The SAP Newsletter
The Quarterly Publication of Team SAP
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009
Readying Students
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
for the Corporate World... Pg. 4
Message from
Director IBS-HO
It is heartening to note that Team SAP,
which has grown tremendously over the
years, is launching its newsletter.
The Stipendiary Assignment Program is
important for a sizeable section of IBS
students looking at ways of developing
their skills and financing their studies.
Considering the fact that over 3,000
students from various IBS centers
,
volunteered to join SAP the program
ranks high among the priorities of the
student community. Last year over
500 achievers participated in bi-annual
achievers’ conferences, winning laurels.
It speaks volumes about the achievement
of IBS students. The credit, of course,
goes to SAP team leaders and officers
who leave no stone unturned to mould
the students into managers capable of
delivering the goods in the corporate
world from day one.
Students from all walks of life join IBS,
aspiring to make the most of value-
based quality education we provide.
Management education is never complete
without practical knowledge. I am happy
to note that SAP gives students an
opportunity to get on-field experience,
while sharpening their skill sets and
improving their overall personality. The
newsletter will be an ideal platform
to chronicle their achievements and
highlight the laurels they win in the
wonderful process.
I wish the newsletter a future which
will be as rosy as the dreams of SAP
members.
- Prof. S.K. Sharma
The Quarterly Publication From the Editor’s Desk
of Team SAP
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009
The SAP Newsletter
The Quarterly Publication of Team SAP
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009
Readying Students
for the Corporate World... Pg. 4
SAP is a feature which is unique to our
Editor business schools. Over the years it has
M.R. K. Prasad grown from strength to strength and has
Editorial Team now become a distinctive element of life
R. Murali on our campuses. It is high time that the
B. Arabindo Keshab SAP trainees and officers have a standing
T. Sudha Rani mouthpiece and hence this newsletter.
Priyanka Hinger We hope that this quarterly publication
K. Sridhar Raj will help us to knit ourselves closer. We
Chief Visualizer look forward to your articles, comments
Bangaru Babu and suggestions at sapinfo@ifenindia.org
Design and Layout
Narwa Srinivas
Printed at M/s. ICIT Software Center Pvt. Ltd., M.R. K. Prasad
#1, Technocrat Industrial Estate, Balanagar ‘X’ Roads,
Hyderabad - 500 037, Andhra Pradesh and published
on behalf of the PDD, 52, Nagarjuna Hills, Punjagutta,
Hyderabad - 500 082, Andhra Pradesh. C O N T E N T S
Editor : M.R.K. Prasad
Readying Students ................................. 4
name the newsletter for the Corporate World
and win exciting prizes SAP Team Galvanized ............................. 8
win This fledgling SAP newsletter needs a
name. Readers are requested to rush
SAP Achievers Conferences : ............... 12
A Flashback
exciting their suggestions to
Glimpses of Utsav ................................. 16
sapcontest@ifenindia.org.
prizes Interviews ............................................ 18
The author of the winning entry will
receive an exciting prize and there are On Wheels of Progress ........................ 20
consolation prizes for others shortlisted.
Cultural Activities ................................. 22
SAP Readying Students
for the Corporate World
Business schools need to go beyond classroom discussions to offer students
a well-rounded curriculum. The Stipendiary Assignment Program (SAP),
offered at our business schools, is an earn-while-you-learn program that
has benefited thousands of students over the years.
4 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
SAP achiever addressing participants with dignitaries on the dais.
