Hitesh Bhatt announced as new IRMA director

The Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) has appointed Prof. Hitesh Bhatt as its new Director with effect from December 1.

Prof. Bhatt has been with IRMA since 1995. He has specialization in field of General Management. He holds a B.Tech degree from IIT Delhi and an MS in Industrial Management from Georgia Tech, Atlanta. The appointment comes a few months after RC Natarajan, the institute's director at the time, faced charges of sexual harassment by an employee.

IRMA said in a release that Prof. Bhatt brings with him 18 years of industrial experience after having commenced his career with Reliance in 1979. He held senior positions in companies such as Mafatlal group of mills, garment factories in Tanzania, and a joint venture company (Indo-Bhutanese-South Korean) in Sanand.

"He helped set up two major textile mills and turned around another textile and garment factory faced with near closure, making it work with the maximum efficiency in East Africa," it said.

As a dedicated academician he has been involved in teaching, training, and consulting extensively. He has trained diverse cadres of people in various organizations- including government and non-government, cooperatives, and corporations. He has also worked as Professor and Head of Centre for Management Studies at Dharmsinh Desai University in Nadiad, it added.

AN ACADEMICIAN

As a dedicated academician he has been involved in teaching, training, and consulting extensively.