Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (Established under section 3 of the UGC Act 1956, by notification No. F.9-12/2001-U3 Government of India) Re-accredited by NAAC with "A" Grade (3.58/4)Awarded Category - I by UGC
SSBF sensitizes its students towards society. For it, students have formed Corporate Social Responsibility committee. CSR committee conducts activities like financial quiz, exposure trip of underprivileged students; interaction with HIV affected children in consultation with various non-profit organizations. In line with it, SSBF has made a space for these kinds of activities in its curriculum. We have “Minor Project”, a course dedicated to provide exposure to the students about financial conditions in underprivileged society. Under it, we have covered issues like financial awareness, financial inclusion etc. in nearby villages. This year, a group of students visited BAIF, a leading NGO in the country. They visited BAIF’s center at Uruli Kanchan to see their Micro Insurance, Micro Finance, and Training Programme. Another group of students visited R-SETI of Bank of Maharashtra to gain exposure of training programme customized for underprivileged women. Two more issues covered were Financial Inclusion, and CSR. For Financial inclusion, students went to rural as well urban areas and conducted a survey to gain understanding of topic under consideration. For CSR, students took the view of bank employees and customers to gain their understanding about it through survey.
Some of the feedbacks of students for the visits are as under:“I had a good and interactive experience with the trainees and faculty of RSETI- Hadapsar. I learned about the organization and its noble initiative towards rural economy. After having interacted with the trainees, I came to know that it is helping them to get self-employed and help their families in improving their financial condition. I Hope this program reaches all the unemployed youth and help them in lighting their future. I wish all the best to the organization to achieve their goal.”
Madhura Sunil Gangurde
After visiting RSETI- Hadapsar, I got to know about the steps Bank of Maharashtra has taken to uplift the status of poor and needy people. BOM conducts many training programs which is helpful for many people. I wish all the best to the Organization.
Minu Pandey
“My visit to RSETI was excellent – exceptionally informative, balanced and interactive teaching about RSETI organizing comprehensive training programs to upgrade skills of prospective entrepreneurs, existing workforce and also develop skills of new workers. It is a training institute, where the trainees are exposed to rigorous theoretical and practical training in the respective activities. A fabulously well-equipped centre with the knowledgeable and friendly staff. I was engaged and came away with a wider understanding of RSETI working system. A great day with abundance of resources for us to use. It was well paced and clear and always an incredibly useful experience.”
Reshma Shaikh
“I had a good interaction with a self-help group "Samarth Mahila Arth Bachat Gat” and got to learn about the working of an organization, how they help each other in time of emergency, and how the group works as a whole.”
Camellia Prabhakar
"It was a very good experience, visiting BAIF at Urali kanchan. I have learnt lot of things about micro finance, how is it practiced in the SHGs, and how they get benefitted from micro finance. It helped me gain knowledge that would help me pursue my MBA in a better way. Mr. Shashank Mokashi is not only an amazing organizer of BAIF, but also a very good teacher. I got to learn about BAIF's importance and many other enlightening things from him. We also spoke to few members of SHGs. Those women spoke about how they manage their SHG. I was amazed by the confidence levels these women have. Overall, it was an amazing experience. Wish we could have got more time to do some more extensive research on BAIF."
P.Ragha Keerthana
“I had the chance of visiting BAIF as a part of Minor Project undertaken by the institute. It was a great learning experience as I got to see how the micro insurance and the micro finance activities are actually implemented. Meeting with the women of SHG, helped me to understand,how these groups operate and function. Interaction with Mr. Shivthare and Mr. Mokashi taught me how to initiate the formation of SHG’s and also the concept of looking for “entry points”. The efficiency and the cost effectiveness of the organization was worth making a note of and also the hospitality, courtesy and co-operation extended by them. A point to be noted was the way they were handling various activities and how by their constant perseverance they had achieved self-sustaining, independent and efficient units. It was really heartwarming to see how their women empowerment program had given results and the women had small enterprises of their own and were economically independent. The discussion of the problems faced all these years was very insightful and helped me see the true picture of how the world works and the practical problems faced when you set out to do something. It was a great learning experience and it helped bridge the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge. In the process I got to interact with different kinds of people, understand the situation from their point of view and also eat really authentic and tasty lunch at a small meal home which was run by one of the women with encouragement and support of BAIF”
Jayalaxmi M. Desai
On the 19th of June, the second year students of SSBF started off their session with a field trip to Dang, Gujarat. The three-day trip gave the students an opportunity to take a closer look at one of the most backward districts of the country. It enabled them to get a better understanding of not just the issues faced by such places, but also the kind of opportunities they have to offer.
SSBF was assisted by Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF) in this endeavor. They have been working towards the upliftment of such regions for the last five decades. They have come up with, and successfully implemented, various models that have greatly advantaged the rural population of this country. The journey didn’t just include field visits but also lectures and seminars by the professionals of BAIF. They talked about various activities that were being undertaken by the organization and how they found success despite facing tremendous odds.
Overall, it was a fruitful experience for the students and helped them gain deeper insights about rural life.
The ISR and Co-Curricular Team initiated a Banking Drive across Symbiosis campuses all over Pune on 7th, 8th and 9th December, 2016 with the aim of creating awareness and providing access to banking services to the unbanked and underprivileged people
For this purpose, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance (SSBF) collaborated with Bank of India (BOI) to collect data from Symbiosis staff with the intention of opening bank accounts for them as a step towards Financial Inclusion and also to help them cope up with impediments of demonetization.
The drive was successfully conducted across six symbiosis campuses namely Lavale Hill top, Hill base, Hinjewadi, Viman nagar, Model Colony with the help of students, faculty and admin staff. The data was collected from security guards, housekeeping staff, mess workers etc. Details such as Name, aadhar card no., pan card no. , address, contact no. etc. were collected by the volunteers.
Nearly, 400 applications were recorded in total across Symbiosis, Pune. The data recorded was as follows:
| Total No. of Applicants | 389 |
| People without Pan and Aadhar card | 80 |
| People without Pan Card | 221 |
| People without Aadhar Card | 98 |
| People with Pan card and UID | 155 |
The drive was also conducted in other campuses with the help of volunteers, faculty and staff of the institution. There were good amount of responses gained at various campuses as well. The Banking Drive 2016, was a successful initiative undertaken by the ISR and Co-curricular committee of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance as it helped us in promoting financial literacy and also helping the people to open the much needed bank accounts as they were facing tough after effects of demonetization.
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Duration: July,2019 – March,2020
As Banking Drive was a new committee formed by SSBF management in 2019, we started our work from the beginning to achieve an objective of committee which is survey on Financial Literacy and spread awareness towards financial products in rural areas near by Symbiosis Knowledge Village, Lavale and work towards financial inclusion of rural people. Initially, with the support of Dr. Dilip Ambarkhane Sir we met several times and brainstormed about how we can achieve this and finally we prepared a survey questionnaire which is based on knowledge, attitude and behaviour and we allocated score to them. Afterwards we started visiting Urwade village every Saturday which is located at 20 km from Symbiosis, Lavale and adopted by Symbiosis University. We formed group of volunteers to survey whole village which constitutes around 400 families. We got very good response from people of village and they were keen to understand various banking products like different types of loans and different government schemes which can be helpful to them. We have completed survey of whole village by Decemeber,2019. After completions of pen-paper based survey we entered whole data in a spreadsheet to make digital record, analysed the data and allocated score to them which was already shared. We can say from our experience that people of Urwade had a huge respect for Symbiosis University and they often offered us tea and food which was unexpected but nice hospitality to us.
Except survey, Other social initiative we made a video on communal harmony and showed in a class. We often send some banking related stats and news updates to the batch. We have also organized two big events and details of same are as below:
Financial Literacy Drive – Rihe
On 8th,9th,15th and 16th February, 2020 we with the help of ISR committee and other volunteers had conducted financial literacy survey drive at Rihe village which is located at 25 km from Symbiosis, Lavale and also adopted by Symbiosis University. This drive was conducted from 9 AM – 5 PM on all 4 days and completed survey of whole Rihe village and other 12 small colonies located near to Rihe village. Lunch was given to us at the home of one of villagers which was also good.
By the end of this activity, we collected total of around 1100 financial literacy surveys which also includes Urwade village.
Banking Drive – Account Opening Event
On 12th March, 2020 SSBF organised banking drive camp in Urwade village, an event where people who are yet to open their bank accounts are given an opportunity to get their bank accounts opened, with the support of BANK OF INDIA. The bank did this with the help of student volunteers from SSBF’S banking drive committee who were responsible for collection of data of the individuals who wants to open a bank account. The event saw a participation of Director ma’am herself Mrs. Manisha Ketkar with faculty Dr. Dilip Ambarkhane. The event really helped people of Urwade village who were being left out of various government schemes. For this fortuitous undertaking the panchayat office of the village was chosen where bank official processed and verified the documentation needed for opening the respective accounts. “It goes without saying, that helping other is the way we help ourselves”. The sentence here is befitting in this context which shows the team’s alacrity and willingness to lend a helping hand for those in need. This is what we ensure here at SSBF.
We are looking forward to work in a next year with the help of enthusiastic juniors.
Attachments: Committee work Images
Banking Drive Survey – Urwade Village:
Account Opening Event:
FINANCIAL LITERACY DRIVE- BANKING DRIVE
When pandemic suddenly came upon the entire world, causing the wheels of the global economy to abruptly stop, resulted in a record-breaking market collapse. The pandemic hence led to a 60% increase in the opening of new Jan Dhan accounts, according to the report.We believe this surge is possibly related to the thrust on digital payments - which require a bank account - amid the rising fear of infection.
The Banking Drive Committee conducted a week-long activity between 27th January - 2nd February 2021. Financial literacy is integral to a country's growth. 76% of India's adult population is not even aware of the basic financial concepts. To help increase financial literacy, the students enquired with a domestic servant about their bank account. If they did not have a bank account, the students guided them in opening one bank account. They also educated them on the need of having a bank account. Students also educated the domestic help about the benefits of a Jan-Dhan Yojana and taught them to operate a Rupay card. The students played their part in increasing financial literacy by helping those around them.
This drive made us realize that we have to be committed to spread financial literacy so that .the regular expenses, secure the future, and to tide over the various crises that can come our way.
“The benefits of pursuing financial independence are many but being able to handle stressful, unexpected events with ease is one of the most valuable.”
The freshman batch of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, took a small step towards changing the face of the earth, by organizing a tree plantation drive on 16 July, 2019 (Tuesday). Considering the manifold benefits of trees and the degrading state of the planet, this was a small step by the students to raise awareness and contribute their part, at Symbiosis International University, hilltop campus, Lavale. The event witnessed active participation by students, staff and the esteemed faculty members. The staff and the 'kakas' were specially appreciated by the students and faculty for helping them make this event a grand success. Although SIU Lavale is a lush green campus, steps like these, are the need of the hour, not just on 'Environment Day', but on a regular basis. Co-existing with the flora and fauna has always been the culture of Symbiosis and these initiatives just prove to be cherry on top. Pictures of the event show that the students of SSBF are not about the trending 'Faceapp' but more about changing the 'Face' of the earth.
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Tree Plantation Drive was held on 27th of August 2018, by students of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. The Symbiosis, Lavale campus is filled with lush greenery and is a health promoting campus. The students, staff and management strongly believe in the coexistence of humans with the flora and fauna that the campus has to offer. The tree plantation drive showed that it is not important to plant trees only on Environment Day to keep the environment pollution free, but that this initiative can be taken up for a better life on a regular basis. The students were taken to hill base of Symbiosis hills where they, along with the faculty and staff, assembled near the rain water harvesting reservoir. Next, they took a mini trek up the Lavale hills to plant saplings at various locations at the hills. The drive had active participation of the students and director, Dr. Manisha Ketkar along with the faculty of SSBF. The event tells us that taking care of our environment and being responsible for it should be a part of life. Finally, there was a happy picture taken after a successful event.
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“There is no best time to plant a tree. It should be done as quickly as possible.” All of us have a duty towards the earth that is to sustain it’s greenery and to not destroy the trees that give us our basic need that we require for survival, which is oxygen.
