MICAns take part in Harvard meet on ‘dynamic Asia’

Nitin Mohan Shandilya and Jayati Somani from Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA), were chosen to be part of the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) Asia Conference-2011 held recently in Seoul, South Korea. They were among 400 'Future Business Leaders' who got the opportunity to interact with prominent personalities on the world stage.

The theme of the conference, a 5-day event held in Seoul from August 19 to 23, was "At the Crossroads: Decision in a Dynamic Asia."

The conference was attended by Michael Stanley Dukakis (Democratic Party's nominee for US president, 1988), Mong Joon Chung (vice-president, FIFA, 1995-2011), Matthews Laznik (VP sales and marketing, Mercedes Benz), and Daniel Alegre (Head, Google sales and operations, Asia pacific), among others.

Shandilya and Somani were short-listed after an interview by a Harvard professor and on the basis of their essays. "I think my performance as organiser of International Conference, TEDxMICA, and my previous stints in the US and France helped in my selection for the Seoul conference," Shandilya said.

Somani was selected for the panel, Global Asia in Pursuit of Media Literacy, and was closely involved in discussions with speakers on a one-on-one basis. She feels her communication skills enhanced by her past experience as a debater, helped her in the discussions.

Talking about the experience, Somani said: "From being one of the poorest countries in the 1960s, South Korea has become a highly developed nation. Winning the bid for hosting the soccer World Cup has further enhanced their reputation. The event was an enriching experience for me."