12th Awanish Dev Memorial Lecture organised by XISS & MSIL
.jpeg)
Maruti Suzuki India Limited XISS Awanish Kumar Dev Memorial Trust organized the “12th Awanish Dev Memorial Lecture” on October 4, 2024, at Sheraton Grand Hotel, Bengaluru. The theme of the lecture was “Employee Relations 360°: Building a Holistic Employee Experience for Industry 4.0.” The Memorial Lecture was jointly hosted by Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) and Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL).
.png)
This event was intended to unite the CEOs, HR leaders, IR professionals, and students for insightful discussions and collaborative solutions to advance industrial relations and was an opportunity to bridge theory and practice while fostering professional growth. This lecture was organised in association with the National HRD Network (NHRDN). Students from XISS Ranchi, IIM-Ranchi, XLRI Jamshedpur, TISS Mumbai, SCMHRD Pune, and MDI Gurgaon were part of the memorial lecture.
The keynote speakers of the memorial lecture were Mr Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO, MSIL; MR Pratik Kumar, CEP Wipro Infrastructure Engineering & MD, Wipro Enterprises; and Dr SY Siddiqui, Former Executive Advisor at Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. & Chairman of AIMA HR Committee.
.jpeg)
The memorial lecture was also attended by Dr Joseph Marianus Kujur, Director, XISS, Ranchi, Dr Amar E. Tigga, Dean Academic, XISS, Mrs Suparna Prasad, Wife of late Awanish Kumar Dev among others.
A Corporate Panel Discussion was organized where Panel 1 was themed at: Integrating human touch in a tech driven world: Balancing automation & empathy in HR-IR. This discussion saw industry stalwarts such as Mr Yogi Sriram, Consultant Strategic HR, Former Senior VP Corporate HR & Member of Executive Committee, L&T along with Mr Suresh BR, Country Head HR, BOSCH India; Mr Bimal Rath, MD & Founder, Talent Think Services; Mr S Ramesh Shankar, Chief Joy Officer at Hrishti.com & Former Executive VP & Head of HR, Siemens, and Ms Lipika Verma, Vice President – HR, Schneider Electric who played the Moderator of this panel discuss the topic in detail.
.jpeg)
Panel 2 was themed at: Future of work: Reimagining employee relations in the digital era. This discussion saw Mr Lakshmanan MT, CHRO, L&T Technology; Dr Krish Shankar, Partner-Krish Shankar Partners & Former Group Head-HR, Infosys; Ms Shreya Bhagwanth, APAC Total Rewards Leader, 3M; Dr SV Nathan, Co-founder & Chairman, Visara Human Capital Consulting & Former Chief Talent Officer, Deloitte India discuss the future of work in detail where Dr Suresh Dutt Tripathi, Advisor-Human Resource, Air-India played the moderator.
.jpeg)
The fireside chat during the memorial lecture was moderated by Mr P Dwarkanath, Former Chairman, GSK Consumer Healthcare. A student panel on the theme: The ER Equation: Balancing People, Profit, & Planet was organized for the students of XISS Ranchi, IIM-Ranchi, XLRI Jamshedpur, TISS Mumbai, SCMHRD Pune, and MDI Gurgaon. This panel was moderated by Dr GP Rao, Founding & Managing Director, GPR HR Consulting LLP.
To watch the memorial lecture, click on the link:
Awardees of the Maruti Suzuki XISS Awanish Kumar Dev Memorial Scholarship from the Human Resource Management Programme of XISS attended the memorial lecture
Receiving the Awanish Kumar Dev Memorial Scholarship has been an incredible honor, and attending the memorial lecture was the perfect complement to this achievement. The event brought together distinguished academicians, experienced HR professionals, and industrial leaders, creating a platform for insightful discussions.
A key highlight was the corporate panel discussion on integrating the human touch in a tech-driven world, which explored how technology can be used to balance automation with empathy in HR and IR practices. The conversation also covered the evolving role of HR and IR with the rise of IoT, emphasizing how employee experience now extends beyond the physical workplace, encompassing culture, technology, and the overall ethos of the organization. The event concluded with a valuable mentoring session where industry experts shared their journeys and offered guidance for our future careers. Overall, the event was an exceptional learning experience for me, filled with key takeaways for personal and professional growth. - Khyati Raj
Being awarded the Awanish Kumar Dev Memorial Scholarship is a significant honour in my academic as well as professional journey. Attending the memorial lecture was an enriching experience which brought together scholars, academicians, and HR professionals to explore the theme of “Employee Relations 360°: Building Holistic Employee Experience for Industry 4.0.”
The focus of the Fireside Chat, where trade union leaders and top management discussed "Fostering a Culture of Trust & Collaboration in the Modern Workplace," emphasized the importance of transparency and trust. The discussions underscored that while digital transformation reshapes workplaces, human skills like empathy and communication remain essential. The insights gained from the event expanded my understanding of HR practices in the context of Industry 4.0. It left me with a renewed perspective on how HR professionals can drive change, balancing technological advancement with the human touch. I look forward to applying these learnings to enhance organizational culture in my future endeavours. - Anirban Nandi
Winning the Awanish Kumar Dev Memorial Scholarship gave me the privilege of delving into the dynamic world of HR during the memorial lecture where the focus was on Employee Relations 360°: Building a Holistic Employee Experience for Industry 4.0.
The event provided valuable learning, particularly focusing on how organizations can promote flexibility, work-life balance, and safety in a rapidly evolving landscape. The discussions around nurturing relationships through transparent communication, maintaining integrity and commitment, and the importance of leaders leading by example were enlightening. I was particularly intrigued by the challenges posed by the gig workforce and the emerging phenomenon of jobless growth, highlighting the need for HR professionals to remain relevant and adaptable. The panel emphasized that technology and empathy must go hand in hand, stressing the importance of both IQ and EQ in creating future-ready organizations. The event left me with a renewed understanding of how HR can navigate the balance between innovation and maintaining a human touch, underscoring the importance of upskilling, genuine leadership, and promoting a quality work-life experience in the modern era. - Khushi Poddar