Testimonials

On December 10, 2016, the Indo German Training Centre (IGTC) witnessed the most outstanding show of love, affection, warmth, unity, bonding and nostalgia; with a lot of credibility and respect. It was after all, the 25th Anniversary Celebration, Alumni Reunion and Homecoming; which students, alumni, partner companies and associates participated in, with full gusto. Taking IGTC’s success and standing to a new level, the event, held at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, ended up being an unforgettable experience for one and all.

Dignitaries, IGTC’s Corporate Training partners, faculty members and over 200 alumni took time off their busy schedules to be there for the event and reminisce about fond, old memories. One feeling which clearly took over all the alumni was nostalgia, but furthermore, they also made one more memory to cherish and remember with a smile, for the rest of their lives.

The event commenced with an inaugural panel addressing the audience and sharing their thoughts, experiences and journey with the IGTC.

Bernhard Steinrücke, Director General, IGCC spoke about IGTC’s contribution to skilling and IGCC’s commitment to help continue this march forward. “What started in 1991, with just seven member companies and 22 students in the first batch, today, provides a skilling system unique in India, that we can be proud of.  Over the years, we have trained more than 1,500 young Indians for more than 100 German and Indian companies, with the help of around 100 highly qualified faculties, 15 staff members in charge of the training centres, under the leadership of 23 Presidents, and two Director Generals. Of course, looking at the humungous number of unskilled people in India, and the dire need for skilled talent to make ‘Make in India’ a reality, the contribution by Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) and Indo-German Training Centre (IGTC) is only a drop in the ocean.  This drop in the ocean, certainly though, does not make us consider giving up. On the contrary, the achievements over the last 25 years, and especially those in the last five years, only motivate us to excel further. The success of our students and the companies proves that we are on the right track. It is a coincidence that speaks for itself; that IGTC started at the same time when liberalization of the Indian economy started. Looking at where India stood in 1991, compared to where it stands today, and where the Chamber with its training activities that started in 1991 sees itself today, there is no reason to be pessimistic. On the contrary, there is only reason to be not just optimistic, but even enthusiastic. With opportunities present all around the place, the IGCC, with its 60 years’ experience in India is committed to turn IGTC’s ‘shining silver’ of 25 years into ‘glowing gold’ in the next 25 years. IGTC, you don’t get older!”

C. S. Mathur, President, IGCC, congratulated IGTC and wished it well for the future. “IGTC, in the last 25 years, has successfully promoted the worldwide famous, German Dual Education System, in India. It has groomed and trained more than 1200 students based on the dual education system. The programme is based on specialized courses, practical training at its various partner companies, and innovative workshops amongst other aspects. This enables students to understand the industry in every facet of business, to learn practical aspects of governance, ethical issues; and to emerge as responsible corporate citizens. We all look forward to IGTC continuing its outstanding programmes and achieving excellence and many milestones in the years to come.”

It was then time for Dr. Juergen Morhard, Consul General, German Consulate, Mumbai, to highlight how incredibly IGTC was standing true to its vision. “An Indian heart and a German mind – that is the vision which inspired the IGTC’s foundation, 25 years ago. And that is the promise which the IGTC still makes, to each and every single one of its trainees today. In order to let international business relations and prosperity grow, we need to foster a new generation of excellently trained young people. Ones who are open-minded, who think independently, and who are prepared to take the challenges of an even faster changing business world to come. Due to the relentless dedication of the IGTC team, the centre has expanded now, to three locations in India. During the last 25 years, IGTC has cultivated over one thousand young minds, and equipped them with the skills and self-confidence, necessary to take on managerial challenges. May IGTC’s success story continue for the decades to come, and may the spirit of ‘An Indian heart and a German mind’ serve well for many more generations of students! After a quarter of a century, IGTC’s commitment to provide hands-on experience of top quality education, has not wavered but it has intensified.”