As the first initiative for the academic year 2016-2017, the ISR committee undertook a tree plantation drive on the 1st of July, 2016 in the campus itself at 9:15 a.m. Trees were planted near the academic block and the parking space of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. All the faculty members, non-teaching staff and the director of the institute along with the students of the committee actively and enthusiastically participated in this drive. At 9:15 a.m. two members each from the junior committee and senior committee along with the head of the ISR committee, Dilip Sir went to receive our director, Manisha Ketkar Ma’am to flag off the tree plantation drive. The first tree was planted by our director ma’am and subsequently all the teaching, non-teaching and admin staff also planted the trees. First, the trees were planted near the academic block of the institution and later we all proceeded towards the parking area where two more trees were planted by the teaching faculty of the institution. The ISR committee has taken upon itself to maintain and take care of the trees planted in the premises as a part of the social responsibility of the institution to contribute towards the greenery of this beautiful campus and also discharging our duty towards mother nature. After the plantation program, photos were clicked in order to cherish this beautiful memory.
On behalf of the ISR committee, we would like to thank director ma’am, teaching, non-teaching and the admin staff who spared some time from their busy schedule, for their support and enthusiastic participation, which helped us make the first event of this academic year a great success.
Photo Gallery“The work of community, love, reconciliation, restoration is the work we cannot leave up to politicians. This is the work we are called to do.” – Shane Claiborne
Pune’s main rivers, the Mula and Mutha have several smaller tributaries. One such small river is the Ramnadi, which originates to the South-West of Pune city and joins the Mula within city limits. Unfortunately, the river is fragmented in several places because of human interventions. Kirloskar Vasundhara Foundation and other 12 organizations came together to create this mission of restoration of Ramnadi to its former state of continuous pure flow and to bring back the glory of this small and once beautiful river.
The students of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance have taken a great initiative to be a part of this mission under the guidance of Dr. Dilip Ambarkhane, Mr. Ardhendu Shekhar Singh and Ms. Shipla Avte. The first visit was held on 14 September 2019. The foundation has divided the Ramnadi into 8 patches. The students visited all the patches to understand the problems in detail. Thereafter they have selected the Bhukum village for their intensive long term activity. For the second visit which was held on 23 November 2019, the students surveyed the village to find out the actual problem and solutions. The students then spread awareness in the village about the restoration of Ramnadi and it will be beneficial for both the present and future generations. Six students then took part in the Kirloskar competition, for which they presented their view of all the problems existing in the Bhukum village and how they can help to restore the Ramnadi. They enlightened how the villagers are financially strong but still are facing shortage of good quality water.
This is a five-year project and the students have taken this step to improve the condition of Ramnadi. This is a problem faced by the whole country and this mission will help the students to contribute towards it in future along with motivating others.
Report on the ‘Swachchhata Pakhwada’ initiative carried out by the Institute Social Responsibility committee at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance.
The ‘Swachchhata Pakhwada’ was the initiative of Maharashtra government to give a push to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Accordingly the Swachchhata Pakhwada initiative was to be carried out between 1st September 2017 to 15th September 2017. The Institute Social Responsibility committee of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance focused on the campus cleanliness initiatives. The committee carried out the following events on the background of Swachchhata Pakhwada.
This initiative was carried out on 11th September 2017 at the Hostels at the SIU Lavale campus. Along with the committee members many volunteers from SSBF also participated actively in the initiative.
To undertake this initiative the committee members visited the mess and inspected the cleanliness and hygiene of the facility. This initiative was carried out on 13th September 2017. According to the inspection the mess is thoroughly cleaned thrice a day and the surroundings are cleaned twice a day. Cleanliness is given utmost emphasis when it comes to mess facilities at SIU Lavale campus.
The Clean Campus Day was undertaken on 14th September 2017 at the Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. The surroundings of the college were targeted for this cleanliness initiative.
This initiative was carried out on 15th September 2017 at the Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance
Jigyasa is CSR’s annual endeavour to highlight to school children the need for financial awareness and kindle in them the urge to be better informed citizens. Raising financial awareness among kids is the first step to financially aware, trained and adept adults; catching them young moulds malleable minds and helps in inculcating good financial habits like saving and investment from the very beginning
''Khushi'' is another annual event conducted by CSR on World AIDS day, where SSBF students spend a day and spread cheer to an orphanage ‘MANAVYA’ with HIV afflicted children .We bring this children to our campus and give them the lack of Interaction and love that they miss. From past two years Khushi event has made to smile these children and in turn our Students have realized the value of life .These children face lack of love and affection, but SSBF has been making continuous attempt to spread love and bring enthusiasm among these children and giving them a hope of ray to stand strong in the society. Spending a day with them is not our goal but to learn a bit from them and in turn educate them regarding the well-being in society is the main aim of our Students.
''Manavya'' is another annual event conducted by CSR on World AIDS day, where SSBF students visit and spread cheer in orphanages with HIV afflicted children. The event is an attempt to include AIDS inflicted into mainstream society and help bring a smile on their faces, raising awareness about the dreaded disease in the process.
With new banking licenses all set to be issued to private sector players and non-banking financial companies, it’s the advent of a new era!
The germination of an idea, the exchange of thoughts, and emergence of a solution – how often do we get the opportunity to witness thought leaders and policy makers in action? However, the students at Symbiosis School of Banking & Finance had the phenomenal opportunity to witness the action first-hand when in collaboration with Mint, SSBF hosted the Conclave on 9th October,2012 – an event that brought together the stalwarts of the banking industry to debate and deliberate on the new equations that would transpire after the entry of industrial houses. However, this surprisingly was not even the best part – the best part was the conclave being presided over by Mr. Anand Sinha – the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, who addressed the gathering, enlightened everyone about RBI’s viewpoint on licensing and even interacted with students at end of the session.
The event saw the heavyweights of the banking industry alighting the stage to debate the pros and cons of licensing, how soon it should be implemented, whether the current banking landscape is ready for such a change and how many licenses should actually be doled out.
The list of illustrious panellists included Mr. Naresh Takkar, Managing Director, ICRA; Mr. Ashwin Parekh, Partner National Industry Leader, Global Financial Services, Ernst and Young; Mr. D. Sarkar, CMD, Union Bank of India, Mr. Hemant Contractor, Managing Director, State Bank of India; Mr. Shachindra Nath, Chief Executive Officer, Religare Enterprises Ltd; Mr. Nirmal Jain,CMD India Infoline; while Mr. Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Deputy Managing Editor, Mint was the moderator for the conclave.
Mr. Takkar was of the opinion that we need not wait more to issue new licenses, however there is absolutely no room for differential licensing of any kind. He also thought that this licensing window should not be a one-time window, it should be kept open and adequate licenses should be given out -citing 10 to begin with as a good number. Mr. Nirmal Jain concurred with statement and vehemently championed the cause of brokers too stating that the licenses should be on tap and the window not to be open and shut. He too wanted the licenses issue to begin with immediate effect where the threshold should be minimum net worth and there is no differential pricing. Mr. Shachin Nath too agreed that the regime should begin in the next 9-12 months, licenses being given to 5-6 players to start with and survival of the fittest thereafter.
However Mr. Hemant Contractor had some reservations. He put on record that he was not afraid of the new competition and he also denied that SBI and other public sector banks had failed in their duties to spread financial inclusion. However, he stated that the licenses should come in to effect only after requisite amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, and opined that looking at the current scenario only a handful of players – 3-4 to be precise – would be eligible to actually get hold of licenses. Mr. Ashwin Parekh was sceptical too. He stated that the Indian banking framework was not suited to licenses for industrial houses currently and it would take a minimum of two years to bring it to scratch. He also said that 2-3 licenses were to be given out every 5 years and there was no room for differential licensing. He was of the opinion that banks derive their strength from the size of their balance sheet and this was a key area to be looked into. Mr. Sarkar too, like Mr Contractor stated that his bank encouraged competition and had no fear of the new entrant, he too agreed that it was unfair to expect the PSUs to perform miracles overnight and spread banking access to the entire country – the banks had broken ground and were still working at it.
The conclave was food for thought for the audience; it was a delight to watch the spectacle unfold. Corporate Interface Team of the college which had collaborated with Mint to set the event in motion was extremely happy and proud of the proceedings! Abhishek Purohit, a CIT member said, “It is truly rare for students to get the chance to interact with stalwarts of the industry and get an insight in to what they think of the burning issues. We are indeed fortunate that we got hold of this opportunity. It was a phenomenal experience. The entire college worked together to make this event happen and fruits of our hard work were indeed sweet! The deliberations were so insightful and so thought-provoking. We asked questions, interacted with the dignitaries and got the chance to gain first-hand knowledge about such a vital issue. It was a thoroughly enriching experience and one that I would cherish forever.”
No learning can proceed in a vacuum, and this is true especially for the BFSI. In SSBF’s tireless efforts to bring together academia and industry, we at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organized and hosted the Banker’s Conclave on July 25th, inviting eminent bankers and industrialists, to interact with the students and share insights on issues crucial to the business and banking worlds.
The 25th of July saw a large group of eager participants, including interns of RBI, College of Agricultural Banking, from University of Boston and New Castle University, and students from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management.
The event commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, and with the welcome address by our esteemed director, Dr. Manisha Ketkar.
Any growth that a country bears witness to is perhaps meaningless if that growth cannot offer meaningful impact to all the people of the country. In this context, the idea of financial inclusion has gained significant traction as a means of ensuring that as many people as possible can partake of the benefits of a burgeoning economy. This has particular importance in India, where 60% of the rural population is still unbanked. Recognising the importance of this issue, Financial Inclusion was made the first topic of discussion during the Banker’s Conclave.
The participants were introduced to the concept of financial inclusion through a short film, put together by the SSBF’s creative team, which explained the minimum requirements of financial inclusion, and showcased some of the efforts of SSBF’s Institutional Social Responsibility team in bringing financial inclusion and literacy to the underprivileged.
The discussion began with insights from the panel, each member noted for their efforts in bringing together everyone into the financial system.
The panel was moderated by Professor Samapti Guha, from TISS (Tata institute of Social Services), who noted that while great strides were being made to solve the issue of financial exclusion, not enough work has been done to understand the problem itself. India has been a frontrunner in improving financial solutions, but the aspect of Social, Institutional and Psychological Exclusion merits further research.
Mr. Muthuselvan, Faculty at RBI-CAB opined that India had made significant advances in this field and that the bank-led model of financial inclusion suited India, due to the presence of robust and tight regulations. While telecom-led or other-entity-led models were successful elsewhere, India’s strength lies in this model. In addition the introduction of Agent Banking models and Business Correspondence models has made significant inroads in addressing the problem. In addition, banks, in being allowed to liberally open centres in 2-6 tier regions has given them incentive to expand and improve the reach of financial services. Mr. Muthuselvan also pointed that basic consumer rights needed to be maintained even in the face of financial inclusion.
Mr. L. M. Deshmukh, General Manager, Financial Inclusion, Bank of Maharashtra, took the thread of the discussion and highlighted a few key statistics in India’s March towards financial inclusion. Nearly 16.71 crore have been accounts have been opened, however 50% of them alone have commenced operations. He also spoke of the importance of credit penetration, and the inclusion of overdraft facilities for over 80 lakh accounts. The importance of biometrics is not to be underestimated. He was optimistic that three to five years might be all India needs for financial inclusion.
Mr. Vaibhav Peshney, Assistant Vice President, YES Bank explained his organization’s approach to financial inclusion, wherein, they managed to gain a foothold by using credit services as a means of financial inclusion. He expanded on how financial inclusion isn’t an obligation but an opportunity for banks to expand their markets and their customer base. YES Bank’s banks partnering with SHG was a strategy that helped them increase reach, without having to rely on branch banking. Thus, alternate delivery channels needed to be looked into, and the best way to bring more people into the system was to help fulfil their needs.
The discussion moved from the panel to the audience, who took the opportunity to acquaint themselves better with Financial Inclusion. Some light was shed on how easy it has become to open an account, using minimal KYC norms for the excluded sector, and how it could be possible for moneylenders, and other financial agents outside of the financial system itself to partner with the banks and improve penetration of financial services.
The first half of the Banker’s Conclave was a very insightful session and added valuable perspective on Financial Inclusion.
The afternoon session of the Banker’s Conclave tackled the idea and implications of Corporate Social Responsibility. With the inclusion of mandatory CSR, through the Companies Act, as well as companies taking note of the many benefits of giving back to the community, CSR has become a topic of study and discussion, and thus, a very interesting avenue to explore during the Banker’s Conclave.
The session began with an explanatory short film, compiled by SSBF’s Creative Team, explaining the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, and highlighting the growth in CSR activities in India.
Prof. Girish Agarwal from IRMA opened the discussion, noting that while CSR has been gaining popularity, companies shouldn’t invent theories to implement change. Research on the issues they wish to address is crucial, he felt. CSR should not be disconnected from the value chain improvement process, and information asymmetry should be reduced. He also stressed on the need to cultivate the right mind set towards CSR.