,
SAP designed for students pursuing the PG Program Students opting for SAP are under watch from Day
of IBS, gives them practical work exposure and a One. Those who are sincere and become achievers
golden opportunity to work part-time as market- in the first year of their association will be groomed
ing executives. Students get a monthly stipend and as Team Leaders. Team Leaders get support so that
attractive performance-based incentives for taking they can help freshers become achievers. As part
part in this voluntary program, which comes bun- of the organizational process, outstanding Team
dled with many skill development opportunities as Leaders are identified and rewarded. This in-built
well. mechanism provides students a unique opportunity
to develop leadership skills, organizational skills,
The lifelong skills that students can develop by being
team building & motivational skills and inter-person-
a part of the SAP team cover, among other things,
al skills.
selling & marketing, communication and presenta-
tion. These students can develop their overall per- Over the years, an increasing number of students
sonality and better understand the dynamics of the ,
have shown interest in SAP mainly because of its
market place. As SAP trainees, they can establish stress on equipping participants with sound knowl-
industry and social contacts which would be useful edge of market dynamics, exposing them to work-
to them once they start working. related experience, and helping them earn while
they learn. Currently, more than 50% of IBS stu-
This attractive feature of SAP induces a number of
.
dents register for SAP About 50% of the trainees
students every year to pay their tuition fee and meet
earn substantial amounts as incentives regularly.
their monthly living expenses from the income they
earn while working as part of the SAP team. SAP achievers too compete with one another in a
healthy environment. It is indeed a great moment
It is believed that management education is not
of pride for trainees who qualify for the All India
complete for a b-school student until practical ex-
SAP Achievers Conference by their performance
posure to the marketing environment is fulfilled. In
on certain parameters. At the SAP Achievers Con-
this regard, SAP has distinguished itself as a platform
ference, held twice every year, students get a rare
that nurtures team building as well as managerial
opportunity to meet their counterparts from other
and leadership skills in students.
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
5
Sanjay Ramchandani presenting a memento to the SAP Achievers.
centers across the country and share their experi- for SAP achievers, who command fabulous salaries
ences. Seminars and motivational talks organized depending on their negotiation skills and track re-
at the conference inspire students to identify ways cord as part of SAP organization. In short, SAP expe-
of bettering their performance. Networking among rience, coupled with a brilliant academic record, is a
achievers is another advantage that the conference passport to a great future for students.
offers, enabling students to become an elite group
among the IBS fraternity. At the organizational level, SAP is perceived as an
excellent tool to support students in personality de-
A lot of importance is given to team leadership in velopment and in meeting their financial needs dur-
.
SAP After becoming achievers, students vie with ing their education at IBS. Students get to know the
one another to become Team Leaders. Upon be- complexities involved in career progression. They
coming Team Leaders, they get to lead a group of get a foretaste of realities in the corporate world.
junior students and thus hone their managerial abil- By connecting with alumni through proper channels
ity and leadership skills. The Team Leaders give a students understand the essentials of making a re-
sense of direction to the team, which functions as warding career through SAP experience. Ultimately
a cohesive unit with a common goal. They learn students become competent managers and able
to resolve conflicts, identify individual goals as well leaders in society.
as the team’s goals, and work as a team in healthy
competition with other teams. Training programs conducted for students by the
Training Department give trainees valuable inputs
Students who join SAP perceive it as a unique fea- with regard to product knowledge. The Training
ture in b-school education. It is unique in its con- Department also conducts an online test for SAP
tent and offers student participants exposure to the personnel to test their product knowledge.
practical work environment. It helps improve a stu-
dent’s personality, while equipping them with skill Two SAP Achievers Conferences were held at Ooty
sets required for thriving in a corporate world. and Shimla, with over 500 achievers sharing their
experiences and networking with one another. Dig-
Students gain in confidence, become goal-oriented nitaries from IBS Chandigarh, IBS Pune and IBS Deh-
and excel in multi-tasking. They learn better time radun were invited to share their words of wisdom
management for work and study, while creatively with the achievers so as to motivate them to scale
handling peer pressure. Placement is never an issue greater heights during their stint in SAP.
6 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
Prof. P. Ramnath, Director, IBS-Chennai, addressing the Prof. Y.K. Bhushan, Sr. Advisor & Campus Head,
8th All India SAP Achievers Conference. IBS-Mumbai, addressing the 8th All India SAP Achievers
Conference.
Dr. O.P. Gupta, Director, IBS-Gurgaon, Prof. Bhagat Ram, Director, IBS-Chandigarh,
addressing the 9th All India SAP Achievers Conference. addressing the 10th All India SAP Achievers Conference.