Prof. Volker C. Ihle, Head of Department – Business Administration and Engineering, Duale Hochschule Baden-Wuerttemberg, Karlsruhe, Germany and Founding Director of the IGTC shared his experience of nurturing IGTC, right from the start. “Out of all the phases of my life, my stay in India was the most interesting, challenging and colourful experience. Mumbai is not only the birthplace of our eldest daughter, but also a second home for me. One reason for this is, of course, the Indo-German Training Centre (IGTC). Within 25 years, it has grown from a small baby into a still young, but most successful lady, thereby becoming the Alma Mater of many brilliant graduates, who are now spread all over the world. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to become one of the ‘founding fathers’ of this institution, and I am also proud of it.”

Mickey Dayal, General Manager, Internal Audit, Siemens, Former Director, IGTC, Mumbai, 1991-1999, spoke about setting up the course at IGTC. “I was most excited at the prospect of setting up this training course, since I had undergone a similar training in Siemens, Germany, and had many years of corporate experience. I knew that it was very important to incorporate a training philosophy that would make the students ideally suited for the corporate world. It has been an honour and privilege to have been associated with the IGTC from its inception, and it is most heartening to see its continuing success today.”

Malini Pant, Alumni, Batch 1991-1993, Executive Director, Head – Global Business Resiliency, India & Philippines, JP Morgan Chase shared her mantra, “Don’t refuse new challenges, value different perspectives, deal and thrive with ambiguity, value friendships and relationships which last a lifetime.”
Everyone on the inaugural panel then wished IGTC a hearty congratulations and a long, successful journey ahead.
After the panel members addressed the audience, it was the time to unveil the celebratory issue of the Indo German Training Centre, the Festschrift.

Mr. Steinrücke also unveiled the IGTC coin minted to commemorate the 25th Anniversary Celebrations.

“As per Indian tradition, you distribute sweets. So it is my honour and privilege to feed you all German sweets, since we are Indo-German”, he said as he fed sweets to Ms. Radhieka Mehta, Director, IGTC.

After these proceedings, everyone in the audience was compelled to become students again, as the Ballroom of Taj Lands End transformed into a classroom. Capt. Raman, Former CEO, NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid) and President, Reliance Industries; was the professor for the day. He conducted a Masterclass on ‘Leadership in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) World’. It was an informative and very interesting lecture, as the army was used as an example, to explain the operations of the corporate world.

Just like intelligence is key for an army, in order to succeed, it is very important for organisations to possess domain knowledge, and IGTC lays great emphasis on this aspect. In the army, living together increases the speed of trust among individuals. Since organisations too are made up of people, it is important that the interface and interaction with others increases trust while working together. Such relationships create fluidity. When interactions with human beings are based on well-intended rules and intuition, they lead to bureaucratic empathy. And it is this empathy that enables rules or general guidelines to be applied flexibly, on a day-to-day basis, when required. Considering the VUCA world, lubrication and fluidity is just as important to an organisation, as it is to an army. Being exposed to the same trauma, leads to bonding among people. And while the types of trauma situations faced by an army versus an organisation are completely different, investing in trauma training is important for both.

After the Masterclass, everyone got together to relive their bond with the institution that had given all the alumni; a stepping stone to a fulfilling career, friendships that stayed, lessons during the long hours spent in the classroom, and old and new relationships which they still cherished. The IGTC anthem was premiered and all the students sang in unison, as the anthem was featured for the alumni. It was a moment of pride and each one felt the true spirit of being an IGTCian!

After celebrating being IGTCians, the audience was witness to an insightful Panel Discussion, ‘Learning: A Gift, A Skill and A Choice.’ The panel comprised of B. R. Suresh, Vice-President – HR, Bosch Limited; Rupesh Basu, Chief Manager – Human Resources, Siemens Limited; Dr. Raman Ramachandran, Chairman & Managing Director, BASF India Ltd. and Head, BASF, South Asia; Priya D’cruz, General Manager- Local HR Services, Bayer Group in India and Alumni, Batch 1993-1995; Surabhi Mittal, Vice President, HR & Administration, LANXESS India; Dr. Santosh Bhave, Senior Vice President HR, IR & Admin, Bharat Forge Ltd; Arun Roy, Chief Financial Officer, Bosch Power Tools – SKIL North America and Alumni, Batch 1992-1994.