Mrs. Leena Deshpande, Head of CSR, Bharat Forge Ltd. Pune, spoke of the soft aspects of CSR, and how it goes beyond the boundaries of mere philanthropy. She also highlighted Bharat Forge’s CSR initiatives, which included promoting sports and sanitation in schools. Employee involvement was a key factor of in the success of these CSR initiatives.
Mr. Zubin Kabraji, Regional Director, Pune, Indo German Chambers of Commerce, explained that CSR can be implemented in many shapes and forms, for example, research on alternative energy sources, and how the Indo-German Chambers offers advisory services for the many German Companies operating in Pune. He also spoke of initiatives by Indo-German Chambers of commerce around the world, including development of competency centres, CSR training in Malaysia, Reporting activities in South Korea and how these led to positive impact on the community.
Mr. Srinath Komarina, Senior Vice President, YES Bank, Mumbai highlighted work done by YES BANK which has improved the life of the community around them, and explained how CSR had its merits even in the pragmatic view of running a business and making profits. In case of YES BANK the initiatives led to improved business and greater sustainability. Further, he highlighted YES Bank’s practices to improve sustainability, such as triple bottom line accounting, facilitating responsible investments, and investing in Green projects.
Mr. M. N. Sanyal, Head of CSR, Thermax Ltd. Pune, shared Thermax’s CSR initiatives, including the practicing of employing clean energy technology, and Thermax’s emphasis on improving education facilities in India, especially in government schools. He spoke of how, even without being envisioned as such, the CSR initiatives helped in brand-building for Thermax in the local community. In his view, the participation and contribution of employees is what elevates CSR from charity, to a catalyst for positive change.
During the question hour, the audience was curious of the Company Act enacted recently in India, which asks Corporate entities to set aside at least 2% of the post-tax profit for CSR related activities. The full implications of the Act are yet to be fully realised, and it would be interesting to see how it impacts Companies in the future.
The impact of CSR is best summed up in Mr. Srinath Komarina’s words- “The business of business is more than business.” And as the students of SSBF make their way into the world of business, these are words we shall remember.
The event was very well received by all the participants and other invitees in the audience. The invitees also enjoyed a campus tour and were pleased with the hospitality and other arrangements. Staying true to our vision, this was one of SSBF’s many endeavours towards becoming a leading centre for financial studies.
The guests were welcomed by Dr. R Raman, Director of SIBM Pune and Dean - Faculty of Management at Symbiosis International (Deemed University). It was followed by the lighting the lamp.
The keynote address was given by the guest of honour for symposium 2019, Mr. Pankaj Sharma (Chief Operating Officer, RBL Bank).
There were two panel discussions during the event and the topic for the first discussion was “Financial Intermediation: The Digital Way”. For the same, the panellists were Mr. Pankaj Sharma (Chief Operating Officer, RBL Bank), Mr. Rohit Kilam (Head Technology and Digital Lending, Aditya Birla Finance Ltd.), Mr. Prasanna Lohar (Head Innovation, Development Credit Bank Ltd.), Mr. Shiv Kumar Bhasin (Chief Technology and Operations Officer, National Stock Exchange of India Ltd.), Mr. Ashok Mathur (Ex-banker and innovator) and Mr. Anirudha Ambekar (Sr. Product Manager, Digital Banking and Payments Technology, Barclays UK).
The moderator for the event was Mr. Anirudha Ambekar. Sir started the discussion by throwing some light on the financial crisis of 2008 and its after effects, technology innovations like Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Sir spoke about shared economy and subscription economy, the impact of UPI transactions and volume of transactions taking place in India, how we are performing as compared to China and the impact of all these on financial intermediation.
Mr Ashok Mathur spoke on how technology is creating opportunities for households, corporates and firms. Sir explained who are the net consumers and net savers, and also the efficacy and efficiency of the financial intermediation.
Mr. Prasanna Lohar spoke on how with so many technological advancements happening, what are its impact on the intermediation model of the industry. Sir said that it is important to adopt the right technology at the right time. Technology is the driving factor to be successful, to understand customer’s portfolio and also to know what the customers need.
Mr. Shiv Kumar Bhasin talked about the changes in the capital market and on disintermediation. SIr also explained some of the key aspects of the blockchain technology and its impact on financial intermediation.
Mr. Rohit Kilam talked about digital lending and explained Insurtech, Healthtech, incumbent insurers and the digital products. Sir also explained how all of these are linked with Fintech. He said that financial intermediation is a way of changing a thought process.
Mr. Pankaj Sharma discussed how digital collaboration helps in increasing financial inclusion. Sir said that partnering with right banks and using fintech the right way helps in increasing financial inclusion. He talked about the disruptions emerging amongst segments of financial intermediation activity.
All the panellists gave their views on how to ensure that the financial establishment and the Consumer Protection Act do not hinder the innovations of the financial sector.
The session ended with a very insightful Q&A session from the students which were answered in great detail by the panellists. The discussion was highly informative and truly enlightening for the students, teachers as well as others who had attended the session.
The second session started with the hosts introducing the panellists. It consisted of esteemed personalities like Mr. Manish Sinha (MD and CEO, Dun and Bradstreet, India), Mr Vinit Bolinjkar (Venture Securities), Mr R Balaji (Senior VP, Marketing and Strategy, Mahindra Finance), Mr Yogesh Dixit (Chief risk Officer),Mr Shiju Rawther (Executive Vice President, Technology, IIFL) and Ms Maya Nair (Group chief information Security officer, Reliance Capital Ltd). The dice showered light on the topic “Financial Intermediation-Emerging practices and ethos.” It started with respected moderator Mr. Ashok Mathur asking the panellists about the opportunities or difficulties that they faced in this sector and what lessons these taught them. The panellists had an intuitive discussion and the entire hall was thriving with insightful information. Some of the key notes shared were- Mr Sinha enlightened the students on how he experienced organisational learning, when his previous company came up with projects in various parts of the world. He insisted that in any risk related industry, one has to be 99-100% right regarding your reports and no amount of outside research can come close to ‘on us’ performance data.
Mr Balaji highlighted the tremendous opportunities that lay in the rural sector of our country. He pointed out that in intermediation, empathy is the key. One needs to understand the environment in which he or she is working and come up with technologies suiting it.
Mr Vinit encouraged the students to break rules and make new rules. He asked the students to venture out interact in the industry and learn about the opportunities that lay ahead.
Mr Yogesh Dixit focused on the fact that risk management is going to be of high importance in the future. Also working for NABARD taught him that it is very important to understand the various strata of the country. Understanding the economy at a grassroot level helps one to strategize one’s policies and yield better results.
Mr. Shiju Rawther called his attention to the process of integrating multiple stakeholders and working in a holistic manner. He emphasized on understanding the rural economy as well, as it has a treasure of golden opportunities.
Ms Maya Nair enlightened the students on the topic from a business point of view. Her outlook was striking wave of change. She insisted that security is implemented in various layers and one needs to put security in terms of one’s advertising budget. If something is to go wrong, what amount is one willing to invest in advertising? Well investing 10% of it can assure a company of a secure blanket.
In the end the session ended with an open house for the students to ask their queries regarding the BFSI sector and its emerging practices. The energy and zeal of the students were unmissable. The questions led to discussions and the discussions led to knowledge that they are going to possess and cherish for lifetime. The event was inarguably a great success!
18 th August is marked as the Foundation Day of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance(SSBF) and on its 8 th anniversary this year, SSBF organised the Banker’s Conclave, an annual academic symposium, on the theme: INDIAN FINANCIAL SECTOR AT CROSSROADS, CHANGING PARADIGMS.
The guest of honour for the symposium 2018, Ms. Mona Gupta, a senior public policy specialist with DIFD (Department of International Development) and Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, shared her experience and views regarding the current banking structure and importance of artificial intelligence in the coming years.
She started by saying, “Money is an instrument and banking is a tool.” She further added that the value of money differs from person to person, i.e., it depends on how an individual perceives it. The banking industry is linked with economics, credit growth, fintech, derivative market and most importantly, money.
The discussion then moved from the importance of banking sector to the kinds of threats the banking industry is exposed to. Security is a big issue in the industry as the information provided to the banks can be manipulated/ fabricated. Thus, cyber security is an emerging field in this sector.
Because of huge non-performing assets, strategic debt restructuring can be a solution to get rid of stressed assets. She mentioned cyber threats, partnerships and digital products as prospects in the industry. She also spoke about the employment opportunities that will happen due to artificial intelligence.
The BFSI sector, aviation sector, construction sector and tourism sector are some sectors that require more skill. Focus in all the above sectors is on inclusivity and women’s participation. Thus, all the sectors along with the banking sector have a huge scope in terms of jobs and contribution to the growth of the economy.
There were four panelists for the discussion and one moderator. Mr. Sunder Ram Korivi, a senior consultant with the National Institute of Financial Markets, was a moderator. The first panellist was Mr V.G. Kannan. He served as the managing director of the state bank of India and has more than 30 years of experience in the banking sector. The second panellist for the discussion was Mr. Ramkumar Subramanian. He is the associate director of PWC’s financial risk and assurance department and has more than 10 years of experience in the domain of financial services. The third panellist was Mr. Ashok Gautam. He is the executive vice president and head of financial institutions group at Axis Bank. The fourth panellist for the discussion was Mr. Shashikant Ramchandra Bhavsar. He holds the position of deputy general manager at National Banking Group.
Finance is the only sector where the raw material and the finished product both are same, i.e. money, as said by Dr. Sunder Ram Korivi. Because of this problem there is a financial dilemma regarding the lending and borrowing of the funds. The question he asked to the panel was, from where and when did the problem start? The Indian economy is a cash economy where less than 18% of the transactions are done through banks which again create a problem. Public sector banks are losing their market share as their credit growth remains considerably lower than the private sector banks. Gross NPAsratio of the public- sector banks continue to rise as restructured assets turn NPAs. Capital to risk adjusted ratio of certain public-sector banks is at critical level thus government is coming up with reforms like capital infusion to meet the BASEL 3 requirements.
It is because of the infrastructure sector that NPAs are rising. The companies in the real estate sector borrow money to take up new projects and are not able to payback which leads to non-performing assets.
The public-sector banks are exposed to corporate banking more than retail banking.According to one of the panelists it is important for the public-sector banks to concentrate more on retail banking rather than corporate finance to rebalance their business activities. The discussion was then moved to credit skills an individual would need understanding the human behaviour, study industry trends, location, type of industries and credit models.
The panellists agreed to a point that the banks need to clean up their balance sheets, access the capital market for long term loans and accept correspondence banking.
The discussions in the second half of the day revolved around ‘Small Finance Banks: Innovativeness and Sustainability’. It featured a highly accomplished panel of guests who are some of the biggest names in the field of microfinance- Mr. Narasimhan Srinivasan, an independent director of Equitas Small Finance Bank; Mr. Bharath Sondur, executive vice-president, Suryoday Small Finance Bank and Mr. Jolly Zachariah, COO( West Zone), Ujjivan Small Finance Bank.
The discussion started by talking about the history of each of these banks, which in turn led to discussions about the history of microfinance and small finance itself. They discussed about the difficulties such institutions faced in their inception stage- most of it owing to the apprehensions of bureaucrats regarding the need and sustainability of such businesses. The most important part of the discussion was when they explained how microfinance institutions differentiate themselves from other financial institutions- by serving the section of the society that was generally perceived to be ‘non-bankable’. That also happens to be one of the biggest reasons behind their success. They also spoke on how the success stories of Bangladesh and Kenya helped in the evolution of these systems in India.
The session came to an end with a number of very insightful questions from the students which were answered in great detail by the panellists.
Overall, it was a highly informative and enlightening experience for the audience. The learning from the session was immense and it provided insights to the students regarding the various opportunities that lie in the field of microfinance.
On Saturday, 9 th December, 2017, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance held its flagship event- “Symposium 2017: Decoding the landscape of BFSI”.
Our Chief Guest and chair for the event was Ms. Savita Gupta (CFO, India Post Payments Bank).
In her inaugural speech, Ms. Gupta spoke about major changes taken place in the BFSI sector, such as Demonetization and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax. She also talked about the rapidly changing technology that is affecting the BFSI sector such as congruence of finance and technology (Fintech) in various finance companies and banks and the Bitcoin “Bubble”.
