Great Lakes Institute of Management Celebrates SWIM 2008

Great Lakes Institute of Management Celebrates SWIM 2008
Post-event Press-release

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, celebrated SWIM (Successful Women in Management) on 12th August 2008. SWIM is an initiative mooted by the students of Great Lakes to empower women with traits to assume leadership roles in the corporate

world. The SWIM community, initiated in 2005, works towards identifying and drawing inspiration from successful women from various walks of life.

The day-long event organised at Hotel Green Park on Tuesday was presided by Ms. Anu Aga, Former Chairperson of Thermax, Padmashri Sudha Raghunathan, Noted Carnatic Vocalist, Ms. Mridula Ramesh of Sundaram Textiles and Ms. Hemu Ramaiah, founder of Landmark, enlightened the audience on "Women as Trail-blazers: Dreaming, Exploring & Discovering New Horizons".

Inauguration of SWIM (Successful Women in Management) 2008 at Great Lakes

The distinguished guests discussed at length about the success, women had achieved in the field of management and aspired to achieve greater heights. Ms. Anu Aga in her opening speech said that it was important to balance professional responsibilities and personal life and emphasized on 'Vipasana' which is the art of living. Ms. Sudha Raghunathan talked about her journey to becoming a maestro in classical music. She discussed the challenges faced during her journey, and how she won over them. Ms. Hemu Ramaiah opined that it is important to think out-of-the-box to reach 'the other side' and achieve success. She elaborated on the lessons learnt in running an entrepreneurial venture. According to her, entrepreneurs must plan when to start and exit a business plan. Ms. Mridula Ramesh talked about four success enablers for women, namely role models, proving early competence in a language known by competitors, courage, and family support.

The event also had a panel discussion on the topic "Educated, Intelligent, Energetic, and just in her Forties... Can she still Pursue her Career Dreams?" The discussion was moderated by Mr. T. N. Seshan, former CEC of India. The panel included Ms. Pushpa Kandaswamy, Noted TV Producer, Ms. Indra Subramanyam, MD, Ehrlich Lab, Ms. Lalitha Maheswaran, HR Consultant, and Ms. Sarda Ramani, President of C I Global Solutions. Mr. Seshan introduced the theme, and enraptured the audience with his characteristic witty remarks throughout the discussion.

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* Contributed by -
Ranjit Shankar (Campus Associate),
Class of 2009,
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai.