IIM Visakhapatnam commemorates the birth anniversary of Late. Ms Vani Row
IIM Visakhapatnam observed the birthday of the Late. Ms. Vani Row, daughter of Dr. B. R. L. Row, a distinguished Scientist and Philanthropist. She was a highly regarded consultant and investment banker. On August 6, 2022, the Vani Row Memorial speech was delivered at IIMV's permanent campus amphitheatre.
In his welcome address, Prof. M. Chandrasekhar, Director of IIMV, spoke about Ms. Vani's life and accomplishments as a global investment banker, and role model for future generations. He extended gratitude to Dr. B. R. L. Row, who had stepped forth to grace the ceremony, and to Prof. Ligy Philip, who was the event's distinguished guest of honour.
In his remarks, Dr. B. R. L. Row expressed his happiness at hearing accolades about his daughter. He expressed his wish to ensure that all students, especially women, have access to a decent education without having to worry about the costs. He emphasised on the underrepresentation of women in educational institutions, particularly in rural regions, and how, despite government efforts, there are still impediments in education and employment resulting from societal circumstances.
Prof. Ligy Philip, Chair Professor of Civil Engineering at IIT Madras, and Dean (Planning), IIMV, delivered the Vani Row Memorial lecture and spoke highly of Ms. Vani, mentioning how her family served as a pillar of support for her accomplishments and how this serves as a model for parents who wish to raise their daughters to play a significant role in society. She praised Ms. Vani's administrative and leadership capabilities and emphasised the need for more women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and management. Through anecdotes from her professional career, she discussed how women leaders with the skills of empathy and the ability to relate better with others are able to remove psychological barriers, facilitate increased disclosure from the end user, and lead organisations to easily achieve sustainable development goals (SDG). Her experiences with the water treatment and waste management initiatives in Chennai helped the audience comprehend the importance of women's participation in leadership positions. She continued by stating, "Women's participation in leadership roles is not a man against woman issue; rather, there is a need for a women's voice in leadership positions in the fields of environment, sustainability, and management."
In his concluding remarks and vote of thanks, Coordinator (Academics & Research) Prof. Amit B. Chakrabarti thanked Dr. B. R. L. Row for his contribution to IIMV. He concurred with Professor Ligy Philip's proposal to increase women's participation in leadership roles and commended her for her great insights regarding the establishment of the permanent campus. He concluded by expressing appreciation for the efforts of the Project, Administration, and the IT team.
"It's really inspiring to know individuals like Vani Row who had a hunger for knowledge and wanted to grow. We'll try to strive hard and make sure that we contribute to our society and the institute that is providing us with the opportunities to grow and know about the individuals like Vani Row" – noted Amitoz Kumar, a PGP-1 Student.
Ms. Vani Row, a graduate of IIM Ahmedabad, was a successful consultant and investment banker in India and the United States who unfortunately succumbed to cancer at an early age. Dr. B. R. L. Row donated a generous contribution to the institute so that girl students have access to quality education. In memory of his daughter, Dr. B. R. L. Row made a generous contribution of INR 2 Crores to IIMV for the establishment of an incubation centre for aspiring entrepreneurs and the Vani Row Memorial gold medal for the top female PGP participants. Faculty, employees, and students were present during this event.
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