There were two panel discussions during the event and the topic for the first discussion was “Financial Ecosystem in the Digital Era”. For the same, the panellists were Mr. Prakash Joshi (Business Head - ATM Services, Electronic Payment and Services (P) Ltd.), Mr. Sourabh Chatterjee (President, Head – IT, Web Sales, Direct Marketing, Digital Marketing, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company), Mr. Javier Gonzalez Nuñez (Head of M&A department Business Associate– Spain & Belgium, Udyen Jain Associates), Mr. Parijat Garg (Vice President, CRIF High Mark), Mr. Kishor Pradhan (CEO, Global Trade Consultancy Services).
The moderator for the event was Mr. Parijat Garg. He began the discussion by talking about the fast paced technology and how it might someday lead to the extinction of ATMs. He continued the discussion by talking about how the demand for ATMs had fallen during demonetization due to lack of hard cash. He also talked about how we could do so much more than just surpass ATMs in the digital era that is upon us.
Mr. Javier spoke about the electronic payment systems and e-commerce brands like Paytm (that are yet to be launched in countries like Spain and Belgium) that have spread across the country following which India might actually go cashless one day. He also talked about the gap prevalent in India between the rich and the poor people i.e. people who use financial services and people who don’t and technology was only going to widen that gap which can only be reduced by education.
Mr. Kishor and Ms. Savita talked about how India is emerging as a digital economy at a fast pace. Financial players can leverage these platforms to venture and develop new business models in an attempt to increase revenue margins. They also spoke about crypto-currencies like Bitcoin that are changing “the game” and whether or not it is safe to invest in them.
Mr. Sourabh spoke about how the BFSI sector is more “customer-centric” now and how going digital is a need of the hour for India but digital for the sake of it would not always work. Some of the other topics discussed during the event were “Will ATMs vanish over time?”, How banks are more “customer-centric” now, Can artificial intelligence really replace humans and several other topics.
The discussion ended with a Q & A session from the audience and the event gave everyone an opportunity to contemplate the various aspects of the BFSI sector and left everyone with a thirst for learning more.
The discussion was highly informative and truly enlightening for the students, teachers as well as others who had attended the session.
The second session of the Symposium was structured around the topic “Growth through Innovations” The chair for the discussion was Ms. Savita Gupta (CFO, India Post Payments Bank). The discussion was moderated by Mr. Pankaj Setiya, (Deputy Manager & Member of faculty, RBI CAB). The panellists included Mr. Suresh A. Shan (Head of Innovation & Future Technology, Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services), Mr. Prasad Deshpande (Vice President, PNB Gilts.) and Mr. Atul Kumar (Deputy General Manager, HR, Union Bank of India).
Mr. Pankaj Setiya commenced the discussion by delivering a brief presentation on the topic, wherein he talked about the “GAFA” (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) world that we live in, and that these companies could be the Fintech leaders of tomorrow, adding that we are in the stage of “Digital Darwinism”, where the customers will have access to the best of the financial products. He also articulated that the digital transactions have surged drastically from 11% in 2013 to 38% in 2017, and that there is a huge opportunity for the financial institutions to provide credit to the SMEs that are the major contributors to the nation’s GDP.
The panellists held that customers are looking for one-stop solutions. To address this, Fintech companies are collaborating with those shops where footfalls are quite high, so that acceptance of e-payment modes rises. However, they ruled out the possibility of India becoming an entirely cashless economy, as long as the rural India doesn’t accept digitisation wholeheartedly. The discussion was also centred on data mapping, which can be effectively deployed to analyse the consumption patterns of the consumers, and design financial products accordingly. However, they held that emotions, rather than electronics, are a pre-requisite to the success of digitisation. This was subsequently followed by a Q&A session.
The key takeaways from the session included evolution of banking and finance from a product- centric to a customer-centric industry, crucial roles of Blockchain and Fintech in digitisation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can be judiciously employed to slash the operational costs for the banks and create new jobs for the workforce.
The session gave the students an insight to the tremendous opportunities awaiting them when they make their foray into the world of banking and finance.
On Saturday, 26th November, 2016, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance held its flagship event Bankers’ Conclave – “Symposium on Banking and Finance.”
The Guests of Honour for the event were Mr. Sarat Malik (CGM, Securities and Exchange Board of India) and Mr. Pramod Kumar Panda (CGM and Principal RBI CAB, Pune).
In his inaugural speech, Mr. Malik spoke about the various guidelines SEBI has introduced for investor protection, rate cuts done by RBI and how India is now moving towards a cashless economy.
The symposium had two panel discussions. The first topic of discussion was on “Disruptive Innovation” from 11:15 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. The chair for the first panel was Ms. Mudeita Patrao (Head Digital, HDFC AMC). The moderator was Mr. Muthuselvan (Assistant General Manager, RBI CAB, Pune). The panellists included Mr. Ravi Srivastava (SVP & India Head, Jones Lang LaSalle), Mr. Vikrant Nagre (Cluster Head, HDFC Bank Ltd.), Mr. Kanchan Kulkarni (Regional Manager, ICICI), Mr. Ram Aparaj (Senior Manager, Staff Training College, Bank of Maharashtra) and Mr. Muralidharan R, (Group Head – Operations and Information Technology, L&T Financial Services).
The second panel discussion was from 2:15 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. on the topic “Changing Facets of Risk Management Strategies.” The chair for the discussion was Mr. Pramod Kumar Panda. The moderator was Mr. Biharilal Deora (Advisor, AIWMI). The panellists included Mr. Bhaskar Niyogi (Head Enterprise Risk and Policy, RBL Bank Ltd.), Mr. V. Hans Prakash (Head, Business Development, IL&FS Securities Services Ltd.) and Ms. Jayna Gandhi (Founder and CEO, Quant Mac Financial Services LLP).
The valedictorian speech was given by Mr. Panda where he spoke about the year 2017 being the best time for the finance sector. Sir spoke intensively on micro finance. His words motivated everyone to be able to do something for our country to make it reach new heights. The event was concluded by a small quiz organised by the Corporate Interface Team for the students attending the symposium. The event gave each student an opportunity to engage themselves in understanding the various facets of the BFSI sector. It exposed the students to a world which helped them learn a lot of new things about the industry
No learning can proceed in a vacuum, and this is true especially for the BFSI. In SSBF’s tireless efforts to bring together academia and industry, we at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organized and hosted the Banker’s Conclave on July 25th, inviting eminent bankers and industrialists, to interact with the students and share insights on issues crucial to the business and banking worlds.
The 25th of July saw a large group of eager participants, including interns of RBI, College of Agricultural Banking, from University of Boston and New Castle University, and students from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management.
The event commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, and with the welcome address by our esteemed director, Dr. Manisha Ketkar.
Any growth that a country bears witness to is perhaps meaningless if that growth cannot offer meaningful impact to all the people of the country. In this context, the idea of financial inclusion has gained significant traction as a means of ensuring that as many people as possible can partake of the benefits of a burgeoning economy. This has particular importance in India, where 60% of the rural population is still unbanked. Recognising the importance of this issue, Financial Inclusion was made the first topic of discussion during the Banker’s Conclave.
The participants were introduced to the concept of financial inclusion through a short film, put together by the SSBF’s creative team, which explained the minimum requirements of financial inclusion, and showcased some of the efforts of SSBF’s Institutional Social Responsibility team in bringing financial inclusion and literacy to the underprivileged.
The discussion began with insights from the panel, each member noted for their efforts in bringing together everyone into the financial system.
The panel was moderated by Professor Samapti Guha, from TISS (Tata institute of Social Services), who noted that while great strides were being made to solve the issue of financial exclusion, not enough work has been done to understand the problem itself. India has been a frontrunner in improving financial solutions, but the aspect of Social, Institutional and Psychological Exclusion merits further research.
Mr. Muthuselvan, Faculty at RBI-CAB opined that India had made significant advances in this field and that the bank-led model of financial inclusion suited India, due to the presence of robust and tight regulations. While telecom-led or other-entity-led models were successful elsewhere, India’s strength lies in this model. In addition the introduction of Agent Banking models and Business Correspondence models has made significant inroads in addressing the problem. In addition, banks, in being allowed to liberally open centres in 2-6 tier regions has given them incentive to expand and improve the reach of financial services. Mr. Muthuselvan also pointed that basic consumer rights needed to be maintained even in the face of financial inclusion.
Mr. L. M. Deshmukh, General Manager, Financial Inclusion, Bank of Maharashtra, took the thread of the discussion and highlighted a few key statistics in India’s March towards financial inclusion. Nearly 16.71 crore have been accounts have been opened, however 50% of them alone have commenced operations. He also spoke of the importance of credit penetration, and the inclusion of overdraft facilities for over 80 lakh accounts. The importance of biometrics is not to be underestimated. He was optimistic that three to five years might be all India needs for financial inclusion.
Mr. Vaibhav Peshney, Assistant Vice President, YES Bank explained his organization’s approach to financial inclusion, wherein, they managed to gain a foothold by using credit services as a means of financial inclusion. He expanded on how financial inclusion isn’t an obligation but an opportunity for banks to expand their markets and their customer base. YES Bank’s banks partnering with SHG was a strategy that helped them increase reach, without having to rely on branch banking. Thus, alternate delivery channels needed to be looked into, and the best way to bring more people into the system was to help fulfil their needs.
The discussion moved from the panel to the audience, who took the opportunity to acquaint themselves better with Financial Inclusion. Some light was shed on how easy it has become to open an account, using minimal KYC norms for the excluded sector, and how it could be possible for moneylenders, and other financial agents outside of the financial system itself to partner with the banks and improve penetration of financial services.
The first half of the Banker’s Conclave was a very insightful session and added valuable perspective on Financial Inclusion.
The afternoon session of the Banker’s Conclave tackled the idea and implications of Corporate Social Responsibility. With the inclusion of mandatory CSR, through the Companies Act, as well as companies taking note of the many benefits of giving back to the community, CSR has become a topic of study and discussion, and thus, a very interesting avenue to explore during the Banker’s Conclave.
The session began with an explanatory short film, compiled by SSBF’s Creative Team, explaining the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, and highlighting the growth in CSR activities in India.
Prof. Girish Agarwal from IRMA opened the discussion, noting that while CSR has been gaining popularity, companies shouldn’t invent theories to implement change. Research on the issues they wish to address is crucial, he felt. CSR should not be disconnected from the value chain improvement process, and information asymmetry should be reduced. He also stressed on the need to cultivate the right mind set towards CSR.
Mrs. Leena Deshpande, Head of CSR, Bharat Forge Ltd. Pune, spoke of the soft aspects of CSR, and how it goes beyond the boundaries of mere philanthropy. She also highlighted Bharat Forge’s CSR initiatives, which included promoting sports and sanitation in schools. Employee involvement was a key factor of in the success of these CSR initiatives.
Mr. Zubin Kabraji, Regional Director, Pune, Indo German Chambers of Commerce, explained that CSR can be implemented in many shapes and forms, for example, research on alternative energy sources, and how the Indo-German Chambers offers advisory services for the many German Companies operating in Pune. He also spoke of initiatives by Indo-German Chambers of commerce around the world, including development of competency centres, CSR training in Malaysia, Reporting activities in South Korea and how these led to positive impact on the community.
Mr. Srinath Komarina, Senior Vice President, YES Bank, Mumbai highlighted work done by YES BANK which has improved the life of the community around them, and explained how CSR had its merits even in the pragmatic view of running a business and making profits. In case of YES BANK the initiatives led to improved business and greater sustainability. Further, he highlighted YES Bank’s practices to improve sustainability, such as triple bottom line accounting, facilitating responsible investments, and investing in Green projects.
Mr. M. N. Sanyal, Head of CSR, Thermax Ltd. Pune, shared Thermax’s CSR initiatives, including the practicing of employing clean energy technology, and Thermax’s emphasis on improving education facilities in India, especially in government schools. He spoke of how, even without being envisioned as such, the CSR initiatives helped in brand-building for Thermax in the local community. In his view, the participation and contribution of employees is what elevates CSR from charity, to a catalyst for positive change.
During the question hour, the audience was curious of the Company Act enacted recently in India, which asks Corporate entities to set aside at least 2% of the post-tax profit for CSR related activities. The full implications of the Act are yet to be fully realised, and it would be interesting to see how it impacts Companies in the future.
The impact of CSR is best summed up in Mr. Srinath Komarina’s words- “The business of business is more than business.” And as the students of SSBF make their way into the world of business, these are words we shall remember.
The event was very well received by all the participants and other invitees in the audience. The invitees also enjoyed a campus tour and were pleased with the hospitality and other arrangements. Staying true to our vision, this was one of SSBF’s many endeavours towards becoming a leading centre for financial studies.