Prof. Bala Bhaskar, Director, IBS-Ahmedabad, Prof. Dhananjay Keskar, Director, IBS-Pune, addressing
addressing the 11th All India SAP Achievers Conference. the 12th All India SAP Achievers Conference.
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
7
SAP team galvanized
12th All India Achievers Conference
The 12th All India SAP Achievers Conference was conference. A total of 66 officers and managers at-
held during January 7-8, 2009, with picturesque tended the event, galvanizing the young and ener-
Fernhill Ooty playing host to outstanding perform- getic participants.
ers from IBS, ISIT, ISMS and ISFS centers across the
Prof. Dhananjay Keskar, Director, IBS Pune, was the
country. About 280 trainee achievers qualified for
chief guest and Prof. Loveraj Takru, Dean, IBS Deh-
the conference and nearly 170 participated in the
radun, the guest of honour. They were welcomed
8 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
France and other formidable races. In the context,
he presented a short motivational film that included
clips of super achievers, including Lance Armstrong.
“There is no shortcut to success. Only in the dic-
tionary one finds success coming before hard work,”
he observed. He also touched upon the placement
scenario in the context of the current global financial
crisis. “Opportunities come disguised as hard work.
Most people don’t realize them, he observed… Un-
less you have commitment, you can’t achieve any-
thing in life,” he commented. He pointed out that
winners don’t do different things, they do things dif-
Inauguration of 12th All India ferently.
SAP Achievers Conference
to the dais with traditional honours by the Area
Heads. The conference started with an invocation
and lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries.
Later, in his address, Prof. Keskar shared some of his
.
insights into the working of SAP Appreciating the
groundwork done by SAP over the past six years,
Prof. Keskar observed: “SAP is going to be one of
the best earn-while-you-learn programs in India.
Considering the way the conference has been or-
ganized, it gives me a feeling of excellent top-level
corporate environment”.
Welcoming Prof.Loveraj Takru, Dean,
IBS Dehradun, the guest of honour, to the dais
Prof. Loveraj Takru, in his speech, hailed the con-
cept of SAP and said it had been making a significant
contribution to developing a pool of highly skilled
students who could be readily absorbed by the cor-
porate world. SAP helped students improve their
skills, attitude and personality, he said and recalled
how he had seen students transition from “caterpil-
lars to butterflies.”
Prof. Takru highlighted three important attributes of
an achiever: a personal code of ethics with fairness
Chief Guest Prof. Dhananjay Keskar, Director, IBS
to oneself, ability to handle power with humility and
Pune, receiving a bouquet
work-life balance.
Suggesting that “achievers” assembled at the confer- Deputy Chief Manager MRK Prasad, who welcomed
ence should aim at becoming “super achievers,” he the gathering, later presented a report highlighting
cited the determination of professional cyclist Lance the achievements of SAP organization. His speech
Armstrong, who, while battling cancer and other focused on the path the organization has tread as
odds, notched up a string of achievements in Tour de well as the road ahead.
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
9
Prasad pointed out that the participants were spe- Super Achievers Club Awards: This award is
cial, considering that they were achievers among given away to SAP trainees who make it to Ruby,
10,000 plus IBS students. The support they got Sapphire or Diamond clubs. Trainees achieving 50
from officers of SAP was a matter of pride to the e-units per quarter make it to the SAP Ruby Club,
organization. Alumni credit their stint in SAP for meriting a medallion and a blazer with tie. Train-
their adaptability to the demands of the corporate ees qualifying twice for SAP Ruby Club are inducted
world. SAP transformed students into readymade into the SAP Sapphire Club, and they are rewarded
managers. Despite the recession, SAP achievers with a medallion as well as blazer and tie. Trainees
could secure good jobs and Team Leaders could qualifying thrice for SAP Ruby Club are taken into
shine with good pay packets, he underlined. the SAP Diamond Club, fetching them a medallion
A total of 4,500 students joined SAP during 2008 and blazer with tie. In the 12th SAP Achievers Con-
and 2,880 trainees received stipend for the year. ference, two trainees Abhijit Sarkar (Kolkata) and
In all, 1,010 trainees contributed to FLP sales, with Neelendra Dwivedi (Pune), got Diamond Achiever
575 of them qualifying as achievers to the confer- Club awards. Six others, Tamojit Ghosh (Kolkata),
ences. Among those who made it to the 12th con- Chirag Bharat Sheth (Mumbai), Varun Jain (Pune),
ference were 87 Silver achievers, 22 Gold achiev- Sweta Kashyap (Pune), Ruchika Goenka (ISMS) and
ers, 7 Platinum achievers, 2 Ruby and 1 Diamond Sonam Chawla (Gurgaon) got Ruby Achiever Club
super achiever. Nearly 1,800 students participat- awards.