The discussion began with an opening statement on the topic, ‘Learning: A gift, A skill and a choice.’ Ms. Priya spoke about how much focus is given by organisations, to ensure the appropriate learning and development plan for each employee; and how critical this ends up being for the achievement of organisational goals. Mr. Rupesh shared his thoughts about the skill sets required to be globally employable and talked about how they can be developed, whether through traditional academic methods or through different approaches/ pedagogy for building competencies.

B.R. Suresh addressed the role of mentorship in the learning process and explained how it was encouraged in their organisation.

Dr. Bhave shared his personal experience in the journey of learning, and suggested learning and development initiatives that could be introduced in order to change or bring something new to the organisation.
The panel also shared views and opinions on how IGTC plays a more dominant role in meeting India’s talent needs.

Post the panel discussion, another important ceremony took place, the felicitation of the IGTC faculty members. The people without whom IGTC would not be where it is today. All the current faculty members were given memento cards, with a short write-up about them.

It was really special because these cards were written out by the students themselves. All the faculty members were touched and felt honoured by this sweet gesture from their students.

As the morning event drew to a close, Ms. Radhieka Mehta, Director, IGTC, concluded with a Vote of Thanks to everyone who had played a role in making the event a huge success.
Soon it was time for lunch; but for the alumni, it was time to hit the photo booth and click pictures with their batchmates, friends, and faculty members, to capture as many happy moments as they could.
After lunch, the alumni took a stroll ‘down memory lane,’ by sharing their fun-filled memories and reminiscing about college life at IGTC. Each batch was given the opportunity to put up a performance on stage. Many alumni relived their IGTC days by mimicking their professors, singing, and narrating stories from their IGTC days. The event concluded with a prize distribution for the batch with the highest attendance.

Mr. Arun Roy, Alumni, Batch 1992-1994, composed a poem for IGTC; which he then handed over to Mr. Volker Ihle, Mr. Mickey Dayal, and Ms. Radhieka Mehta, as a memento.

In the evening, it was an open house at IGTC. All the alumni were invited back to IGTC, to see how the institute had changed over the last 25 years. Current students had made sure IGTC was all decked up with streamers and balloons as it welcomed its alumni and made them all nostalgic.

There was also a wish wall, for alumni to share their thoughts and wishes for their Alma Mater, for the years to come!

The day ended with a fantastic party at Flamboyante, Mumbai, for all the alumni. Everyone came dressed in their best, and made the most of the occasion by spending as much time as they could with their fellow alumni.

It was an event like no other and brought a lot of alumni back to IGTC. IGTC’s anniversary celebration carved a niche in the memories of all the alumni and paved the way for many more such celebrations to take place in the future. IGTC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, Alumni Reunion and Homecoming ended on a bittersweet note; everyone was delighted to meet their peers once again, and this time, each one of them found it a lot harder to leave and say goodbye.

The excitement mixed with nervousness was palpable as one IGTC student after the other entered the institute on 28^th July 2016. It was a day of reckoning for 78 students of the PGPBA Batch 2015-2017 and 82 of PGPBA Batch 2016-2018, as the former became Seniors and the latter were being inducted! For the Batch 2016-2018 the wait was finally over, they were “officially” joining the “IGTC Family” and for the Seniors it was time to showcase to their Juniors what it means to be an IGTCian and be part of this unique family.

The induction started with the official lighting of the lamp in the presence of the Director, Radhieka R Mehta along with IGTC staff, Seniors and Juniors.

Thereafter the Seniors took charge with full gusto as they had planned an array of activities for their Juniors just like their Seniors had done for them during their induction. From Ice-Breaking activities to showcasing of talents within the present pool to the physically challenging “Scavenger Hunt”, all was planned and executed without a glitch and with much  laughter & merriment – after all they are all part of the IGTC family now.