With new banking licenses all set to be issued to private sector players and non-banking financial companies, it’s the advent of a new era!
The germination of an idea, the exchange of thoughts, and emergence of a solution – how often do we get the opportunity to witness thought leaders and policy makers in action? However, the students at Symbiosis School of Banking & Finance had the phenomenal opportunity to witness the action first-hand when in collaboration with Mint, SSBF hosted the Conclave on 9th October,2012 – an event that brought together the stalwarts of the banking industry to debate and deliberate on the new equations that would transpire after the entry of industrial houses. However, this surprisingly was not even the best part – the best part was the conclave being presided over by Mr. Anand Sinha – the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India, who addressed the gathering, enlightened everyone about RBI’s viewpoint on licensing and even interacted with students at end of the session.
The event saw the heavyweights of the banking industry alighting the stage to debate the pros and cons of licensing, how soon it should be implemented, whether the current banking landscape is ready for such a change and how many licenses should actually be doled out.
The list of illustrious panellists included Mr. Naresh Takkar, Managing Director, ICRA; Mr. Ashwin Parekh, Partner National Industry Leader, Global Financial Services, Ernst and Young; Mr. D. Sarkar, CMD, Union Bank of India, Mr. Hemant Contractor, Managing Director, State Bank of India; Mr. Shachindra Nath, Chief Executive Officer, Religare Enterprises Ltd; Mr. Nirmal Jain,CMD India Infoline; while Mr. Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Deputy Managing Editor, Mint was the moderator for the conclave.
Mr. Takkar was of the opinion that we need not wait more to issue new licenses, however there is absolutely no room for differential licensing of any kind. He also thought that this licensing window should not be a one-time window, it should be kept open and adequate licenses should be given out -citing 10 to begin with as a good number. Mr. Nirmal Jain concurred with statement and vehemently championed the cause of brokers too stating that the licenses should be on tap and the window not to be open and shut. He too wanted the licenses issue to begin with immediate effect where the threshold should be minimum net worth and there is no differential pricing. Mr. Shachin Nath too agreed that the regime should begin in the next 9-12 months, licenses being given to 5-6 players to start with and survival of the fittest thereafter.
However Mr. Hemant Contractor had some reservations. He put on record that he was not afraid of the new competition and he also denied that SBI and other public sector banks had failed in their duties to spread financial inclusion. However, he stated that the licenses should come in to effect only after requisite amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, and opined that looking at the current scenario only a handful of players – 3-4 to be precise – would be eligible to actually get hold of licenses. Mr. Ashwin Parekh was sceptical too. He stated that the Indian banking framework was not suited to licenses for industrial houses currently and it would take a minimum of two years to bring it to scratch. He also said that 2-3 licenses were to be given out every 5 years and there was no room for differential licensing. He was of the opinion that banks derive their strength from the size of their balance sheet and this was a key area to be looked into. Mr. Sarkar too, like Mr Contractor stated that his bank encouraged competition and had no fear of the new entrant, he too agreed that it was unfair to expect the PSUs to perform miracles overnight and spread banking access to the entire country – the banks had broken ground and were still working at it.
The conclave was food for thought for the audience; it was a delight to watch the spectacle unfold. Corporate Interface Team of the college which had collaborated with Mint to set the event in motion was extremely happy and proud of the proceedings! Abhishek Purohit, a CIT member said, “It is truly rare for students to get the chance to interact with stalwarts of the industry and get an insight in to what they think of the burning issues. We are indeed fortunate that we got hold of this opportunity. It was a phenomenal experience. The entire college worked together to make this event happen and fruits of our hard work were indeed sweet! The deliberations were so insightful and so thought-provoking. We asked questions, interacted with the dignitaries and got the chance to gain first-hand knowledge about such a vital issue. It was a thoroughly enriching experience and one that I would cherish forever.”
No learning can proceed in a vacuum, and this is true especially for the BFSI. In SSBF’s tireless efforts to bring together academia and industry, we at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organized and hosted the Banker’s Conclave on July 25th, inviting eminent bankers and industrialists, to interact with the students and share insights on issues crucial to the business and banking worlds.
The 25th of July saw a large group of eager participants, including interns of RBI, College of Agricultural Banking, from University of Boston and New Castle University, and students from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management.
The event commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, and with the welcome address by our esteemed director, Dr. Manisha Ketkar.
Any growth that a country bears witness to is perhaps meaningless if that growth cannot offer meaningful impact to all the people of the country. In this context, the idea of financial inclusion has gained significant traction as a means of ensuring that as many people as possible can partake of the benefits of a burgeoning economy. This has particular importance in India, where 60% of the rural population is still unbanked. Recognising the importance of this issue, Financial Inclusion was made the first topic of discussion during the Banker’s Conclave.
The participants were introduced to the concept of financial inclusion through a short film, put together by the SSBF’s creative team, which explained the minimum requirements of financial inclusion, and showcased some of the efforts of SSBF’s Institutional Social Responsibility team in bringing financial inclusion and literacy to the underprivileged.
The discussion began with insights from the panel, each member noted for their efforts in bringing together everyone into the financial system.
The panel was moderated by Professor Samapti Guha, from TISS (Tata institute of Social Services), who noted that while great strides were being made to solve the issue of financial exclusion, not enough work has been done to understand the problem itself. India has been a frontrunner in improving financial solutions, but the aspect of Social, Institutional and Psychological Exclusion merits further research.
Mr. Muthuselvan, Faculty at RBI-CAB opined that India had made significant advances in this field and that the bank-led model of financial inclusion suited India, due to the presence of robust and tight regulations. While telecom-led or other-entity-led models were successful elsewhere, India’s strength lies in this model. In addition the introduction of Agent Banking models and Business Correspondence models has made significant inroads in addressing the problem. In addition, banks, in being allowed to liberally open centres in 2-6 tier regions has given them incentive to expand and improve the reach of financial services. Mr. Muthuselvan also pointed that basic consumer rights needed to be maintained even in the face of financial inclusion.
Mr. L. M. Deshmukh, General Manager, Financial Inclusion, Bank of Maharashtra, took the thread of the discussion and highlighted a few key statistics in India’s March towards financial inclusion. Nearly 16.71 crore have been accounts have been opened, however 50% of them alone have commenced operations. He also spoke of the importance of credit penetration, and the inclusion of overdraft facilities for over 80 lakh accounts. The importance of biometrics is not to be underestimated. He was optimistic that three to five years might be all India needs for financial inclusion.
Mr. Vaibhav Peshney, Assistant Vice President, YES Bank explained his organization’s approach to financial inclusion, wherein, they managed to gain a foothold by using credit services as a means of financial inclusion. He expanded on how financial inclusion isn’t an obligation but an opportunity for banks to expand their markets and their customer base. YES Bank’s banks partnering with SHG was a strategy that helped them increase reach, without having to rely on branch banking. Thus, alternate delivery channels needed to be looked into, and the best way to bring more people into the system was to help fulfil their needs.
The discussion moved from the panel to the audience, who took the opportunity to acquaint themselves better with Financial Inclusion. Some light was shed on how easy it has become to open an account, using minimal KYC norms for the excluded sector, and how it could be possible for moneylenders, and other financial agents outside of the financial system itself to partner with the banks and improve penetration of financial services.
The first half of the Banker’s Conclave was a very insightful session and added valuable perspective on Financial Inclusion.
The afternoon session of the Banker’s Conclave tackled the idea and implications of Corporate Social Responsibility. With the inclusion of mandatory CSR, through the Companies Act, as well as companies taking note of the many benefits of giving back to the community, CSR has become a topic of study and discussion, and thus, a very interesting avenue to explore during the Banker’s Conclave.
The session began with an explanatory short film, compiled by SSBF’s Creative Team, explaining the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, and highlighting the growth in CSR activities in India.
Prof. Girish Agarwal from IRMA opened the discussion, noting that while CSR has been gaining popularity, companies shouldn’t invent theories to implement change. Research on the issues they wish to address is crucial, he felt. CSR should not be disconnected from the value chain improvement process, and information asymmetry should be reduced. He also stressed on the need to cultivate the right mind set towards CSR.
Mrs. Leena Deshpande, Head of CSR, Bharat Forge Ltd. Pune, spoke of the soft aspects of CSR, and how it goes beyond the boundaries of mere philanthropy. She also highlighted Bharat Forge’s CSR initiatives, which included promoting sports and sanitation in schools. Employee involvement was a key factor of in the success of these CSR initiatives.
Mr. Zubin Kabraji, Regional Director, Pune, Indo German Chambers of Commerce, explained that CSR can be implemented in many shapes and forms, for example, research on alternative energy sources, and how the Indo-German Chambers offers advisory services for the many German Companies operating in Pune. He also spoke of initiatives by Indo-German Chambers of commerce around the world, including development of competency centres, CSR training in Malaysia, Reporting activities in South Korea and how these led to positive impact on the community.
Mr. Srinath Komarina, Senior Vice President, YES Bank, Mumbai highlighted work done by YES BANK which has improved the life of the community around them, and explained how CSR had its merits even in the pragmatic view of running a business and making profits. In case of YES BANK the initiatives led to improved business and greater sustainability. Further, he highlighted YES Bank’s practices to improve sustainability, such as triple bottom line accounting, facilitating responsible investments, and investing in Green projects.
Mr. M. N. Sanyal, Head of CSR, Thermax Ltd. Pune, shared Thermax’s CSR initiatives, including the practicing of employing clean energy technology, and Thermax’s emphasis on improving education facilities in India, especially in government schools. He spoke of how, even without being envisioned as such, the CSR initiatives helped in brand-building for Thermax in the local community. In his view, the participation and contribution of employees is what elevates CSR from charity, to a catalyst for positive change.
During the question hour, the audience was curious of the Company Act enacted recently in India, which asks Corporate entities to set aside at least 2% of the post-tax profit for CSR related activities. The full implications of the Act are yet to be fully realised, and it would be interesting to see how it impacts Companies in the future.
The impact of CSR is best summed up in Mr. Srinath Komarina’s words- “The business of business is more than business.” And as the students of SSBF make their way into the world of business, these are words we shall remember.
The event was very well received by all the participants and other invitees in the audience. The invitees also enjoyed a campus tour and were pleased with the hospitality and other arrangements. Staying true to our vision, this was one of SSBF’s many endeavours towards becoming a leading centre for financial studies.
Information technology may be at an embryonic stage but it has the promise of changing the face of the banking industry as not only enables banking services but also has the potential to be the driving force behind the perceived transformation. New entrants are leveraging their existing strengths of understanding the technologies and markets they operate in to deliver innovative business models which focuses on delivering business value.
The theme for the Mint Clarity through debate ‘New Technologies set to give banking a Facelift: What CIOs should do?’ held on 29th August 2012 partnered by Symbiosis School of Banking & Finance considered the changes expected in the banking industry. The audience had an opportunity to witness the growth in this area by private sector players through interactions between the eminent panellists.
The Panellists included:
There was a very lively discussion on how the banks had evolved from the teller system to the era of application. There was a consensus on how the new technology is going to change the face of banking in the future in order to cater to the new age customer who demands his business at hand while also ensuring that there is no lapse in security of his account. The discussion enlightened the present audience on how each bank was combating the rise in technology and how it planned to reach the unbanked.
Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Deputy Managing Editor, Mint played the effective arbitrator in trying to point how the technology while being helpful to mankind also had some pitfalls and invited the bankers to share some real life experience of frauds that they had come across in their careers. He also envisioned the role of the regulatory body RBI in the governing of the use of technology and there was consensus on how the RBI is playing a very vital role in keeping a control over the misuse and abuse of technology.
The discussion held the audience in such rapt attention which was evident in their queries put forth to the eminent panellists in the future of banking, the role technology would play in it and how it would aid in the process of financial inclusion.
One thing in consensus from the evening was that there would be shifts in the banking industry like never seen before and far reaching effects that certain technologies would have from a perspective of customer centricity, speed of delivery and expense of servicing customer.
Symbiosis School of Banking & Finance hosted a seminar titled “Insights and Foresight” on July 7, 2012. The theme was the challenges and opportunities to be faced by banking sector in the years to come.
We were honored by the presence of
Dignitaries like Mr. Sunil Shirole, MD, Yen Capital Advisory and Mr. Anil Keskar, Dean Academics, Symbiosis international University also graced the occasion with their presence. We were privileged to have bankers from ICICI bank, Yes Bank, State Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, and Bank of India as audience. It also gave us an opportunity to interact with our sister institutes.
Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance (SSBF) aspires to empower its students in building a resilient base in their domain and to be an asset for the recruiters. To keep pace with the shifting dynamics of the finance world, scholarly discussion forums and industry interface, 6 guests from top management of various companies in the BFSI sector were invite, to provide students with their understanding and point of view on “Ethics”.
On 17th April 2021, Corporate Interface Team at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organised Ethicon 2021 with the theme “Building ethical environment amidst pandemic in the BFSI Sector. “Ethicon” is one of the distinguished annual events at SSBF which accentuates deliberations by esteemed panellists from diverse functional areas on the significance of morals and ethics in personal and professional life for accomplishing social obligations.
The panellists for the event were Mr. Anuj Srivastava, Vice President - Head of Portfolio Management, India transformation & QMI team at Royal Bank of Scotland; Mr. Kashish Grover, ClO, LegalPay; Mr. Kunjan Shah, Managing Director at Gautam Labdhi Wealth; Mr. Harshit Baxi, Global Head – Internal Audit and Risk Management, FirstSource solutions Ltd.; Mr. Abhijit Sanzgiri, Senior Executive Partner – A.P. Sanzgiri & Co.; Mr. Atul Juvle, General Counsel, Compliance Officer and Company secretary – Schindler India Pvt Ltd.
The event began with a welcome address by Dr. Manisha Ketkar, Director of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance.
The hosts of the event started with the introductory note on what Ethics really means. Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. It is something that gives businesses, their leaders and employees a moral compass. Understanding the same through this session is what everyone was looking forward to. Ethics is what gives businesses and their employees a moral compass.
An hour-long discussion took place touching upon the various facets of Ethics and its’ importance for any organisation. All the panellists drew attention to how they view ethics and why it holds importance to them.
One of them felt that Ethics is important not because it’s a subject in limelight but a way of life while another panellist highlighted how Ethics is important for organisations because it influences employee behaviour and Employee culture. There are always two aspects to Ethics. First one is the Ethical parameters of the employee and the other one is Company Culture and Policy. Company Policies are major contributors to defining the Ethical standards for any company and employees.
A new perspective that students came across was through a panel member viewing Ethics as a skill. According to him, Ethics is an important skill today in addition to performance of core role as it differentiates good corporate citizen. Another one saw Ethics as the Minimum value thread that is non-negotiable.
Repetitive emphasis was laid on importance of Ethics for building and sustaining brands. All the sustainable brands based on quality we see around are a result of stringent ethical practices, behaviours and policies. All the panellists then shared their experiences with Ethics in practice from industry. It was a great experience listening to and learning from all these varied experiences.
The event came to an end with a Q&A session from the students. It was undeniably an informative session which reinforced the sense of honesty amongst the students.
As the proverb goes, "before becoming anything, be a human", for becoming a human any person should have certain values and ethics.
On 30 November 2019, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organised Ethicon 2019 with the theme “Building Ethical Precincts for Sustainable Business”.
The event began with the lighting of lamp. The guests were welcomed by Dr. Manisha Ketkar, Director of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. She then gave a welcome address.
Opening remarks was given by the Chief Guest- Dr. Rabi N. Mishra (Executive Director at Reserve Bank of India). Sir stressed on the fact that ethics starts from Swadharma and humans have the ability to rationalise between what is good and bad. Sir said that greed is inborn in us and we have to overcome it.
The panellists for the event were Mr. Pankaj Wahi, Executive Vice President (Finance & Accounts) at ISMT Limited; Mr. Girija Kanta Misra, Senior Banking Professional; Dr. Steward Doss, Assistant Professor at National Insurance Academy; Mr. Lakshminarayan Rath, Chief Vigilance Officer of Bank of Maharashtra; Mr. Rahul Mone, Senior Director at Pentagraph Advisors Pvt. Ltd. The moderator for the day was Mr. Prateek Rampuria, student of SSBF.
The discussion commenced with the key point being made that whenever a person faces an ethical dilemma, they should always ask whether the decision is harming any stakeholder. Winning the trust of customer should be a top priority. If one needs to grow, they have to think in terms of long term and always be ethical. Growth is inevitable without ethics. Ethics is the choice between doing right things and doing easy things.
The panellists shared their experience from the industry by highlighting the importance of ethics in modern banking and how lack of ethics is the major reason for all financial crisis. Mr. Rahul Mone shed light on what steps a customer should take so as to avoid frauds, the practice of whistleblowing and ways to protect whistle-blowers.
Taking the discussion forward, Mr. LN Rath emphasised that while taking any decision, we have to be accountable, transparent and do what we say. The panellists came to the conclusion that it is all about the intention. We should stick to our conscious and never think of going too fast. Most of the ethics we get is from home. So, if we want anything sustainable, we should ensure that we are ethical.
The event came to an end with a Q&A session from the students. It was undeniably an informative session which reinforced the sense of honesty amongst the students.
Upholding an ethical culture in banking is critical because of its importance to regulators, banks, employees and customers alike. Banks being the custodian of public money, it is crucial to be ethical. Observing the law is one basic professional requirement for banks. They must pay close attention to moral concerns in order to make the right ethical decisions on a day-to-day basis. Banking ethics are the moral or ethical principles that certain banks choose to abide by. Core ethical values include honesty, integrity, fairness, responsible citizenship and accountability. In that light, business ethics means choosing the good over the bad, the right over the wrong, the fair over the unfair, truth over lie. In light of the dynamic and debatable scenario of BFSI sector today, it is evident that ethics are of supreme importance in this sector.
On 1 December, 2018, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance (SSBF) organized Ethicon 2018, a new initiative by SSBF on ethical practices in the BFSI sector. The panelists for the discussion were Mr. Pankaj Dahibhate, Ethics and Compliance Leader, India Operations part of Global Ethics and Compliance Team, Cummins India; Dr. Anita Shantaraman, founder of www.ethicsindia.com; Mr. Vivek Vasudevan, Risk Management Trainer; Retd. Col. Dilip Sopori and Prof. Dr. Ashish Mukund, Vice Principal in Accounting and Taxation at BMCC, Pune. The moderator for the day was Mr. Girish Joshi.
The event began with a welcome address by Dr. Manisha Ketkar, Director, SSBF, in which she stressed that ethics is knowing the difference between what one has a right to do and what is right to do. Following this, the discussion commenced with the key point made being that ethics is not a sector specific concept. It must be present in all sectors of industry and in all walks of life. The panelists shared their experience from the industry and brought out various incidents during their career in which values like honesty, integrity and loyalty played an important role. They discussed how culture is essentially a an outcome of ethics practiced individually and collectively.
Today, organizations have introduced the concept of whistle blowing which empowers individuals to bring unethical practices to the management’s notice. The panelists encouraged the practice of whistle blowing, while also throwing light on the different protections available to whistleblowers. With growing sensitivity towards unethical practices, the corporates have very little tolerance towards unethical misconduct. Prof. Dr. Ashish Mukund explained that rules are basically spun around principles, which also form the base for ethics. Taking the discussion forward, Mr. Pankaj Dahibhate talked about the role of independent directors. There may be situations where there comes an ethical dilemma but if one has the right principles in mind, one would not go wrong ethically. Talking about a company’s urge to find a shortcut to earning more profits through ethical misconduct, Dr. Anita Shantaraman quoted, ‘Managing profits is like playing tennis with your eyes on the scoreboard and not the ball.’ It is essential for any business to be ethical in order to be sustainable. Any profits that follow through unethical practices will eventually come out in the open and cause the business to crash.
After an insightful discussion with the speakers, students were keen to ask questions and seek more perspective. The event concluded with a round of applause and a reinforced sense of fairness, responsibility, loyalty and commitment among the students.
Information technology may be at an embryonic stage but it has the promise of changing the face of the banking industry as not only enables banking services but also has the potential to be the driving force behind the perceived transformation. New entrants are leveraging their existing strengths of understanding the technologies and markets they operate in to deliver innovative business models which focuses on delivering business value.
The theme for the Mint Clarity through debate ‘New Technologies set to give banking a Facelift: What CIOs should do?’ held on 29th August 2012 partnered by Symbiosis School of Banking & Finance considered the changes expected in the banking industry. The audience had an opportunity to witness the growth in this area by private sector players through interactions between the eminent panellists.
The Panellists included:
There was a very lively discussion on how the banks had evolved from the teller system to the era of application. There was a consensus on how the new technology is going to change the face of banking in the future in order to cater to the new age customer who demands his business at hand while also ensuring that there is no lapse in security of his account. The discussion enlightened the present audience on how each bank was combating the rise in technology and how it planned to reach the unbanked.
Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Deputy Managing Editor, Mint played the effective arbitrator in trying to point how the technology while being helpful to mankind also had some pitfalls and invited the bankers to share some real life experience of frauds that they had come across in their careers. He also envisioned the role of the regulatory body RBI in the governing of the use of technology and there was consensus on how the RBI is playing a very vital role in keeping a control over the misuse and abuse of technology.
The discussion held the audience in such rapt attention which was evident in their queries put forth to the eminent panellists in the future of banking, the role technology would play in it and how it would aid in the process of financial inclusion.
One thing in consensus from the evening was that there would be shifts in the banking industry like never seen before and far reaching effects that certain technologies would have from a perspective of customer centricity, speed of delivery and expense of servicing customer.
Symbiosis School of Banking & Finance hosted a seminar titled “Insights and Foresight” on July 7, 2012. The theme was the challenges and opportunities to be faced by banking sector in the years to come.
We were honored by the presence of
Dignitaries like Mr. Sunil Shirole, MD, Yen Capital Advisory and Mr. Anil Keskar, Dean Academics, Symbiosis international University also graced the occasion with their presence. We were privileged to have bankers from ICICI bank, Yes Bank, State Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, and Bank of India as audience. It also gave us an opportunity to interact with our sister institutes.
To enter a theatre for a performance is to be inducted into a magical space, to be ushered into the sacred arena of the imagination, while enjoying the awe-inspiring drama that unfolds.
This would be increasingly wonderful when one is bestowed with the support and warmth of one’s peers. Aarambh is an auspicious yearly event that is celebrated by students of Symbiosis, Lavale campus, wherein each institute performs a format of performing arts that includes dancing, cultural plays and singing, on a set theme. Students of the freshman year at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance (SSBF) gracefully stepped out of their respective comfort zone to amaze the audience with their humble yet breathtaking performances. Specially, but deliberately, the event this year was made progressively more informative with the theme of ‘Yin and Yang’, for which SSBF’s act revolved around the dearth of acceptance of the survival of nature in the minds and hearts of singletons.
The opening of the evening’s performance by SSBF was commenced by a singing performance that allowed the crowd to submerge and feel the eloquence and sweetness of the performing voices. That being done, it was time to behold a magnificently choreographed dance on a carefully chosen song that beautifully brought out the meaning of this year’s theme. It was like witnessing a rhythmical movement of the well-versed dancers who were moving on a pulsating background tune. As if it was not all to suffice the hunger of cheering crowd, the acrobatics elements of the ongoing performance only added to the excitement of already engaging throng. The evening was spectacular to say the least.
“You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out”- R J Palacio.
This was the theme of Aarambh 2018, which was conducted on 21stof July. The whole event portrayed how everybody should embrace the ‘Misfit’ in them. The show was orchestrated in the jam-packed SIU auditorium. Even before the show started, the energy and excitement in the auditorium was palpable, which was maintained at that level throughout the evening.
The event kicked off with a powerful entry by the hosts onto the dais. After a round of quirky introductions, the chief guest, Dr.Ruchi Jaggi, Director, SIMC addressed the gathering and was felicitated.
The first performance of the evening was staged by the students of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. The skit and dance that the team put up carried an important message in accordance with the theme. SSBF, without doubt, gave a great opening to the show.
This was followed by many entertaining and meaningful performances by students from other institutes of the university like SIBM, SIMC, SITM, SSP etc.
The best part of the evening came when the students of all the colleges of SIU came together to give a band performance. They created something truly mesmerizing on stage and the show got its perfect climax.
Aarambh is an SIU cultural event that is organised every year by the various student committees from all the institutes of Lavale campus. Every year, the students of SIU eagerly look forward to this event which provides them with a wonderful opportunity to display their extra-curricular skills.
The theme for Aarambh 2017 was ‘Unity in Diversity.’ This year, we at SSBF, came up with a unique concept - racial discrimination and stereotyping. It is a harsh reality that a multicultural and highly diverse society like ours, is rather hostile to the foreign students staying in India. So, to tackle this sensitive issue, we decided to generate awareness about it through a compelling story of a foreign exchange student staying in India, who has to confront the stereotypes deeply entrenched in the minds of the people.
