It was such a delightful experience to meet with Prof. Umashankar Venkateshafter 23 years. I was fortunate to be a student of his at IILM ’96 batch. He has been one of the most remembered of all the teachers who taught our batch.
Prof. Venkatesh started his career as academician teaching at VBSPU (earlier known as Purvanchal University, UP State University) and then joined IILM where he taught us Sales, Strategic Marketing and Consumer Behaviour. I distinctly remember him as someone who was always very practical oriented. He could allow you to give an open book exam but unless you knew the concepts, you would not be able to attempt his case studies. I remember him guiding me to close my eyes and visualise being in a practical situation with a customer, and then consider what the solution should be. This helped me develop a customer oriented approach to doing anything in my career.
He currently works as a Professor of Marketing at the Great Lakes Institute of Management at Gurgaon, India. Prior to this he has worked as Area Chair & Professor of Marketing at IMI and then was the Founding Dean & Professor of Marketing at G.D.Goenka Institute of Management which was set up in partnership with Lancaster University of UK. He has also been at ITM, IIMT and NIILM at senior levels.
Prof. Venkatesh has always been reputed as a man of principles and strong ethics. He carries this respect among his students as much as within the education fraternity.
Prof. Venkatesh is one of the professors who reciprocates his love to his students and continues to acknowledge them as a part of his life. A lot of teachers enjoy this bond, but very few enjoy this across all students, across all batches and all campuses that they are associated with. He seems to be in touch with most everyone from our batch too and is proactive in remaining connected. I am happy I took this initiative to go and meet him yesterday. This meeting was of-course over a cup of coffee, but at his home where he hosted me. Since I went to his home, I also met his wife Mrs. Saroj Venkatesh, who seemed to be a fan of cricket, as much as she is in love with software development. She is upgrading her skills in Machine Language and hopes to put this learning to use and is able to create an impact.
One thing you can learn from Prof. Venkatesh’s journey: If you are true to your intent in impacting lives, and are a person of strong ethics and integrity, you will be able to live a life where love and affection will be in abundance. Even in your career, your goodness will be remembered, as well as will always open opportunities for you.
To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?
On the other hand, we denounce with righteous indignation and dislike men who are so beguiled and demoralized by the charms of pleasure of the moment, so blinded by desire, that they cannot foresee.
To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it?