Updated as on Mar 12th 2020: –XLRI- Xavier School of Management has decided to postpone its 64th annual convocation scheduled on March 21 in view of the coronavirus outbreak across the globe. The World Health Organization has characterized the outbreak of the new coronavirus as a pandemic.
More than 520 students were slated to receive their diplomas at the upcoming convocation.
Fr. P Christie S.J., Director, XLRI said “In the wake of Coronavirus outbreak in India and globally we have decided to postpone XLRI’s annual convocation for an unspecified time. In line with the advisories issued by the Health Ministry and the WHO we have urged our students to avoid travelling and avoid large gatherings to mitigate the spread of the COVID 19. The decision to defer the convocation ceremony has been taken to avoid putting our students, staff and their families at risk”
On this significant day, 526 XLRI students will receive their graduating certificates including – 182 & 180 students of Postgraduate Programmes in Management – BM and HRM; 104 students of 15-months PGDM (General Management) Programme; 11 students of Fellow Program in Management (FPM) and 49 students of 2017–2020 batch of PGDM-BM Programme (Evening).
Speaking about this momentous occasion Fr. P Christie S.J., Director, XLRI said, “Convocation is the most significant event in the academic journey for every student, faculty and staff as it is the culmination of all the efforts put in by an individual during their time at the XLRI campus.”
Mr. T. V. Narendran, Chairman, Board of Governors at XLRI & MD – Tata Steel India and South East Asia said, “For over six decades, XLRI has steadfastly held on to its mission of proffering world-class education across various management-centric programs. XLRI diligently strives to create a value-based and ethics-driven teaching and learning environment while underscoring the need for all-round development. This emphasis on inculcating important core- values is what sets XLRI apart from other B-schools in the country.”
This year XLRI would confer the prestigious ‘Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial and Social Peace’ to Mr. Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Ltd. He will also deliver the convocation address to the graduating students at the event.
Father Christie, Director, XLRI further added, “We are immensely happy to present this year’s ‘Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Social and Industrial Peace’ to Mr. Sanjiv Mehta in appreciation of his compassionate and ethical business leadership approach and multi-faceted industry responsibilities.”
Sanjiv Mehta is the Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). He has been leading Unilever’s business in India and the South Asia cluster since October 2013. He has been with Unilever for nearly 26 years and, for the last 17 years, he has led Unilever businesses in different parts of the world.
Sanjiv is a Chartered Accountant from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He has also completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal for Industrial and Social Peace, instituted by XLRI in 1966, in honour of the Late Sir Jehangir Ghandy, former Chairman of the Board of Governors- XLRI is awarded to Heroic Leaders who have contributed towards the growth of their respective organizations and also impacted the growth of our nation in a significant way. The medal was instituted by XLRI in gratitude for Sir Jehangir Ghandy’s yeoman contribution to XLRI and the society at large. One of the oldest medals instituted by a higher education institution, the medal is awarded during XLRI’s Annual Convocation Ceremony to recognize outstanding contributions in the field of industrial and social peace in the country. In the past years, the medal was conferred on eminent business leaders like Mr. N R Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus and Chief Mentor, Infosys Technologies Ltd. in 2012, Mr. Shiv Nadar, Founder & Chairman, HCL and Shiv Nadar Foundation in 2013, Ms. Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman, State Bank of India in 2014, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman & CEO, TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited) in 2015, Dr. Sunil Kant Munjal, Jt. Managing Director of Hero MotoCorp & Chairman, Hero Corporate Services Pvt. Ltd. in 2016, Mr. Adi Godrej, Chairman, The Godrej Group in 2017, Mr. TV Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Manipal Global Education and Aarin Capital & President of AIMA in 2018 and Ms. Anu Aga, Former Chairperson of Thermax Ltd in 2019. Submitted by Ratandeep
