the next two years of the same! This party has revived the dimming energy and set the path for more enthusiasm for the future!

Team METH...!!

Fresher's Beat...!!

IMT-D, 2^nd Oct, 2009- Proud Indian hearts beat in unison to rhythm of glory, freedom and sacrifice on the auspicious day of 2nd October. But the IMTians had it better.

Not only did they get to honour the country, Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shashtri, but they revelled in the light of the first official fresher's party. September '09 batch became the first batch in the history of IMT to be welcomed into her grounds with such an extraordinary enthusiasm.

The senior batches worked hard at organizing and activating participation from all students alike. Despite slight technical difficulties, they succeeded in pulling off a night to be etched into memories for good. Enthusiastic participation from the student community resulted in wide, wild, imaginative and creative participation of various solo and group talents. There was music (special thanks to DJ Ron for his amazing and fresh tracks), dance, culture, laughter and appreciation in the air. Encore performance were requested by many an eager crowd.

The night was graced with the presence of various faculty members including the Dean, Dr. Arvind Seth, who inspired the students with his encouraging words and Dr. Abhilasha Singh, under whose guidance such an amazing feat was brought to victory. They along with other faculty members formed the panel that judged the participants of Mr. and Ms. Fresher. Shivang Kapoor and Apeksha Mehta were rightly awarded the titles for their outstanding performance while Gloria D'souza and Pranay Sachdev received distinction for their attention - grabbing talent in the form of the Best Female and Best Male Performer respectively.

The atmosphere was charged with interminable drive, fuelled on by Dr. Agarwal's singing talent stimulating everyone else to dance and sing as the event closed with Dr. Abhilasha's vote of thanks.

All in all, IMTians create sagas worth of chronicles to inspire current and future IMTians and to be role models to everyone else.

All the seniors, juniors and the faculty who sacrificed their valuable time and energy to make this night an immense success for everyone; are worth an accolade, who were unified in their opinion of great organization, participation and delectable food.

Team METH…!!