Being a resident of Chennai, my decision to come to Mumbai was a scary one. The amazing fact is, I still feel I’m at home here. This is the best part of IGTC, ‘we are one big family from different cultures’.
Siebert Philip, Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd

Induction Day 2

The second day of induction for the Juniors on 29th July 2016, was an introduction into the “managerial & business” aspect of being an IGTCian by 4 IGTC alumni. In the first half of the day alumni, Viraj Kapadia and Ruchika Natarajan from Siemens Financial Services shared with them their ‘IGTC journey’ as well as a glimpse into their company’s activities.

This was followed by another alumni, Yashovardhan Bichu from Bosch Limited, who gave a presentation on ‘Career ladder after IGTC’. Post lunch the most anticipated presentation took place. Mr. Arun Roy, (PGPBA Batch 1992 – 1994), COO SKIL Power Tools North America (BOSCH Power Tools) gave a presentation on ‘Globalization and Leadership’.  The Juniors thoroughly enjoyed these session, as they were given valuable life as well managerial lessons from an IGTCian mentor!

By the end of the day it slowly dawned upon them as to what a privilege it was to be a part of the IGTC family and what legacy they would have to live up to! Overall they were overwhelmed by their experiences of the last two days but at the same time are looking forward to their 18 month journey.

As Muhammad Ali, rightly quoted, “Don’t count the days, make the days count!  “This is exactly, how the journey has been so far at IGTC. And, I can only conclude by saying that I am eagerly awaiting the 18 month amazing ride here!
Ashwini Anil, BASF Group

PGPBA Batch 2016-2018: High Demand by IGTC Partnering Training Companies Drive IGTC Admissions to Record / New Heights

On July 28^th 2016, the Indo-German Training Centre (IGTC), in its 25^th Year of existence, reached two milestones:  The first one, the induction of 82 students – a new record, to its Post Graduate Programme in Business Administration (PGPBA) for the academic year 2016-2018! And the second one – the highest selection of trainees by an IGTC Training Partner Company – Siemens 12 and Mercedes-Benz 9!

Approximately 327 students applied to IGTC and over 40 IGTC Training Partner Companies took part in the Admission Process. In the end 82 got selected by 36 companies.

It was great to be a part of the Trainee selection process at IGTC. We saw a variety of profiles from varied backgrounds of Engineering, Commerce and Communications. We got our pick of 12 Trainees, who will undergo the practical training with Siemens as part of the IGTC general management curriculum.  Like every year, the process was professionally managed and we got to interview and select from the candidates we had shortlisted as well as those who were interested in training with us. Kudos to the team at IGTC, we always look forward to participate in this process every year.
Rupesh Basu, Human Resources, Siemens Ltd.

The Admission Process at IGTC is as unique as they come! Many a times Radhieka R Mehta, Director compares IGTC’s role to that of a “matchmaker” and in a way she is not wrong.  Since IGTC is based on the German Dual Education System, it is imperative that IGTC presents/offers a strong pool of qualified and diverse graduates to the companies for the Trainee Selection Process. After all, only if a “match” is found between the student and the Partnering Company, is the admission to the IGTC programme guaranteed for that particular student.

It’s been great to be associated with IGTC. The programme has the German Dual Education System, which will give the students a clear guideline. We have one IGTC trainee currently and it is great. The process this time was better than last time. Students were very much focused. Hope to get one intern this time. Nice hospitality from the complete team. A big thank you!
Smaranika Mohanty, Human Resources, Brose India Automotive Systems Pvt. Ltd.

IGTC is more than an institution, it is a paradigm. The fact that you are interviewed by the top class German companies to get into the course is something unique and unparalleled. The meticulously designed and robust selection process ensures that the right talent is selected for the right company and for the right process making a win-win situation for both the management candidate and company itself.
Shrey Arora, Intern selected by Covestro (India) Pvt Ltd.

But it is easier said than done as the Trainee Selection Process alone usually takes around 3 days to be completed. During that period, IGTC resembles a mini Job Fair venue. Each Training Partner Company gets individual cubicles so that they can interview their prospective intern/trainee in a private setting. From the 327 students who applied ultimately 201 made it to the shortlist for the Trainee Selection Process. Out of these, 109 applicants were from the technical and 92 were from the non-technical background.