ed in the IBSAT campaign and 150 of them qualified
as IBSAT achievers by promoting a minimum of 25
bulletins. Under the Summer Internship Program,
SAP trainees leveraged on their corporate contacts
to achieve 3,000 units.
The objective of conference, held twice a year, is
to bring highly talented students with a record of
achievements on a common platform so that they
can share their experiences and learn how to over-
come challenges. The participants used to the hilt
the opportunity they had to network with students
of other b-school centers.
Students who qualified for the conference arrived
at the venue a day in advance. This time, the con-
ference organizers entertained them with a host of This is given for outstanding performance
cultural programs spread over both the days. An by an officer in respect of promotion of
ice-breaking session which prompted participants our knowledge products and IBSAT bul-
to mingle with one another as well as amusements letins.
such as Talent Search and Host Hunt were the oth-
er highlights. The delegates later took part in some Eight officers got Star Officer Award at
management games as well. the conference :
Distribution of the coveted awards in an atmo- Hitesh Harshul Kukreja
sphere that reverberated with the resounding
Kartik J Shivani Seth
success of the achievers was the highlight of the
conference. This year awards were given away to Tarandeep Kaur S K Tiwari
individuals and centers in various categories. Rajat Batra Virendra Patni
10 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
Gokul Bajaj, IBS Gurgaon, receiving the
For the first time, individual achievers Hall of Fame award
with outstanding record in respect of
selling and retrieving 50 plus IBSAT bul-
letins during the campaign period made
it to the Hall of Fame Award. Each of
them got a citation from the chief guest.
They are:
Chetna Agarwal Gokul Bajaj
Pratik Soni Manish Gupta
Sarpesh Jaiswal Kanista Yadav
Nitin Sharma Neeraj Bhalla
Chandrakant Sarda
Sarpesh Jaiswal, IBS Kolkata, receiving the
Hall of Fame award
Awards were given to various centers in A, B and
C categories for registering the highest number of
achiever awards, target achievement, productivity
excellence in FLP etc.
Nitin Sharma, IBS Gurgaon, receiving
Signing on the Hall of Fame banner Hall of Fame award
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
11
SAP Achievers Conferences:
A Flashback
Participants at the 11th All India SAP Achievers Conference held at Shimla
12 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
Prof. Balabhaskaran,
Director, IBS-Ahmedabad,
presenting blazers,
certificates and i-Pods to
SAP Achievers during 11th
All India SAP Achievers
Conference held at
Shimla
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
13
Snapshots of SAP Achievers Conferences
14 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
Snapshots of SAP Achievers Conferences
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
15
The thrill of sharing
.
Utsav is an interesting feature of SAP It provides a platform for alumni
to share with the SAP fraternity their experiences in corporate settings.
Product knowledge test, quiz, management games, personality
development workshops, mock counseling and cultural programmes
are conducted during Utsav to encourage student participation in
.
SAP As part of the finale, faculty members are honoured for their
invaluable contribution to the learning process.