The skit was supported by captivating and power-packed performances by the students, who took the event to an entirely different level. The skit ended on a tragic note, with the narrator urging the audience to refrain from discriminating people based on caste, colour, creed, religion, gender or race. The story sent a powerful message, ‘Do not judge the lot, based on the actions of a few’, which successfully struck a chord with the audience. Like every year, the SSBF students stole the show and succeeded in winning the hearts of all the students of SIU with their scintillating performance.
Every session at Symbiosis International University, Lavale Campus, starts with the fest Aarambh, for freshers. What better can a start to a whole new academic year be, than to have a platform to showcase your extra-curricular talent! This year the theme for the event was “Be the Difference”. We at SSBF, chose a very usual topic of Drugs, however, to show something extra-ordinary with a lot dance, drama, emotions and music to blow away the minds of the audience. Based on a contemporary dance performance, we portrayed the story of a decent young guy and his normal life blended with drugs. We went on to show how his deadly habits got him close to death and how he comes out of it, only to help other people see the brightness of the world. The dancers swayed away the hearts of the audience with their stunning moves and splendid confidence, and like every year, SSBF left its mark on the Aarambh stage.
15th & 16th April 2021
Synopia, the Annual Cultural Management Fest of SSBF was celebrated with great pomp and show like every other year. The theme of Synopia 2021 was “VERÐANDI”, a portal to the unknown. Owing to the circumstances, this fun event was conducted virtually for the first time. It was a two-day fest and the purpose was to provide a platform for students to explore their skills and introduce them to invaluable learning and knowledge sharing opportunities. It aimed at bringing out the best in students in terms of knowledge, aptitude and creativity while fulfilling the love for fest-ing.
Synopia featured a variety of gripping activities. The fest kick started with “Choressa” which was the flagship event and consisted of three rounds namely, “Lights Camera Action” which included video making showcasing life before and after the pandemic for the aspiring filmmakers and content creators, “Swap it Out” comprised giving tag lines to existing brands using song lyrics and “Old is Gold” aided in boosting the marketing skills by pitching an old product in the present market.
This was followed by “Discovery Derelicts” which consisted of two rounds - Hunting Jack and Brain Bridge. This was an online scavenger hunt which brought out the inner detective of the participants. It involved running around, gathering and building.
The next event was “Corporate Chanakya” which was designed to enhance and put to test problem-solving abilities, decision making, and much more.
The event was followed by “Spotlight Showcase”, a talent hunt. It enabled the participants to unleash their inner artist by showcasing their talents through an exciting event filled with opportunities for them to bring out the unique identity in them.
Lastly, there were games called “Fantasy Fanatics” and “A Good Society”. For this, participants had to put themselves in the shoes of a bidder and build their dream team with their favourite players in the football auction. A Good Society, was a game for the people who loved and had a passion for photography.
The event ended with an inspiring speech by Mrs. Trupti Bhosale, Deputy Director, SSBF, who threw light on the importance of organization and participation in such a magnificent event which enriches the learning experiences of both the participants and the audiences.
10th & 11th January 2020
How do you describe the thrill of organising an annual fest? Apart from the fun, frolic and platform that it offers, what else does a student expect. The answer lies within the fact that the whole concept of a fest is an acid test of some students' managerial skills, as well as the flexibility in decision-making of the teachers. So, what goes into organising an inter-collegiate fest that draws big sponsor money and even bigger crowds?
It all begins with the forming of a core committee that includes teaching staff as well as student representatives. Students carry out the creative, administrative and logistical part of the festival, not to forget the brainstorming that goes into making each event a success. After coordinating and combining the collective efforts of the people behind the curtains, formidable results are achieved.
Now in the context of SSBF and the annual celebration that it holds each year i.e SYNOPIA, we are going to unravel some of the best experience that SSBF reserves for its student and for the people who participate in it. These experiences hinges on the ability of the students and participants to derive value from various events that are incorporated in this fest. CorporateChanakya, Shutterbug, Treasure Hunt,Vendue (a simulated auction where a participating group has to form its own cricketing team using analytical and money managing skills), were some of the events that were planned for the first day.
The second day was just as thrilling. Events such as War of the Words, Cambio Paradigma and StarQuest, tested a person’s ability of quick thinking and applying creative skills. War of the Words consisted of three rounds, JAM, Ad-Zap and Channel Surfing. Ad-Zap game involved unconventional marketing skills. In Channel Surfing, one team member had to channels with a remote control while teammates attempted to match objects on TV with items printed on a set of 12 cards.
Cambio Paradigma was a recreational event that consisted of three games, Dart Football, Port the Water and Touch for Mayhem. In StarQuest, performers came up with random unique acts and splendid performances.
A professional rock show by Hanokh and Faizan, and a Stand-up Comedy night by Shaad Shafi, definitely upped the fun quotient of the fest. The event was diligently organized. There was a soul to it that was vibrant, contagious and exuberant.
On 5th of January 2020, the Co-Curricular team of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organized a Bonfire Night to promote the most awaited cultural fest ‘Synopia 2020’. The amphitheater of the campus was adorned with fairy lights, funky props and rich but tasteful décor. As students gathered to enjoy the evening, a huge bonfire was lit and the place looked like a little piece of heaven under the stars. The chilly winter vibes were penetrated by the warmth and comfort of the flames.
What’s better to enjoy with friends, under the stars, than to watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S? Screening of a couple of episodes of the hit American sitcom was an instant craker amongst the students. And to add to this, the musical notes of Singer/Composer Jordan strike the perfect balance. The tunes of his guitar and his melodious voice echoed throughout the amphitheater and everyone present hummed along. The students of neighboring campuses joined to participate and enjoy as well. Songs and stand-up comedy by some in house talents, were also much appreciated and loved. The evening was given the Midas Touch by the wide range of snacks for the students to munch on, paired with ‘garma garam chai’. All in all, it was a perfect evening of Bonfire, music, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and memories.
18th December, 2019
The evening of 18th December 2019 saw an amusing, entertaining and fetching day for the students of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. This event “MESS CARNIVAL 2019” marked the launch of SSBF’s forthcoming flagship cultural fest “SYNOPIA 2020- TWINNED WORLDS” to be held in January.
A swirl of lights, art, drama and enthralling performances made for the perfect Wednesday. There were games to be played, prizes to be won, scenes to be enjoyed and moments to be captured! There were a variety of games ranging from “tic tac toe” to “flip the bottle” to “7 up 7 down” and much more. The thrilling and stirring performances kept the audience engaged and lured the crowd. This came to an end with a live DJ session which was one not to miss. It is not wrong to say that the hard work, dedication and perseverance of the students had paid off.
All in all, the air was filled with colors of music, laughter, dance and games; all indicating towards one thing – the success of the Mess Carnival, 2019.
Synopia 2019, the annual cultural and managerial fest of SSBF was organized on 8 and 9 January, 2019. The theme of the event this year was ‘Elixir of Supremacy’. The fest, which was a huge success, saw enthusiastic participation of students from many different colleges and institutes.
The events held on the first day of Synopia were Corporate Chanakya, Treasure Hunt, Human Fooseball and Mini Militia. In Corporate Chanakya, a core management event, the students were tested on their understanding of stock markets. The second event for the day, a treasure hunt, had the various participants scrambling for clues. Mini Militia was an interesting competition based on LAN gaming while Human Foosball was a game just like the classic table top Foosball, however, it was played with real people, a soccer ball in a large enclosed arena.
The second day of Synopia 2019 was as exciting, eventful and fun-filled as the first. The day had four main events lined up namely; Perceive the Deceiver, What A Click, Speak Up and Battle Royale.
Perceive the Deceiver tested how creatively contestants could use word play to guess the answers to questions displayed on a screen. What A Click, a photography event which tests the creativity, ingenuity, vision, innovation and capturing skills of all the budding participants. In Battle Royale, the third event for the day, participants had to pass four stages of different tasks to earn points. The face off round was a real treat to the eyes. The last event, Speak Up consisted of two rounds – JAM and Switch. The abstract topics tested the creativity, imagination and humour of the participants which had everyone is splits.
However, the high-light of the day was the DJ Night which had the entire crowd sway to the tunes of DJ Sartek. The great blend of progressive and electro dance music ended the two day cultural extravaganza in an electrifying way. The fest made a mark not only in the university but also showcased the hard work, dedication and zeal of all the students of SSBF.
The annual cultural fest of SSBF is a colorful extravaganza where students get a chance to showcase and hone their innate talents and let their hair down. From singing to dancing to poetry to stand-up comedy to plays– all types of art forms find their fair share on the stage.
SYNOPIA 2016
Synopia , the annual cultural and managerial fest of SSBF was organized on 18 and 19 january 2016. The fest was a huge success and added another feather to the cap of SSBF, increasing its glory. Their were rainbow of events ranging from core managerial events like Corporate Chanakya, to Tadka of Bollywood“ CINEBUZZ” and not to forget the heart rendering and mind blowing “ Battle of Bands” and “DJ Night “. There was a wide number of participation from students of different institutes which demonstrated how well received the fest was. The fest made a mark not only in the university but also showcased the hard work, dedication and zeal of all the students of SSBF.
Photo GallerySYNOPIA, the annual cultural and managerial fest of SSBF was organized on 18 and 19 January, 2017 along with the second edition of the Entrepreneurial Summit- IMPRESSA 2017. The event was a huge success, and it rightly added to the glory of SSBF. From the core managerial event Corporate Chanakya, to the Tele-Quiz FRIENDS' Trivia, from the mysterious 'Treasure hunt' to the sports event 'Futsal', all the events left the participants with great excitement and joy. The E-summit IMPRESSA, featured a series of events which included a guest lecture, panel discussion, and Inter B-Plan competitions. Synopia was followed by an enthralling VH1 Supersonic Night leaving SSBF's mark not only in the university & it's sister institutions but also on other colleges of PUNE from where huge participation was received.
SYNOPIA 2017 was a platform for the students of SSBF to showcase their hardwork, zeal and dedication.
SYNOPIA 2017
Day 1
SYNOPIA is the annual cultural and managerial fest of SSBF and was held on 17th and 18th January, 2018. The event which was a huge success, saw the enthusiastic participation of students from many different colleges and institutes. The events held on the first day of Synopia were Corporate Chanakya, Maze Runner, Behind the Lens and Box Cricket League.
In Corporate Chanakya, a core management event, the students were tested on the basis of their corporate, management and innovation skills. Maze Runner, a treasure hunt had the various participants scrambling for clues and also included a round which tested the trust they had on each other. Behind the Lens was an outdoor photography competition in which the students explored the campus, captured some beautiful pictures and submitted their masterpieces within a few hours. The theme for the competition was “Beautiful Blur”. The last event for the day, Box Cricket League was a slightly modified version of gully cricket.
Overall, the event turned out to be very successful.
Day 2
DAY 2 The second day of Synopia – 2018 was as exciting, eventful and fun-filled as the first. The day had three main events lined up namely, Page-3, Speak Up and Battle Royale.
The first event tested the Bollywood knowledge of the participants. The questions covered various genres like Politics, Drama and Mystery and had both the participants as well as the audience at the edge of their seats. Speak Up, which was the second event for the day consisted of two rounds – JAM and Switch. The abstract topics tested the creativity, imagination and humour of the participants which had everyone is splits. The last event, Battle Royale saw some scintillating dance performances by individuals and teams. The face off round was a real treat to the eyes.
However, the high-light of the day was “Electra House” which had the entire crowd sway to the tunes of International DJ Nina Suerte. The great blend of progressive and electro house music ended the two day cultural extravaganza in an electrifying way.
SANGRAAM is an annual intra-institute event organised by the Sports Committee of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, usually where the junior and the senior batch participate in a variety of sports ranging from Badminton to Volleyball to Cricket to Basketball. Everyone, including the students, the faculty as well as the staff, looks forward to playing in Sangram every year, not only because it provides a break from the mundane routine of classes, presentations and projects but also because it refreshes our minds, help us enhance or maintain our physical health and also to get to know each other outside of the college environment.