IGTC has a very different concept from the admission process till the teaching style, which makes the institute very special. There are very good German companies tied up with the institute and one can learn a lot from these companies. I would say that WORK TO LEARN AND NOT WORK TO EARN.
Viral Tanna, Intern selected by TÜV India Pvt Ltd.

IGTC ensures that the student as well as the Partnering Training Company “keep dating” and keep each other “happy” as they are more or less “equal stakeholders” throughout the 18 months PGPBA course!

And like the verse from Fiddleron the Roof song “Matchmaker” –

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make me a match, Find me a find, Catch me a catch.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Look through your book, And make me a perfect match!

IGTC tries to ensure that the “perfect match” is found and the “relationship” is sustained/strong enough for it to maybe culminate into an “happily ever after” when Final Placement happens, 18 months down the line!

It has been for the last 5 years that Evonik is participating in this programme. For last 4 years we could get good candidates. This year also it was difficult to rank candidates as all had given tough competition. This course helps candidates in taking right decision for their careers. Very good experience.

We like to thank all our Training Partner Companies:  Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd., BASF Group, Bayer Group, Bosch Automotive Electronics India, Bosch Chassis Systems India, Bosch Limited, BPW Trailer Systems, Brose India Automotive Systems, Cerebrus Consulting, Covestro (India) Pvt. Ltd., Dr. Oetker India, Epcos India, Evonik India Pvt. Ltd., Extentia Technologies, Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd., Gold Seal Saar Gummi, Groz-Beckert Asia Pvt. Ltd., Häfele India Pvt. Ltd., HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd., Helpline Impex Pvt. Ltd., Kion Group, KSB Pumps, Lanxess India Pvt. Ltd., Mercedes Benz India Pvt. Ltd., NRB Industrial Bearings Ltd., Rittal India Pvt. Ltd., Schaefer Systems Intl. Pvt. Ltd., Schaeffler Group, SCHOTT Glass India Pvt. Ltd., Siemens Financial Services, Siemens Limited, Siemens Technology and Services, Thyssenkrupp Industries Pvt. Ltd., TÜV India Pvt. Ltd., Volkswagen India, Wirtgen India Pvt. Ltd.

An evening that can only be described as special and filled with pride and gratitude, as IGTC bid adieu to 28 managers in a grand Certificate Awarding Ceremony for the 2^nd Pune EBMP Batch 2016 on 09^th August, 2016.

The ceremony which included business heads from the organizations, the EBMP participants’, family members and faculty began with Mr. Bernhard Steinruecke, Director General of the Indo German Chamber of Commerce giving the welcome address.  In his speech he mentioned “I admire and appreciate the effort made by the participants to go back to studying as it is very hard to have that kind of dedication and focus once one is out of university. I especially like to thank the “young” faculty who travels from Mumbai for their lectures. But I guess that it also keeps them “young & energized” to be amongst students.”

After the welcome note the students relived their “back to school days” with a video which showcased the hours they spent in class during the course.

Mr. Vinay D’souza, Plant Head, Precision Seals Manufacturing Limited, Bosch who was adjudged as the best presenter of the business plan confessed that after his number of years of experience, he was not sure how his enrolment in the course would span out. “The most valuable lesson I learnt by being a student was that one can & should look at things differently. One should take it as a challenge and approach things from a different perspective. I have to thank the excellent faculty for imparting this valuable lesson to me.”

Ms. Aditi Gadkri, Chief Operating Officer, Indovance Inc. shared her experience about the program and appreciated getting an induction into the German culture as her company is an American based one. “Before joining the course I used to wonder as to why, many a times, the things I did in my professional life were going wrong. Now thanks to the knowledge gained I got the answers to my “whys” and have been able to take corrective steps.

Mr. Deepak Joseph, Sr. Project Leader, Knorr-Bremse Technology Centre and a hard-core engineer from the R & D department cited “I never really valued any subject beyond my line of work. I especially did not pay much heed to Finance. But all that changed due to the faculty and lessons imparted. Today I follow the Economic Times and I am a “fan” of Finance.”