16 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
17
Interview
Make the most of
this platform
VARTIKA RAI
Alumnus of IBS Kolkata
SAP Team
You are now an Assistant Manager with Do you feel nostalgic about your time with while you learn (which is of course the key
ICICI Bank. During your stint in SAP from SAP? mantra), but also to make the most of this
2006 to 2008, you were a RUBY Club platform. Today, when I go for meetings,
Yes, I do; especially when I speak to De-
achiever. Has your involvement in SAP seminars and conferences, I don’t get ner-
bojyoti Sir. Recently, I got to know that
helped you at the workplace? vous because for me it’s not new. I walk
they were leaving for the conference and
in with confidence and have that spark in
My involvement with SAP helped me in that they could hold the Best National
my eyes. I have learnt to tell myself: noth-
establishing relationship with so many Team trophy for the third time in the row.
ing is impossible. I take up challenges
people that it created a database for me I still remember and feel proud that it was
with ease and do multi-tasking. SAP is
automatically. I still remember the day of during my tenure that we won the trophy
just like that kindergarten school where
my interview. Most of the questions per- for the very first time. I miss those days
you first step in and start getting ready for
tained to my association with SAP. Last badly -- cultural nights, dancing to music,
taking those difficult steps in life as and
but not the least, the exposure SAP pro- games and interaction with batch mates.
when you climb those classes and come
vides an individual help in honing one’s We still keep in touch and help one an-
out in flying colors. In the same way, while
abilities and improving confidence. All other in whatever small way we can. I can
you are doing your post graduation, polish
this will surely help in building a remark- now say very confidently that I know at
yourself to step into the corporate world.
able career. least one person in each state of India.
Believe me; the time taken to settle down
In SAP one is exposed to many aspects Do you think the skills you learnt as SAP would be much less, compared to others.
of marketing. Which aspect of SAP has trainee hold good for selling or marketing You will perform early, making yourself a
been most rewarding for you? any kind of product or service? benchmark for the crowd. This goes es-
pecially for freshers who need to get the
Referral marketing. It taught me how to Yes, the skills we learnt help in selling
feel of how people work, how to handle
achieve those difficult numbers by moving the right product to the right person. The
pressure, and how to do ten different jobs
smoothly, creating your own database and need-based analysis, objection handling
at the same time while making each one
sailing through the competition. The rec- and other aspects of marketing help me
of them zero-error. Most importantly, if
ognition, team spirit and leadership quali- in selling even the most difficult product in
managers say that companies prefer SAP
ties you get in SAP are incomparable. The our kitty. I have learnt how to sell dreams
students over others, they are not wrong.
most memorable evening in my life was to an individual and build the confidence
In case you still don’t believe this, ask
when I got an award for best presentation. of my customer in me and my organiza-
them for those numbers and you will be
The presentation was made at a confer- tion.
surprised.
ence and it actually helped me overcome
What would be your message to SAP
my fear of public speaking. I could now Here I am wishing all of you the very best
trainees?
face 500 people and speak to them with of your life and wish each one of you
confidence and without any hesitation. One thing which I really want to share with makes your organization and the country
trainees is that join SAP not only to earn proud.
18 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
SAP will improve I wanted to get There is a
my confidence market exposure healthy
Mr. Rohan Venugopal
Batch 2010
Mr. Abhishek
Chakraborty
competition
Batch 2010 Bhavana Banodha
What do you plan to achieve through
SAP before you complete your pro- SAP activities obviously take up IBS Pune,
gram? time. Does it affect your study Batch 2010
My intention is to meet as many clients time, social life or other commit- What do you plan to achieve
as possible. Every time I get clients my ments? through SAP before you com-
confidence levels increase. Things No, obviously not. plete your program?
change like the flip of a coin when I in- Marketing skills, communication
crease the number of persons I meet. When you opted for SAP what was
skills and confidence.
So, the exposure I get in SAP will prove your main objective? Was it just
financing your studies and earn- What appeals to you most in
to be very helpful in improving my con- SAP?
ing living expenses or something
fidence.
more? A sort of job experience and in-
What appeals to you most in SAP? centives.
