The Class comprising 421 students were awarded Certificates for the successful completion of the Post Graduate Programme in Management, at the Graduation Day ceremony.

Present at the occasion was the Chief Guest, K P Singh, Chairman of the Board, DLF Ltd. He handed over the certificates to students in black gowns ornamented with the school colour. Witnessing the historic moment in the audience, were the eminent Board members, Thomas Robertson, Dean of The Wharton School, faculty, parents, friends, and relatives of the students.

The mood at the graduation ceremony gathering spelled gaiety, delight, and enthusiasm. M Rammohan Rao, Dean ISB, congratulated the Class of 2008 on successfully completing the Post Graduate Programme in Management and said “I want you to remember that learning does not end here. It continues through out life.” “You are very lucky for this is the time of great opportunities. As you go forward, remember when opportunity does not knock on your door, you can build the door. Not only can you build the door for yourself, you can open

doors for many,” he added.
The ISB being ranked  top 20 among top B-schools globally, by Financial Times, London, is but one step in the journey of achieving the vision of the ISB to be a world class B-school. Speaking to the audience, Thomas Robertson, Dean, The Wharton School said, “I congratulate the ISB for achieving incredible success in such a short time. I look forward to many years of collaboration with the ISB to generate quality research, especially on emerging market issues.”

The ISB has made an indelible mark in the field of management education. The School is truly world class and has pioneered several global best practices in India. Speaking to an animated audience, Chief Guest, K P Singh, Chairman of the Board, DLF Ltd. said, “The challenge in India is – how do we manage growth? Our old mindsets of thinking small and managing shortages come in the way. We need to think big and create surplus. This is possible only through change in education and training of bureaucrats, policy makers, and businessmen alike. It is up to you, the younger generation to help India grow.”
Learning at the ISB is not limited to classrooms. The Class of 2008 has done remarkably well. The students have set new trends, organised events, participated and won in B–School competitions, gained international recognition, all this and more while studying for their certificate programme. Rajat Gupta, Chairman of the ISB Board shared his thoughts with the audience. “The ISB has traversed a journey that has been very challenging yet satisfying. The School has a long road ahead, a road, I am sure, which will unfold more accomplishments,” he remarked.
The ISB recognises the meritorious students for their achievements. The school awards students with exceptional academic performance. This year the ISB Scholars of Excellence Awards were given to Amit Jain and Chitra Raghunath. “It’s been an honour and pride to top a class of 421 very bright and sincere people. The professors made it very interesting,” said Amit, the topper of Class 2008. Chitra Raghunath, the other topper feels very special about her achievement. “Getting this recognition at the ISB is very special to me as I competed with 421 very brilliant students,” remarked Chitra. The top 10 percent of the batch made it to the Dean’s List for their distinctive performance in various activities.

The Graduation Ceremony concluded with the ceremonial toss of hats by the outgoing Class of 2008. Families and friends were witness to this emotional and proud moment.
 
About the ISB
Within a short span of seven years, the ISB has made a mark for itself as a premier, B-School in India. It has successfully pioneered several initiatives in the field of management education by bringing in international best practices and people. The ISB introduced the one year programme, unique portfolio model of faculty, accepting students with prior work experience and diverse backgrounds, the GMAT score as a selection criterion, lateral placements, international quality research and several other initiatives. Being ranked Twenty
among global B-schools is a validation of the ISB’s effort to establish an international B-School located in India.
Elective Courses: The ISB offers more than 70 electives with the more popular courses being offered in more than one term. During the last four terms, one can opt for 16 to 18 elective credits.  is through a bidding process, a global best practice followed by many international business schools. Courses are combined to offer you five concentrations or majors. They are Analytical Finance, Entrepreneurship, Operations and Information Technology Management, Strategic Marketing, Strategy and Leadership.

Spirit of team play: “On joining, all students go through the LDP, which is a unique programme based on 360-degree feedback and introspection. It inculcates a spirit of team play and leadership through a series of lectures, discussions, workshops and group practice sessions. Essential skills for leadership like effective listening and communication, presentation, team building, assertiveness and problem solving are developed. Students learn the technical skills, emotional intelligence and cognitive abilities required of a leader. The LDP focuses on individual growth through a three-fold approach of self-reflection, peer evaluation and facilitator intervention. Leadership development is most effective when change is backed by assessment and support. And change itself is to come out of your comfort zone and learn from new experiences. The programme has been carefully designed with these goals in mind,” says Dean of ISB. Its four main features are: A 360-degree assessment, An opportunity to review 360-degree feedback with a designated facilitator, and develop individual plans for leadership development, A series of experiential skill-building workshops in small groups on different themes: Working in Teams; Business Presentations; Interpersonal Skills; Influencing Skills; and Business Problem Solving and Follow-up 360-degree review after about six months – based on feedback from fellow students.