Mr. Sangram Phatangare, Sr. Manager-Production, Wirtgen India Pvt. Ltd was applauded for his 100% attendance. This he attributed to the camaraderie amongst his fellow participants and faculty who ensured that he never wanted to miss a class.  “I guess my 100% attendance is a reflection/testimonial of how much I enjoyed and valued the course. When I signed up for the course, it was with mixed feeling since it meant committing, forfeiting my precious weekends of “family time”. But, now that the course has ended, I miss it very much.

One thing that all the participants shared in common was utmost gratitude for the faculty and their family members who supported them throughout this journey.

In a heartfelt speech the daughter of Mr. Prashant Bandu Wani, Director, Puja Fluids Seals Pvt. Ltd. complimented her father saying he taught her that one is never too old to learn.  “When my father informed me that he got “admission” to IGTC’s EBMP course, I was pleasantly surprised. He used enthusiastically discuss and share with us all the learning’s and things which happened during the course weekends.”

The Chief Guest, Mr. Chandra Nataraja, Managing Director, Knorr-Bremse Technology Centre India Pvt. Ltd. then addressed the audience saying hefeels more like the Chief Host than a Chief Guest since Knorr- Bremse had 4 employees receiving their certificates! He mentioned “We looked at IGTC for our employees because at Knorr-Bremse we believe in the philosophy of “teach your employees so well that they are employable somewhere else. Treat them so well that they will never want to leave you”! He noted that the course was already showing positive effects amongst his employees, giving an example of Mr.  Deepak Joseph. “In the 2016 budget meeting, Deepak Joseph was “nowhere to be seen” but in 2017 meet he was right up there putting his inputs and arguments across with full for his department. Such is the power of the EBMP course!”

In a twist to the tale, Ms. Jaya Joshi, a much beloved faculty spontaneously made everyone participate in her “Lion Hunt” activity – an exercise in empowerment, which was another demonstration that studies in class was never boring!!!

The participants were then awarded their certificates while family members, faculty, colleagues and company mentors cheered them on in fervour. The evening was a memorable one for Mr. Yashodhan Marathe, Management Trainee-Finance, Coventya India Pvt. Ltd. who received his certificate from his father Mr. Marathe, Managing Director, Coventya India Pvt. Ltd.

Ms.  Radhieka Mehta, Director of The Indo German Training Centre concluded the event with the Vote of Thanks to all the dignitaries, company members, esteemed faculty of IGTC, participants and their family members for their presence. But no event at IGTC is complete without cake and so the participants along with their children made the occasion all the more special as they enthusiastically participated in the cake cutting ceremony.

The evening concluded on a euphoric note with the 28 participants proving that relationships and memories are to be treasured as much academic learning.

On 6^th August 2016, Radhieka R Mehta, Director, IGTC inaugurated & inducted the Executive Business Management Programme (EBMP) 7^th Mumbai Batch 2016-2017. The batch consists of 30 participants with an increase in women’s participation, a refreshing change after an “all men” previous batch! And for the first time, the course includes a husband & wife team!

LANXESS India Pvt. Ltd. led the way by nominating 2 women employees and 2 men followed by Siemens Ltd with 3 nominations. Other participants are from Aegis Logistics Ltd., BASF India Ltd., DHL India, Henkel Adhesives Technologies India Private Limited,  Kiron Hydraulic Needs Pvt. Ltd., Knorr-Bremse Technology Centre India,  Linde Engineering India , Mercedes BenzIndia, Pressto Drycleaning & Laundry Pvt. Ltd., Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Rittal India Pvt. Ltd., Shaman Wheels Pvt. Ltd.,  Siemens Healthcare Pvt. Ltd.,  Siemens Technologies and Services , SMA Solar India Pvt. Ltd., Southern Cogen System Pvt. Ltd. and Star India Pvt. Ltd.companies.

As a part of the curriculum, all students pursue a Start A1 Deutschkurs(German Language Course, Beginners Level 1) conducted by the Goethe-Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan. Students participate in several events such as the Indo-German Urban Mela, Oktoberfest and Christmas Market organized by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, thereby imbibing true German culture and spirit.