Exposure, confidence and experience. Something more. I wanted to get
some market exposure. How do you approach a prospec-
How do you approach a prospective cli- tive client? Is it only in the man-
What all are you learning now from ner suggested by your team lead-
ent? Is it only in the manner suggested
your peers as well as SAP team er and officers or do you have
by your team leader and officers or do
leaders and officers? enough leeway to be innovative
you have enough leeway to be innova-
I now have knowledge of our prod- in you approach?
tive in you approach?
ucts. I also know how to approach We do have freedom to go in our
The approach in meeting a client differs
prospects and how to react to way, but our team leaders are al-
from person to person. For me, it has to
various situations. I am blessed ways there to help us.
be much more than selling a product. I
to have a very good support from Do the various clubs in SAP fos-
try to educate the customer, telling him SAP officials. ter a healthy competition among
about the various possibilities and posi-
How confident are you that your students?
tive aspects of enrolling themselves. I
give the client a solution. experience in SAP will hold you Yes, they create an environment
in good stead after you complete of healthy competition.
Do the various clubs in SAP foster a your program?
healthy competition among students?
It brings in healthy competition. The I am quite confident about it. It will
recognition we get is the most impor- help me approach various corpo-
tant factor because it motivates us to do rate bodies and markets, where I
can use my skills with confidence.
more and achieve more.
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
19
Summer Internship Program (SIP)
enables SAP trainees to leverage
their corporate contacts. In all, 45
trainees excelled in 2008, winning
Bajaj Pulsar bikes, home theaters,
LCD TVs and i-Pods, in addition to
their regular stipends and incen-
tives.
Some of those who won Pulsar
bikes excitedly shared how their
strategy clicked.
Messages from outstanding
performers who won mobikes
I have been able to Networking helped
Abhijit Sarkar
finance my study IBS Kolkata
Abhishek Shah SAP provides a platform for self development. Aside from mon-
IBS Kolkata etary benefits, we have a treasure trove of experience, which
I like adventure and challenges in life. My ability to be nice at can catapult us into positions of power in the corporate world.
all times and the strong belief I had in my dreams helped me Winning the bike has boosted my confidence. It is in recogni-
achieve this. SAP has redefined my personality. Interaction with tion of my efforts. I should mention in the same breadth that my
people has made me very confident and I have established a references and networking helped me achieve this. The great
rapport with senior people in the corporate world. Through SAP encouragement and motivation I got from the entire SAP team
I have been able to finance my study at IBS and meet my living at Kolkata was another factor that helped me to do my best.
expenses.
20 Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
ing references. It gave me encouragement and there was no
looking back. I kept on building the network. I also contacted
employees of various companies with the help of my company
guide and got good responses. SAP is a great concept at IBS.
It simulates for students the job environment in which they would
eventually function in the corporate world.
Sky is the limit,
be it learning or earning
I know how to
close a deal
Sarpesh Jaiswal
IBS Kolkata
I have achieved this because of the good relationship I main-
tain with my clients who give me references. I am lucky to have
found a good working environment, with officers and managers
always motivating me. As part of SAP, I learned how to do mar-
keting, handle a team, maintain clients and, most importantly,
how to close a deal. Apart from the above, I earn money that
finances my studies.
Ravindra G.N
IBS Bangalore
I believed in making the customer feel good and indebted. This
can be achieved through simple steps like wishing them on their
birthdays, wishing them luck for their exams or solving whatever
problems they might have. I never treated my prospects like a
bundle of notes; I gave them correct and proper advice all the
time. SAP is the boat which helps students sail across without
depending on help from others. It gives them an opportunity to
live independently, think broadly, look at things with a helicopter
approach, and enhance personal skills. Sky is the limit, be it
learning or earning.
Simulates job
environment for students
Ashutosh Kumar
IBS Bangalore
Initially I was skeptical about achieving 175 e-units during SIP.
But I started with hopes and an old database of clients. I made
calls and met some of them. I began to feel the power of us-
Vol 1 | Issue 1 | April - June 2009 | The SAP Newsletter
21
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