Crescent, the Entrepreneurship Development Cell of XLRI, organized Samarpan, a business plan contest, as part of Ensemble 2008, the annual management fest of XLRI. The event was organized in association with Accenture, one of the top consulting and outsourcing organizations in the world. The competition focused on social upliftment as each plan was designed in order to improve living conditions of people living below the poverty line in rural India.
Major interest was shown in the event as various teams sent in plans during the preliminary stage of the event. However, only 5 teams were shortlisted, from V G Somaiya Management Institute at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Institute of Rural Management, Ahmedabad, and a startling three teams from XLRI, Jamshedpur itself. The plans showcased the innovative thinking and analytical skills of the students as well as their interest in undertaking a project which would not only have major social impact, but also made sound business and economical sense. The plans also targeted a diverse range of people and promoted various vocational sources of income such as sewing cooperatives for women, community radios for education and centres to improve farming techniques using latest technology like Global Positioning Systems, Global Information Systems, while also providing agricultural insurance and farming equipments. Adequate research was done by the team in the field as well as on the drawing boards before they decided on their final plans.
Judged by eminent academicians from the field of economics, strategic management and marketing, the team from Institute of Rural Management, Ahmedabad were judged the winners after almost three hours of presentations and questioning by all the teams. The winners walked away with a cool 45, 000 INR as prize money and also the opportunity to present their plan before venture capitalists, which would be facilitated by Crescent. Their plan centred around a novel strategy of targeting fishermen along India’s coastline, by training and facilitating them to use seaweed nets. This would provide these fishermen with a secondary source of income, while it would also be eco friendly and economical.
Major interest was shown in the event as various teams sent in plans during the preliminary stage of the event. However, only 5 teams were shortlisted, from V G Somaiya Management Institute at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Institute of Rural Management, Ahmedabad, and a startling three teams from XLRI, Jamshedpur itself. The plans showcased the innovative thinking and analytical skills of the students as well as their interest in undertaking a project which would not only have major social impact, but also made sound business and economical sense. The plans also targeted a diverse range of people and promoted various vocational sources of income such as sewing cooperatives for women, community radios for education and centres to improve farming techniques using latest technology like Global Positioning Systems, Global Information Systems, while also providing agricultural insurance and farming equipments. Adequate research was done by the team in the field as well as on the drawing boards before they decided on their final plans.
Judged by eminent academicians from the field of economics, strategic management and marketing, the team from Institute of Rural Management, Ahmedabad were judged the winners after almost three hours of presentations and questioning by all the teams. The winners walked away with a cool 45, 000 INR as prize money and also the opportunity to present their plan before venture capitalists, which would be facilitated by Crescent. Their plan centred around a novel strategy of targeting fishermen along India’s coastline, by training and facilitating them to use seaweed nets. This would provide these fishermen with a secondary source of income, while it would also be eco friendly and economical.
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