Ravi Padaki - his IPMA site and his connection with P-Camp

[Alok Shukla]

So the Yahoo wanted to announce about an event which was IPMA's first event rather than Yahoo's 

http://www.indiapma.org/events

And then there is a battle of control - I, me and myself (Ravi Padaki)

http://www.indiapma.org/events

The event site announces itself as IPMA event rather than Yahoo's event

http://pcampblr10.weebly.com/

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Rakshmi Bhatia]

Hi Alok

I cudn't get the context. Can you please explain what is it & are we supposed to join ?

Regards
Rakshmi

________________________________

[Alok Shukla]

I was having detailed discussions with a senior product manager (Ravi Padaki) of Yahoo about his idea of launching India Product Managers Association. I suggested to him that since students of IIMB have done a lot of work it would be a good idea to engage with them.

The idea was that it is easy for anybody to come up with the concept of IPMA but since we were the ones who put our heart and soul into bringing everybody together, there should be some value provided to us for us to encourage that in our event.

We decided not to launch IPMA at our event however Bala (Director of PM at Yahoo and our moderator for the second panel) suggested that we should atleast annouce the Yahoo P-Camp as it was being organised by Yahoo. I agreed and after informing the Chairperson got that announced at the time of the event by Karthik.

Infact Ravi Padaki was insistent on declaring IPMA as already on and was interfacing with other stake holders like our panelists on the day of the event. I coaxed him in meeting some of the lead organizers of PM Conclave and then I heard that my daughter was not well and left the event.

Now, However, I find that there was some misrepresentation of the facts, It seems that it was not Yahoo's event but organised by IPMA and hosted by Yahoo. I have written to Bala and here is what he responds.

"Its a yahoo event.

Are you guys discussing IPMA? Haven’t heard from you on that."

I have responded to him that in that case the event website is suggesting something different. I would wait for his response. It is an art to deal with corporates and as we experienced it is also not exactly science to deal with IIMB. :-)

Net to Net the idea is to launch such a group from IIMB so that each one of us get a solid platform for networking. This should one of keystones of CMC agenda for the future. I invite your thoughts on the same

PS:- I am also learning everyday!

Alok Shukla

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Snehansu Chatterjee]

Alok ,
     Any idea what is the commercial viability of IPMA ? It doesn't look like its sponsored by Yahoo.
Regards,
Snehansu

[Alok Shukla]

I think it is a networking venture something like SIPA or the early version of NASSCOM or something like Zinnov.

If at all there would be commercial interest involved it would be in the form of organizing events and parking the funds back with IPMA to fund its own activities.

Net to Net it is a networking platform which is used to develop relationships most important for getting better jobs and creating relationships.

Alok Shukla

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Rakshmi Bhatia]

Alok,

 

Though I am not officially involved in CMC, but last week afetr PMC we discussed the issue of scope for PGSEM people on or after the programme.

We felt that first move should be to have a profile on IIMB website. Other IIMs like IIMK has got its student profile, with picture & past experiences & education etc (linked in kind of profile).

 

I think we need to start from there.

 

When its on iimb.ernet.in, it carries lot of weightage.

Regards

Rakshmi

---

From: india-product-m...@googlegroups.com on behalf of Snehansu Chatterjee
Sent: Thu 9/23/2010 5:19 PM
To: india-product-m...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Ravi Padaki - his IPMA site and his connection with P-Camp

[Alok Shukla]

Yes,

That should be the first step. However I am not sure CP would allow that. We have talked about that twice for three batches in a row now and he has disallowed. 

But I think we can start again from ground zero. I would encourage you to put this proposal in a way which does not seems coming from a career point of view and let us see if allows that.

Professor did not allow us to create the profile book last year because he believed it would be misused for career activities.

Alok Shukla

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Joel Johnson]

Hey guys,

We can register on the www.iimbaa.org. It's a place where all the alumni are present.

This provides us access even to PGSEM alumni.

I'm guessing that we're discussing about something like this?

Thanx,

Joel.

[Snehansu Chatterjee]

Not a profile book , what we probably need is a scrap book. Its unofficial and cannot be used to get a direct job change(I think IIM Jobs is good enough for that). But it can be used to showcase the profile talents in a different way.

Regards,
Snehansu

[Alok Shukla]

Do you get access to the other alumnus data? Not sure it is possible till you graduate and get your alumnus card.

However I have trying registering, it says it would get back in 2-3 days.

Alok

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Joel Johnson]

yep, i can see people from all batches and programmes...

I think they do some kind of confirmation based on ur reg numbers and all.. they say 2-3 days, they only registered me after a couple of weeks..

But it's a nice site..

[Alok Shukla]

Great, However, I am not sure it solves Rakshmi issue? or does it?

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Joel Johnson]

well, it's got stuff like "Contributions"(Articles/Achievements), "Personal Information", and "Professional Information".

But, we arent allowed to contribute articles and look at the chapters. I'm guessing cos we're not alums.

From the 2010 batch, looks like 70 people are on it... guess we can check with them and ask them what all the features are..

[Snehansu Chatterjee]

Yes that is a new one. I had also registered , but I don't think I received any confirmation yet , or maybe missed it in a deluge of mails. Will have to check what it offers.
Regards,
Snehansu

[Rakshmi Bhatia]

http://www.iimk.ac.in/pgp/pgp13.php?min=216

This is the site where current years students profile i could see. But, for alumni other site is there; which is :-
http://www.alumni.iimklive.com/

>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>> *From:* india-product-m...@googlegroups.com on behalf of
>>>>> Snehansu Chatterjee
>>>>> *Sent:* Thu 9/23/2010 5:19 PM
>>>>>
>>>>> *To:* india-product-m...@googlegroups.com
>>>>> *Subject:* Re: Ravi Padaki - his IPMA site and his connection with

[Amol Bhore]

Guys why dont we as in IIMB proposes body of product managers?

