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Biz lit fest is where knowledge meets wisdom, muses organiser Aruna Katara
College of Engineering Pune will host the second edition of India Business Literature Festival on Saturday, October 5
Aruna Katara, organiser India Business Literature Festival
College of Engineering Pune will host the second edition of India Business Literature Festival on Saturday, October 5. Business writers from across the country will be present for the one-day event. Dheeraj Bengrut speaks to Aruna Katara, director, Hope foundation and one of the organisers of India Business Literature Festival.
Did Indian business really need a literature festival?
The idea behind the India Business Literature Festival is to build a platform for business and management authors to showcase their work, present, discuss and debate literature that impacts businesses and ultimately foster a love for business literature and writing. This fest is a place where knowledge meets wisdom. Considering this, Sameer Dua, author and chief curator of IBLF and I were excited to launch this fest and Anurag Batra, chairperson and editor-in-chief of BW Businessworld came on board, and thus, the three of us began the festival.
Does Pune lend itself as a host city to festivals of this nature?
Pune is an education hub. With top B-schools located in the city, it was only natural that we host this business lit fest here. We received enormous response last year, and hope to receive the same this year too. This year, the fest promises to be the Disneyland for business writing. This year, we have a new set of outstanding business authors, each of who have made contributions to business thought and practice. I am excited that Pune, now has a business lit fest of its own.
A word on the key speakers for this year’s event.
This year, the festival will host speakers like R A Mashelkar, eminent scientist, Kiran Karnik, former president of Nasscom , Jyoti Tilak, director of ICFAI Business School, B B Ahuja, director of COEP, Ravi Pandit, co-Founder of KPIT among others. The event will begin with “In Conversation With” a section where Mashelkar and Pandit will discuss “Leap Frogging to Pole Vaulting: Creating the Magic of a Radical yet Sustainable Transformation”. In another session Pralhad Kakar, ad film maker, Jayaram Easwaran, author will speak about “Journey from otherwise to wise”.
What is the take-home for the festival-inclined Punekar?
Businesses and market place are dynamic, and to stay ahead, it is imperative that strategies are evolved, thinking is transformed and processes enhanced. The fest gives all of this on a platform. B-school students will get an opportunity to listen to key authors and know the latest trends of the industry which will augment their learning in the classroom.
