Every year Samriddhi – an annual national conference organised by the students of Goa Institute of Management (GIM) addresses issues related to various spheres of development to find practical and viable solutions.

This year Samriddhi 2010 focused on a more contemporary subject – Social Media and Business. Samriddhi 2010 aimed at seeking a deeper insight into the growing impact of social networking and how social media has changed business outlook.

The former creative director of the fourth largest advertising agency in the world James Walter Thompson (JWT), Mr Ivan Arthur was the chief guest for the function. He inaugurated the event in the presence of the director of GIM, Mr Peter D’Lima. He congratulated the students and faculty of GIM on the initiative.

Millions of people and businesses interact, share and collaborate through social networking sites, media communities, blogs, and more. Social networks bring together people with similar interests and provide users with an opportunity to interact and express opinions. They provide a platform to discuss products, services, problems and solutions. From jobsites, coffee shops and association meeting these conversations are now increasingly taking place online.

Key note speakers included, senior VP, marketing at Tata Docomo, Mr Abdul Khan,

senior manager, Club Mahindra, Mr Arun Nair, associate director, The Nielson

company, Mr Karthik Nagarajan, CEO, 2020 Social, Mr Gaurav Mishra and founder of Blogworks, Mr Rajesh Lalwani among others.

‘Buzz it’ – a competition on business strategies was also held. Students from across the country were asked to submit a complete business plan for the setting up of a new hotel. From a total of 145 entries, only five short listed colleges made it to the finals. The names of these colleges are Mudra Institute of Communication, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, SIES College of Management Studies and IIM Khoziekode.

GIM has always aimed to impart not just managerial skills to its students but also inculcate in them a sense of social responsibility. In the past year’s Samriddhi has focused on socially relevant themes such as ‘Financing India’s Development’, ‘Sustainable Green Infrastructure’ and ‘Social Entrepreneurship’.

The seminar which is a first of its kind initiative among B-schools drew a large number of distinguished corporate leaders, opinion makers and delegates from across the country.

About Goa Institute of Management: The Goa Institute of Management was started in 1993 by Fr Romuald D’Souza supported by a team of professionals and industrialists and has risen to become one of the finest management schools in the country. It is now embarked on raising its level to be among the top 10 in the country and the top 70 in the world with international accreditation.

The Goa Institute of Management now enters a new phase in its legacy with the completion of their new campus. The new campus offers an array of facilities. GIM has also increased its faculty strength from 16 to 35 faculty members.