I am very happy to be here on this happy occasion of Felicitation Program to celebrate the ISB’s accomplishment of becoming a Global Top - 12 Business School, under the aegis of TiE, Hyderabad.

I felt very happy when  the ISB has been listed as one among the top 12 Global Business Schools by the Financial Times annual MBA 2010 Rankings.

This remarkable achievement is particularly notable, as the ISB is the first Business School from India to have found a place in the Financial Times Business School league table.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the Board of Directors, the present Dean, Sri Ajit Rangnekar,  the  faculty,  staff members and all others who contributed for becoming  ISB as Global Top-12 Business School in the ranking of The Financial Times.

I compliment Dr.Ramesh Kumar, President, TiE, Hyderabad and all other Corporates for arranging this felicitation program to-day to celebrate the ISB’s accomplishment.

We all know that the Indian School of Business (ISB) is a research-oriented, independent management institution that grooms future leaders for India and the world.  It emerged out of a need to create a benchmark business school for the country and the world.  What began as an idea is now an acknowledged institution for quality learning.

The vision of the School is to become an internationally top-ranked, research-driven, independent management institution for quality learning. It aspires to meet the growing need for young leaders with an understanding of evolving economies, and who also have a global perspective.

I complement the ISB for its committed role in creating such leaders through its innovative programmes, outstanding faculty and thought leadership.

The Financial Times ranking is the independent endorsement of ISB’s single-minded goal to be recognised as a global centre of excellence in business education.

I am sure that the ISB will focus on setting up more research centres and it would definitely commit to become a research hub with a focus on emerging markets as well as a knowledge partner to the industry.

As far as education is concerned, you are aware, we have invited the industrialists to invest in setting up of “Rural Concept Schools” in rural areas to cater to the needs of the poor children.

Over 300 such rural residential schools to offer education in Central syllabus with English as the medium of instruction are proposed by the Government to create the best talent. 

Government of Andhra Pradesh is making it mandatory to set up language labs in all Degree Colleges to improve communication skills and employability of the students to meet the requirements of the industry.

We have already established a University in each district in the State.

We have already established the “Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies” primarily to provide educational opportunities to meritorious rural students of Andhra Pradesh in IT and related branches.

Further,  we are in the process of setting up of many Institutes of Excellence for the benefit of the students as well as the parents to afford quality education to their children in the State itself.

We have successfully attracted number of “Institutes of Excellence”, - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS, Pilani), Narsee Monji Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Georgia Institute of Technology, Institute of Translation Research, Institute of Public Health.

The people of our State have been well known to travel all over the world in the pursuit of higher education. It is the vision of our Government to make Andhra Pradesh the preferred destination not just for the people of our State, but for all those who seek world class higher education opportunities.

I was told that a student team from the ISB, comprising of Mr.Soumitra Sharma and Sameer Narang, were adjudged winners of the “B-School Budget” TV contest hosted by NDTV, for presenting proposals to the ideal Union Budget.

I hope some of the recommendations of this team will find a place in the Union Budget to be presented by the Union Minister for Finance on 26.2.2010.

I congratulate Mr.Soumitra Sharama and Mr.Sameer Narang on this occasion.

Before I conclude, I once again congratulate ISB and wish all the success in its future endeavours.