World at an Inflexion Point, next 30 years will be very different from past; India must be Resilient & Atmanirbhar Zoho Founder Dr. Sridhar Vembu at IIM Trichy Convocation

COVID 19 has reshaped the social and business landscape, and sown seeds of a new revolution. The world is at an inflexion point from where innovation and new ideas will thrive. That’s the message coming from Padma Shri awardee and noted entrepreneur Dr. Sridhar Vembu, the Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation while delivering the Convocation Address at IIM Tiruchirappalli.

“We are at an inflexion point. Next 30 years will be very different from the past. World at an Inflexion Point, next 30 years will be very different from past; India must be Resilient & Atmanirbhar. B-schools and MBAs must make the best use of the new opportunities emerging,” Dr. Sridhar Vembu said.

IIM Tiruchirappalli held its 8^th  and 9^th Annual Convocation of students of the Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGPM), Post Graduate Programme in Business Management (PGPBM) and the Doctoral Programme in Management (DPM) at IIM Tiruchirappalli on May 29,2021 virtually. On the occasion, IIM Trichy Chairman Shri Jalaj Dani delivered the inaugural address while Director Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh presented the report for the 2 academic years.

Much admired for his courage and conviction, Dr Sridhar Vembu moved to a small village in Tamil Nadu in November 2019, much before the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world. It is from this obscure village that he spearheaded the efforts by Zoho, which competes with global giants like Microsoft.

Dr Sridhar Vembu’s Key Message at IIM Trichy Convocation
MBAUniverse.com presents five key highlights from Dr Vembu’s talk.

1. Extraordinary Times:COVID 19 has created an unprecedented crisis and we are living in extraordinary times, Dr Vembu said. But, all is not lost. Such times of change produce new ideas and innovations, he said.

2. Resilience is keyNational Issue: Highlighting the national emergency like situation in the country due to the COVID Second Wave, Dr Vembu said, “India faced a big crisis due to shortage of Oxygen and essential medical supplies, which had to be imported. Clearly, this is not a good situation for a vast country like India. India must be resilient and be ‘Atmanirbhar’ and avoid national security issues in future.”

3. IIMs not focussed on Local, Regional Issues: Dr Vembu was critical of the priorities set by IIMs and other top institutions. “IIMs and Top Universities are not focussed on Local and Regional Issues. While they may be situated in small towns, they effectively suck all the top local talent and send it to large cities and even outside the country. Local ecosystem doesn’t benefit from their presence. This is a sad state and must change.”

4: Globalization should be questioned: Making a case for developing all critical sectors and industries of Indian economy, Dr Vembu said, “The theory of Globalization must be questioned in India. Even US is doing it. How can we be dependent on outside countries for critical supplies and parts? What happens if the global supply chain is broken? India is vulnerable to these shocks.”

5. MBAs must seize new opportunities: Ending his short but powerful address on a positive note, Dr Vembu said, “We are at an inflexion point. Next 30 years will be very different from the past. Many innovations and big ideas will emerge. B-schools and MBAs must make the best use of the new opportunities emerging from the thrust to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and contribute their expertise to nation building.”

Dr Sridhar Vembu moved to Mathalamparai, a village near Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu in November 2019, much before the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world. The motive was to encourage more people and facilities to shift to villages as Indian cities started to face major challenges. The pandemic vindicated Dr Vembu. What began as just one rural centre in Tenkasi,  Zoho Corporation now has 15 such centres in India's hinterland with at least 15 to 20 people working in each of them.

At the IIM Trichy Convocation, Director Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh presented the report where he highlighted the launch of the EDPM programme, the launch of the PGPM-HR programme, the various achievements of students in the field of sports, corporate and B-School competitions. Dr. Singh also spoke about the placements in the academic year 2020-21 where recurring recruiters like McKinsey, JP Morgan Chase, Shell, L&T, visited the campus, as well as new recruiters such as Bain and Co., BNY Mellon, and Apollo tyres. He concluded by advising the students to choose their actions properly, respond spontaneously and listen to their hearts.

Chairman Shri Jalaj Dani lauded the students for their resilience during these challenging times. He appreciated the students’ efforts and promised them that every learning will be worth it. He asked them to strive to be catalysts for positive change, be energetic and initiate change as the movers and shakers of the new era.

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