According to information shared by IIM-B with MBAUniverse.com, the inaugural programme will commence from April 1, 2009. It is aimed at mid-career executives, and is similar to the programmes offered by IIM-A (PGPX), IIM-C (PGPEX) and IIM-L (IMPX).

The conference will have themes on Strategic Management, Marketing, Finance, Human Resource and Information Technology.

This 24 weeks General Management Programme is the fourth in a series of such programmes being organized for Defence officers, and the first at NOIDA campus. The programme is open to both short service commission officers and others.

The programme was inaugurated on July 21, at the NOIDA campus by the Major General, SG Chatterji, VSM, Director General, Resettlement. A total of 59 Defence Officers from all three branches of the Armed forces have been selected for the programme. Out of the 59 Officers, 7 candidates are Lady Officers.

The move marks a trend of senior academicians from leading institutes like Harvard and Kellogg joining the board of Indian companies.

Dr.Tarun Khanna is the Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at the Harvard Business School, where he has been a member of the Strategy group since 1993. He holds a BS degree from Princeton University and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr.Khanna heads the Strategy course in the Harvard MBA program and the Strategy, Leadership & Governance Executive Education program.

The theme for the event isWomen as Trailblazers: Dreaming, Exploring & Discovering New Horizons. The chief guest on the occasion will be MsAnu Agha of Thermax.

Says Great Lakes, SWIM aims to empower women with the required traits to assume leadership roles in both the corporate and social spheres. It provides the platform to make women aware, to draw inspiration from role models and to transform their lives. It strives to empower them at an individual level, enabling them to enhance their contributions to society at large.

The meet was a resounding success and was attended by alumni from as far back as the 1970 batch, says IIFT. Nostalgia hung heavy in the air as alumni caught up with batch mates, some of whom they had not met in as long as a decade.

The One year Post-Graduate Programme for Executives (PGPEX) was introduced in December 2006 with the objective of developing experienced executives for leadership positions in global organizations. Traditionally the programme commenced in December, but now IIM-C is shifting it to April month. This is in line with IIM-As PGPX programme which also commences the new batch in April every year.

Mr Bagchi, along the course of the interaction read excerpts from his recently released book Go Kiss the World the foundations of which he said, were laid during his commencement speech to the batch of 2006 at IIM-B. He reminded the audience, that the India of today was one where you didnt have to know somebody to be somebody; rather it was one where you had to know something to be somebody. He also stressed on the fact that today it is the Indian professional who is defining what it is like to be an Indian.

Mr. Kishore Asthana, an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, has an illustrious background, having worked at the Tata Administrative Services. Apart from that, Mr. Asthana has held senior roles in the corporate world. At present, he leads Indus Options Consultancy which is engaged in export of Indian technology.

Prestigious global accreditation body AACSB International has launched BestBizSchools.com, a global online resource center for students seeking information on business schools at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level. BestBizSchools.com simplifies what is often a complex research process by navigating students through the influx of information available on business schools.