Transparency concerning "India Gold Policy Centre" at IIM-AHD

[Sarbajit Roy]

To:

Shri Yogendra Tripathi

Joint Secy (FA) MHRD, GoI

cc: a) Secy/DHE/MHRD/GoI  b) JS(TEL)/DHE/MHRD/GoI

BY EMAIL

Dear Mr. Tripathi

I am caused to approach you in your capacity as ex-officio nominee member of Governing Board of IIM Ahmedabad.

My cause of action is the return of emails I sent today to a) Secretary/IIM Ahmedabad, b) Director/IIM Ahmedabad, and c) Centre Head "India Gold Policy Centre"/IIM Ahmedabad. A copy of my email  is appended in-line below. I say all these emails were returned by IIM Ahmedabad to somehow avoid having to respond to my concerns voiced as a member of the public. Such actions are not expected from any public authority especially when the draft Indian Institute of Management Bill 2015 is under active finalisation and Prof. Ashish Nanda of IIMA is belligerently lobbying against it. It seems that those who shout the loudest have the most to hide.

I am presently especially concerned that IIM Ahmedabad has entered into some undisclosed arrangements with "World Gold Council". 

I am further concerned that such arrangements by IIM Ahmedabad are actually to carry out "paid research" and manufacture dubious documents/reports to be used by World Gold Council to lobby the Govt of India to stall economic reform using IIMA's good name.

I am caused to highlight this aspect because of detailed emails in public circulation by ex-faculty of IIMA to their academic peers concerning the phenomenon of rampant "paid research" at IIM Ahmedabad. Such emails and their shocking annexures/basis are in the public domain, are widely discussed in academic circles and very much in the knowledge of IIMA's non-Government Board members. However, no action has been taken by IIMA on these widely circulated academic misconducts / improprieties, at least not in a transparent manner sufficient to inspire confidence in the stakeholder community.

I also recall the statements and press release of Hon'ble HRD Minister expressing that "autonomy" of IIMs is contingent upon their transparency and accountability.

I therefore request you to kindly urgently intervene and ensure complete public transparency and accountability at the IIM Ahmedabad in the context of "World Gold Council" and an "India Gold Policy Centre" which is somehow "independently" operating from within the IIM Ahmedabad campus. 

sincerely

Er. Sarbajit Roy

B-59 Defence Colony

New Delhi 110024

M: 08010205897

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarbajit Roy <sro...@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Jul 11, 2015 at 8:51 AM
Subject: Transparency concerning "India Gold Policy Centre" at IIM-AHD
To: Manoj Bhatt <c...@iimahd.ernet.in>, "Prof. Ashish Nanda" <ana...@iimahd.ernet.in>

To:

The Chief Administrative Officer, as

Secretary of IIM Ahmedabad Society

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

Vastrapur, Ahmedabad

BY EMAIL

Dear Cdr. (Retd) Manoj Bhat

Greetings,

I see from IIM-AHD's suo-moto RTI disclosures that the Institute encourages public participation in its affairs through the members of the IIM-AHD Society and Board.

I refer to certain media reports that IIM-AHD has associated itself with the World Gold Council and has set up an "India Gold Policy Centre" within the Campus.

As a Navy man, I am sure that you are aware that this self styled World Gold Council is actually an association of gold producers and their distribution networks into India ultimately include many professional gold smuggling syndicates located out of Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore etc. which are undermining the economy of the Indian nation.

As such I am concerned that the "Indian Institute of Management" brand name, which vests in the Union of India, may be tarnished by misuse or attachment with such persons or by accepting their money. I need hardly remind you of the detailed analysis Prof Rajanish Dass (ex-IIM-AHD faculty) had circulated of the notorious phenomena of "paid research" which is rampant at IIM-AHD or concerning the regular foreign jaunts of one of IIM-AHD's Board members allegedly paid for by telecom interests in return for IIM-AHD reports based on fabricated data. You are also very well aware how IIM-AHD's FPM student blatantly slanted and fabricated his research which was funded by Google and then published portions of his research from IIM-AHD servers widely over the internet, eg. through Wikipedia, where I took exception to it. It is a wonder that IIM-AHD's research guide/s and faculty councils were sleeping when such gross academic misconduct is ongoing.

Accordingly, as an ordinary member of the public, I am impelled to participate in affairs of the IIM-AHD through its members and Board, and to examine the role, MoUs, and functioning of various "centres" which have sprouted at IIM-AHD, mostly with dubious funding and zero transparency.

Therefore, I would be obliged if you would urgently send me by return email the contact details, especially email IDs,  of IIM-AHD society members and indicating those who are on the Board.

sincerely

Sarbajit Roy

B-59 Defence Colony

New Delhi - 110024

Tel : 08010205897