Dr. Shashi Tharoor awards students of Great Lakes at Convocation

[Great_Laker]

162 students graduate from Great Lakes Institute of Management’s PGPM class of ‘09

26 students awarded Executive MBA - PGXPM

39 students awarded medals for exemplary work under various categories


Chennai, April 28, 2009: Great Lakes Institute of Management held the fifth convocation of its PGPM class of ‘09 (referred to as Champions), third convocation of PGXPM ( Executive MBA) and welcomed the new batch for ‘10 (referred to as Patriots) at a glittering event in Chennai Convention Centre today. The class comprising of 162 & 38 students respectively graduated amidst jubilation and cheer. Present at the occasion were the Chief Guest, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Former Under Secretary General, United Nations; Dr. Bala V. Balachandran, Founder & Honarary Dean, Great Lakes, Dr. Arthur D Warga, Dean, Bauer College of Business, Houston, USA, and Mr. John T McNabb, Chairman, Dean’s Executive Board, Bauer College of Business, Houston, USA.

Speaking at the convocation ceremony of the Great Lakes Institute of Management here on Tuesday, Dr. Shashi Tharoor urged students to strive to make a difference in whatever career they chose. "I believe that as managers you have the responsibility to think about those who are not as fortunate as you are. I had the rare privilege as a young man of working with those who have lost everything the world's refugees. I derived a lot of satisfaction from being able to lend a hand to famailies who has lost everything, including hope. It is a privilege to help human beings. Whatever career you choose, make a difference," he said.

Emphasising on the need to make the information revolution more inclusive, Tharoor said that students had to be aware of the poverty line. "The key to the internet divide is the computer divide. While you in the audience can make use of it, those who do not use it must not be excluded," he added. Pointing out that life was a continuing task of self-education, he said there was always more to learn, even for ambitious managers of global companies.

Congratulating the students on successfully completing the Post Graduate Programme in Management, Dr. Bala V. Balachandran, Founder & Honorary Dean, Great Lakes, said, “We began Great Lakes with the singular focus on creating a management institute of excellence. Through your journey at Great Lakes, we hope we have sowed the seeds of excellence within you. I congratulate and wish you every one of you success in the Great lakes voyage that you have undertaken.”

Dr.Arthur Warga, Dean of Bauer College Houston said that Great Lakes was all set for a take off, a word that had come to be synonymous with Houston the place he hails from. He praised India and said that Great Lakes was going to make India proud. He talked about global warming and said that Houston was known for its energy management program and said that in future, there were plans to teach energy management programs in India at Great Lakes with Houston Faculty.

The mood at the convocation ceremony was one of enthusiasm and joy. Witnessing the historic moment in the audience, were the eminent Board members, faculty, parents, friends, and relatives of the students.

The convocation ceremony concluded with the formal welcoming of the PGPM class of 2010 (nicknamed as Patriots). The event was followed by the inauguration of Great Lake’s new green campus at Manamai Village, Mamallapuram in the evening.