Page 5 of 7

A Family Reunion

November 3, 2010 / Prof. KCR Raja

Return to Kottakkal

A recent visit to my birthplace, Kottakkal, after a gap of 22 years, triggered in me a strong urge to dive deep into my family history.

I visited Kottakkal to attend a family reunion. The place had changed beyond recognition and to my family, I too had. Our annual get-togethers started six years ago and have done much to bring together a family, which the Hindu reported, has 250 members.. Together with spouse and children of male members, who are not family members in a matriarchal community, the number in the extended family goes up to 450. About 250 turn up. Only five families now live in Kottakkal and the burden of organizing the day long meet, with breakfast, lunch, introductions and a cultural programme, is cheerfully borne by them. Continue reading

Precious Moments

October 25, 2010 / Prof. KCR Raja

I would like to share a story I heard the other day. It is about a young man who received a brand new car as a New Year gift from his elder brother. As he brought the car out and parked it near a municipal school, an eight year old boy came up, looked at the car and. as if under a spell, said ‘How beautiful!’. And he asked “Sir, may I touch it?’. Partly amused and certainly pleased, the owner said ‘Go ahead’. The boy then asked him what he had paid for the car. ‘Nothing, the owner said.’ ‘It is a gift from my brother.’ Continue reading

Op-Ed Columnist – The Third Depression

October 25, 2010 / Prof. KCR Raja

Op-Ed Columnist – The Third Depression – NYTimes.com

www.nytimes.com

“There was the Long Depression, then the Great Depression, and now we are in the early stages of a third depression. This one is primarily a failure of policy.”

I would recommend this to students of the global economic crisis. Paul Krugman, the author, is a Nobel Laureate in Economics and a columnist in New York Times.

In Unending Search of the Best!

October 25, 2010 / Prof. KCR Raja

I was on the Executive Committee of a body that had on it very bright thinkers. The Committee used to meet on the second Monday of every month. The meetings were memorable as much for depth of discussion as for follow up failures! I remember one session to discuss and plan a major event about five months away. Promotional material had to be prepared and a proposal from the Chairman of the sub committee had to be approved.

Several alternatives were discussed. One was selected and the Chairman was authorised to get the job done. Continue reading

For quarter of a century he has been concerned with management education.

October 18, 2010 / Prof. KCR Raja

I have known Professor Raja for more than a decade. He has deep insight into managerial issues, which he acquired from his long association with Indian industry. For quarter of a century he has been concerned with management education. Besides teaching he has been involved in setting up management schools and managing institutions. What I admire in Prof. Raja are his sustained efforts to learn what is new in the field of management and his desire to use it in resolving issues in practice. I am happy that he is starting a website to interact “on management practices, management education and education management” with those who are concerned with management education and administration. I am convinced that Prof. Raja is the most appropriate person to initiate a forum for such interactions. Every one in the field of management education and management administration would benefit from these interactions. I wish him all the success in this effort.

Prof Jahar Saha,
Former Director, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

About this Website

October 15, 2010 / Prof. KCR Raja

I look upon this website as an opportunity for interaction with my friends and well wishers. While the primary focus is on education, management education in particular, my blogs cover experiences in other fields including personal experiences right from childhood to the present day.

These blogs should facilitate interaction on management practices, management education and education management. For over a quarter century, I have been closely associated with management education and educational planning and administration. And I believe both will undergo fundamental changes in the coming decade.

Sam Pitroda recently remarked that the next revolution in India will be in education. In 1990, if anyone had predicted the state the Indian economy is in today, few would have considered him mentally sound. The same disbelief and doubt prevails in the education sector today.

The changes that can occur may well produce world class colleges and universities in India. They will stand up to global competition the same way as the Indian global companies are now doing.

But all this cannot be taken for granted. We need wide discussion not only among educational administrators but among the general public who are the most important stake holders .I do hope that such discussion will surface on this website and several others.