Guest Lecture At IMT, Nagpur

IMT, Nagpur 

Raja told me even before he came to Hyderabad that I was to do a guest lecture on 'Branding Yourself' to the second year students on the 26th. So On the 26th we drove down to the IMT campus outside Nagpur, its a good 25 kms away, along with Shobha and Anjali. Built over a 27 acre area the IMT campus is well designed and provides everything that the students need - large grounds, hostels, library, canteen etc.

I looked around the campus for a while before my lecture which was scheduled at 12 pm. Dr. Kamble, an IIM, B, alumni, and the Professor in charge of Brand Management introduced me to the students in one of those tiered classrooms where th students loom over you. I could never get the hang of these rooms ever. What purpose do they serve save intimidate the poor speaker?

Anyway I had a fun 90 minute session and I hope the students got a few things as well. I told them that they could all brand themselves into champion brands and mediocre brands. If they wanted to be champion brands they must understand that most champion brands they see exhibit qualities of - longevity, excellence, product superiority, achievement, constant improvisation, high quality performance, honesty and definitely show one great unique strength they have. To be a champion brand they needed to build these qualities as well and a good place to start was by applying the 4 Ps to themselves and answering some hard questions about themselves. I did prod and provoke them a bit by asking some uncomfortable questions about themselves but I think its better I ask now than them realising later.

A couple of them came and shared what they got from the class at the end of it, at my insistence and from their sharing it appeared that some stuff did get transferred. I gifted their library both my novels, received a fine memento from the IMT, ate a lovely lunch, looked around at the lake behind the campus and returned home.

A fine experience overall and maybe, if I get a chance, I will go again and spend more time there.