Be innovative, Nandan Nilekani tells IRMA students at convocation

On Thursday, the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) celebrated their 31st annual convocation. Around 105 students of Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Management (PRM) and four students of Fellow Program in Rural Management were awarded with their degree certificates by chief guest Nandan Nilekani, chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India. IRMA chairman Dr YK Alagh and director Prof Jeemol Unni shared the dais. 

Avantika Garg, topper of the PRM 2010-12 batch, received the prestigious ‘Kuchibotla Vasanthi Memorial Gold Medal’.

As the graduating batch cheered while receiving their degrees, Nilekani said that the widespread use of mobile phones, the access of banking services by villagers’ and the arrival of ‘Aadhaar’ will “create real possibilities for access.” Imparting words of guidance to the students, Nilekani said: “Don’t fear new ideas and be willing to test innovations for effectiveness. When we are younger, we tend to assume that we know the answers, and the world’s problems are easily solvable. It can happen if the system was in place, and be less inefficient, combative and stubborn. The most successful people I’ve met are the ones who are constantly learning, and are sure that they don’t have all the answers,” he said.

Prof Unni said that IRMA has started the procedure of making a vision for the future growth of the institute. “IRMA’s effort is to transform it into a knowledge institution. We have joined a Rural Development Network, with institutions like IDFC and IGIDR, Mumbai and CESS, Hyderabad to produce a Rural Development Report under the initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development. This report will present the current situation of sustainable livelihoods in India,” she said.