Wharton forum to focus on the Indian Dream
Friday, 20 October 2006, 19:30 IST
Printer Print Email Email
WASHINGTON: Wharton India Economic Forum 2006 (WIEF), the premier American student-run business forum focusing on India, will be held in Philadelphia Nov 11 with the theme 'Realising the Indian Dream'. Established in 1996, this year marks the 11th year of the conference and also coincides with the 125th anniversary of The Wharton School. "Although the Indian Dream parallels the idea of the American Dream, we seek to further delve into what exactly constitutes India's ideal for success," a WIEF release said noting the forum will serve as the platform for thought leaders to define their perception of this dream. Though India's success in global business and political landscape over the last decade has been attributed to a myriad of factors such as the country's focus on information technology, favourable economic policies, and a growing number of ambitious entrepreneurs, the common thread underlying all of these initiatives is the Indian Dream, it said. This year's conference, divided into seven panels, promises to offer a unique perspective on the promise of India's future growth and development. The panels are - Government: Driving India Ahead; Indian Industry: Redefining Boundaries; Gateway to India: Opportunities and Challenges; Media & Entertainment: It's Showtime!; Destination India: Entrepreneurs at Work; Investment in India: Fuelling the Growth; Indian Financial Services: Fortune in the Middle of the Pyramid. Prominent business leaders expected to attend include Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto; Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Industries Limited; G.R. Gopinath, Founder & MD, Air Deccan; Rajat Gupta, former Worldwide Managing Director, McKinsey & Co.; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson & MD, Biocon; and Sunil Kant Munjal, MD & CEO, Hero Cycles. From the media and entertainment world, the forum expects Rajat Jain, Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company (India) Pvt. Ltd.; Karan Johar, filmmaker; Vivek Oberoi, film actor; Ronnie Screwvala, CEO, UTV & President, Film and TV Producers Guild, India; and Manmohan Shetty, Chairman, Adlabs and Chairman, National Film Development Corporation of India. Also expected are Adarsh Kishore, Finance Secretary, Government of India; Ashok Lahiri, Chief Economic Advisor, Department of Economic Affairs; Rajiv Ratan Shah, Member-Secretary, Planning Commission; Ron Somers, President, US India Business Council; and Shashi Tharoor, United Nations Under-Secretary-General.
Source: IANS