Create a org structure, use PM conclave as platform, propose the industry chair.

Its possible !!!
-Amol

[Alok Shukla]

What's in it for students? I can see a lot in terms of practicing product managers like me though!

Also What's in it for IIMB? I also do not see anything for them. For all purpose a chair can only be in the academic research.

What others say? 

My suggestion for this group is more for to create a quasi networking event which straddles both words - learning and networking. Pure learning is unattractive for Industry as well as for students. Pure networking is not sustainable at IIMB without any motive for them to come to campus.

I think IPMC should now create an event for PMs to discuss the best practices for product managers. It can be based again on breakout format or a straight format. This can be a learning exercise for everybody involved. I think it should be a non sponsorship related event. Only fees would be for external participants who wish to attend such an event for the sake of genuine interested people being invite to come over.

Alok S

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Joel Johnson]

Personally, I came forward to help with the Conclave because of a couple of reasons. 1. To understand what Product Management was about in the real world, and 2. to setup the first ever physical meeting for PMs from the LinkedIn groups. For me, both of these were sufficiently achieved from the Conclave. What we're discussing now is a more concentrated effort to maintain and sustain a body.

I welcome the fact that someone from the industry is doing this. For one thing, it gives interested people who are not from IIMB a chance to participate and define the agenda of further meets. Second, in that website, the guy talks about monthly speaker series, and association chapters across India, among other things. Third, they might find it easier to raise funds. Maybe it's a pipe dream, but when you compare the effort that is involved, it is overwhelming for most students. Supposing most members in this group are willing to go ahead and form a body, who'll sustain it tomorrow? Unfortunately, cases like the NASSCOM conclave comes to mind.

Our objective was to bring such people together, we've done that. If there is momentum from the participants to take the IPMA forward, I say we let them do it. I know a lot of people are definitely thinking I'm crazy now. Worst comes to worst, it might not do well for whatever reason, and we can still hold a Conclave annually.

If we take the higher road, and allow them to go ahead (with support if anyone wants to), next year if we are again doing a PM Conclave, we might also have good relations with them to further increase participation for the event with more people coming forward to speak at the event. I'm sure we've shown them that we're eager to help get Product Managers to meet up, and interested members in this group can help out if they want. Ultimately, I'm sure that if they see our interest in making such events successful, they might give an opportunity for such students to help be a part of the steering committees after a while.

A larger pipe dream, I dont know. Naive, maybe ... :)

[Alok Shukla]

Why him? In that sense most of 2008 batch students are going to pass out. All of us can get take it forward in the same manner.Between me and Dharmesh, we know half of the national staff of NASSCOM and have dealt with president and chairman atleast twice now.

The idea is not that we do not have capability to interact with Industry. This event execution has already exceeded those hopes. The idea is that IIMB remains a very strong part of this whole exercise.

There is nothing which Ravi does cannot be done by for e.g. I or Dharmesh in our individual capacities. We both belong to large enough companies as Ravi does. We also have the backing of executive staff from our own companies.

What Ravi does not have (and sadly they are struggling for this) and what we have is the neutrality of the place and the agenda. This is one single factor which cannot let Ravi grow. However smart you are, India remains a place of doubting thomas. This event succeeded because we were neutral. 

It also provides a brilliant excercise for all of you to network at the very top. It is something which nobody would teach you.

Having said that, do you want to give the family silver away?

Alok

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Alok Shukla]

Also my point is that we do not compete with anybody. We operate under out individual agenda. There is part of it which is handled by outside people including people like us and others who are working professionals form the industry and are not related to IIMB.

Second part of it is that IIMB always can loan out speaker series, case building sessions and one big networking session which do not require so much effort.

Think about it "Start up Saturday" , "Mobile Monday" and "AIMIA" which are now well defined part of IIMB culture for years now. We are adding a PM flavor to the whole excercise which is supported from both sides. IIMB side as well as working professional side.

On the whole we are not competing with Ravi or his IPMA, however we are doing our own work and sustaining our own efforts without letting any outside person take advantage of that.

BTW, my name and Dharmesh name is just an example. Any body is good enough to handle this based on their interests. Used that as a figure of speech and not to be taken literally.

Alok Shukla

--
Alok Shukla
India

[itsvijay]

sorry to be off topic...and iam not sure what all futile efforts were
taken by earlier batches... just a suggestion...can we try adding a
personal web page for each of the student/alumnus @ pgsem.net ... like
we have in universities & (under) grad schools (http://
www.cise.ufl.edu/~rakesh/ ; http://www.cs.ucla.edu/~falaki/ ;
http://mba.tuck.dartmouth.edu/pages/faculty/Anant.Sundaram/index.html
). Many of the IIM A/B professors have.... May be we can try
convincing authorities - its upto the individual to update :)

[Alok Shukla]

Yes a good idea, that sounds like a low hanging fruit. Why don't you propose it for IIMB website.

I do not think PGSEM.net is a good idea. I like Rakshmi's proposal - anything with .iimb.ernet.in is fascinating

--
Alok Shukla
India

[Joel Johnson]

ouch sez the BnCC...