Day Wise Results of SANGRAAM 4.0| Day 1 Event |
9th January 2018 Participants |
Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Badminton | Jr. Boys VS Sr. Boys Jr. Girls VS Sr. Girls |
Jr. Boys |
| T-20 Cricket | Jr. Boys VS Sr. Boys | Jr. Boys |
| Football | Jr. Boys VS Sr. Boys | Sr. Boys |
| Day 2 Event |
10th January 2018 Participants |
Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Squash | Jr. Boys VS Sr. Boys | Jr. Boys |
| Kabaddi | Faculty and staff VS Students | Students |
| Day 3 Event |
11th January 2018 Participants |
Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Throw Ball | Jr. Girls VS Sr. Girls | Sr. Girls |
| Volleyball | Jr. Boys VS Sr. Boys | Jr. Boys |
| Box Cricket League | Final Match Assyrians VS Scythians Faculty Match Bahubali VS Warriors |
Assyrians Warriors |
| Basket Ball | Jr. Boys VS Sr. Boys Jr. Girls VS Sr. Girls |
Sr. Boys Sr. Girls |
Sangram 6.0 – the flagship sports event of SSBF was held on 4th February. Amidst the pleasant springtime, the heat of excitement rose to the zenith. The tagline for this year was “The Ultimate Faceoff”.
Students and faculty got to showcase their talent in Squash, Football, Basketball, Badminton, Throwball, Cricket, Discuss and Kho-Kho. For the first time ever, a Sport Quiz Contest was included in Sangram, that tested participants on sports facts and knowledge.
The Box Cricket League, an IPL style cricket tournament, was undoubtedly the biggest attraction of the event. It was played between ten teams over three days. Unlike other games where juniors and seniors competed against each other, the teams were a mix of both batches.
The first Day of the event started with a bang. Faculty BCL was won by Team Don against Team Gama by 54 runs. Simultaneously in badminton, for boys, juniors took the title and for girls, the seniors beat the juniors. In squash, Seniors Boys won the match by 2-1. The juniors hit back with a win in discuss throw. Hence it was a tie.
Day 2 began with vibes of sportsmanship and zeal. In basketball and throw ball, the seniors girls ruled and won by 28-4 and 2-0 respectively. This was compensated by the junior cricket team who beat their seniors by a shocking 139 runs. In the end it was the seniors who won Sangram 6.0. Day 3 was all about BCL semi-finals and final. Team Gabbar with their cricket skills, team work and dedication, beat every other team to win the much valued trophy. The students and the spectators turned up in large numbers to support their teams and enjoy the spirit and essence of sports and sportsmanship.
The entire credit of organizing the event goes to the Sports Committee of SSBF who was responsible for execution of the entire event, right from planning the events and garnering sponsorship, to engaging in the hospitality of players and spectators.
SSBF boasts of excellent sports infrastructure. Sports activities are widely encouraged at SSBF. As the grand sporting event came to an end, the sense of excitement was palpable in the air- excitement that translated into action, as teams put in their blood, sweat and tears on the big day. Blazing ambition coupled with relentless determination has always been a lethal combination, which was witnessed in Sangram 6.0. It was much evident that healthy competition, laced with tons of fun- that’s what Sangram was all about!
On the 25th of January, the sports committee of SSBF successfully concluded their flagship event Sangram 5.0. It was flagged off by Dr. Manisha Ketkar, Director, SSBF on 23rd. The tagline of the event was “Battle between the best”. And it truly was. The senior and junior batches competed fiercely across various games like cricket, football, badminton, throwball, volleyball and basketball over the span of three days.
It wasn’t just the students who participated; there was active participation from the faculty and non-teaching staff too. They were neck and neck with the students in various events, which made the event even more interesting.
The Box Cricket League, an IPL style cricket tournament, was undoubtedly the biggest attraction of the event. It was played between eight teams over three days. Unlike other games where juniors and seniors competed against each other, the teams were a mix of both batches.
Overall, the event was a huge success. It reiterated the fact that life at SSBF isn’t all about academics. The focus is on overall development of a student. The purpose of the event isn’t just to serve as a source of recreation for the students but also to inculcate values like team spirit, cooperation, etc and the sports committee goes an extra mile every year to ensure that the purpose is served.
Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance never ceases an opportunity to enrich its students with physical and mental health. To ensure this, SSBF participated in the International Yoga Day celebration on 21th June 2020, hosted by SIU via a virtual platform. The college graciously emboldens students to practice Yoga on a regular basis, keeping in mind its ability in bringing together physical and mental disciplines to achieve a peaceful body, soul and mind. While the world is engulfed in a health crisis today, SSBF encouraged students to look towards a brighter future.
The celebration started with our Hon'ble Prof. Dr. S. B. Mujumdar, Chancellor, SIU, Pune addressing the students and staff about the advantages and paybacks of Yoga. A prayer, to bring peace within our surroundings and ourselves, was recited. The students took part in Om chanting and a pious aura was fondled amongst all. There was whole hearted participation in both standing and laying down asanas. After a schedule of enriching exercises, a period of relaxation, to bring about peace in our minds, was maintained. The session ended with the Director of Symbiosis School of Sports Sciences, joining the students for relaxation and breathing exercises.
Practicing yoga on a regular basis brings peace and joy to one’s body and mind. In these difficult times, the benefits of yoga need to be seized, now more than ever. With this, International Yoga Day celebration, SSBF has definitely been able to guide its students towards the beneficial path of yoga, which will aid them to excel in life. SSBF would also like to thank SIU for coming up with such a peaceful and relaxing session and Hon’ble Prof. Dr. S. B. Mujumdar for gracing the occasion with his presence.
Jigyasa is CSR’s annual endeavour to highlight to school children the need for financial awareness and kindle in them the urge to be better informed citizens. Raising financial awareness among kids is the first step to financially aware, trained and adept adults; catching them young moulds malleable minds and helps in inculcating good financial habits like saving and investment from the very beginning
SSBF celebrated its first ever virtual foundation day upon completing 10 years of fellowship and growth, on 18th August, 2020. It was an occasion of celebration, felicitation, feast and festivity where students presented their wonderful performances. The Annual Day 2010 was woven around the theme ‘Decade of Transformation’.
The event started with a warm greet from Dr. Manisha Ketkar, Director, SSBF. She expressed immense contentment about how students’ enthusiasm was making up for the toned-down virtual mode. A video was shared by her showcasing the beautiful memories created over the decade taking all to a trip of nostalgia.
The same was followed by performances from the students. The students at SSBF proved to showcase a plethora of talents with performances ranging from playing music to singing, classical dancing to artistic works. The well-coordinated performances, despite virtual barriers, were greatly appreciated by everyone.
A virtual Pictionary game organized by the cultural team added to the fun. Both the faculty members and students played along merrily.
In the end, the Director expressed her gratitude and extended regards to all for each one’s crucial contribution to making SSBF what it is. The event ended with each one of us looking forward to being on campus and wondering how amusing would events be at campus if they are already so exciting in virtual mode.
10th September was the day, we, the family of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance came together to celebrate the foundation of our institute, a day back in 2010, when the first and foremost stone of SSBF was laid. This day was marked special for the SSBF family, as it reflected the memories, the experiences and the achievements we had over these beautiful nine years.
The day started with an alluring ‘pookkalam’ competition, where both the batches took part and made the college look like a doorway to heaven. A traditional Ganesh Puja brought in the positive vibes to start the celebrations and the decorations turned the college into a creative haven, with all the adornments. The delicious lunch was savoured by the students and staff, who were dressed in their best-looking traditional attires. The performances, the ‘shero shayari’ and the games were the highlights of the day. And of course, the celebration ended with those perfect selfies!
In the end, foundation day is all about reminiscing the memories, preparing ourselves for the exciting times to come and many more milestones to achieve in the coming years.
20th September is marked as the foundation day for Symbiosis school of banking and finance. This day comes up with exciting nostalgic moments when all the students reflect not only the beginnings of the college but also focus on remarkable development that has been experienced over the years.
It is a day which is set aside to thank all our founders and appreciate their efforts in making our surroundings well connected. The tradition of starting any programme with Ganesh Puja in India is said to be auspicious and for us it was no different. The programme started at this note creating a positive aura at the initial stage.
The day became more energetic by experiencing startling performances by the students. The passion and zeal of the audience as well as faculties created the ambience more colourful and livelier.
It is the day where every single employee, students, staff and faculties unite and celebrate the success of the journey over the years.
The end of the programme made us realize that embracing the things we love is important and plays an important role in respecting the same. With all the memories captured in cameras and our cognitive minds we all left the programme at a positive note.
“The journey of thousand miles begins with a single step” is a well-known saying. Seven years ago, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance (SSBF) was established and since then there has been no looking back for this institution. On 6 th September, 2017, SSBF celebrated its seventh Foundation day to commemorate the beautiful journey of these seven years.
The arrangements were remarkable, with resplendent rangolis adorning the premises of SSBF. The Assembly Hall was also decorated beautifully with balloons. The event began with welcome address given by our esteemed director Dr Manisha Ketkar, motivating the students to take SSBF to soaring heights. She gave us an invaluable takeaway- “Be humble, be grateful.” A video was made by the students, which revived those lovely moments spent at the campus which was followed by a cake cutting ceremony. To make this event even more memorable, some activities like ‘Riddles’ and ‘Pass the parcel’ were designed especially for the faculty members, who really enjoyed it. This was followed by a mesmerizing musical performance, mimicry and stunning dance performances by the junior and the senior batches, which succeeded in swaying the hearts of the audience.
However, just like all good things, the event had to come to an end too. The event was a great success, and it reflected the love, dedication and support of the entire SSBF family.
Saturday, 1st February 2020
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Impressa is an annual flagship event conducted by Entrepreneurship Cell. The event is an assimilation of different set of activities such as quizzes, B-Plan or Business Plan (Pitching Business Ideas), Panel discussion, Sell with e-cell (opportunities for students to showcase their selling skills). It is a two day fun-filled event that aims at targeting persuasiveness, risk tolerance, and decisiveness. Students with specific entrepreneurial expertise take part in this event with a view to evolve their innovative skills and creativity that will go towards establishing his/her enterprise.
A panel of highly qualified and experienced industry professional are invited to provide students with the first-hand view of industry norms, practices, and governance. It is an interactive session where students get to clarify their respective doubts from these individuals and they also get the opportunity to learn about various prospect of the industry which is relevant for the current BFSI sector.
Students with keen interest in building their start-up are provided with a platform where they can showcase their unique and revolutionary ideas and their plan to receive funding for the same. These ideas are then judged based on their viability, validity and feasibility from the point of view of current market requirements and relevance. The student whose idea of innovation passes all the necessary parameters is declared the winner.
A two day activity is also organised where students put forth their marketing skills by selling items of their choice in the hope of earning revenue based on their capacity and ability to market their product which may impress upon the consumer’s preferences.
All in all, Impressa is a platform where holistic development of a person into an entrepreneur is guaranteed given he takes upon the challenge with sheer determination and passion.
Impressa, the annual flagship management event of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, was organized by the Entrepreneurship Cell of SSBF on 11th and 12th January 2019. Participation from various institutes across India made the event a great platform to compete with each other. The events planned for the first day of Impressa were Synovate. EPIC, and Sell with E-Cell. Synovate, was a platform where the students could come up with new ideas and also get suggestions to improve upon it. The first, second and third places were bagged by teams from S1BM, SIMC and IIM Trichy respectively. The committee also organised an eCash Policy Innovation Challenge (EPIC) to see if students can come up with an innovative idea to solve the problem of a delay in digitization. This was won by teams within SSBF itself. Sell with E-Cell gave students an opportunity to open their own food stalls and sell delicious biryani, cookies and pancakes. The second day had Envision, a panel discussion, organized for the students on the topic "The Shifting Facades of Entrepreneurship" gave the students an insight on what entrepreneurship is and how it has changed in the past few years. The Guest of Honour was Mr. Ajay Shastry, MD, Southern Africa Ferro Alloys Ltd. The panelists were Mr. Akash Sureldia, Entrepreneur and Advisor; Mrs. Sonia Konjeti, Social Entrepreneur; Adv. C. S. Kunal Sarpal, Lawyer and fP Expert, White Collar Legal LLP; and Mr. Yashodhan Joshi, Startup Mentor. They discussed how entrepreneurship has changed in the past two decades, how social media works to promote entrepreneurs with little or no investments and challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the ever changing business scenario. Each of the panelists also narrated the story behind their venture and explained the learning outcomes. The panelists did have differing views on some aspects, but, one thing that they unanimously agreed upon was the fact that it is imperative to know the industry, trust their instincts and never give up. Overall, the event was very informative and successful.
The entrepreneurship cell of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organised their annual event Impressa on 12th January 2018. The event which had a host of events, saw active participation from not just the students of SSBF but from the other colleges as well.
The first event, a panel discussion on the topic “Harnessing the innovative mindset” gave the students an insight on what entrepreneurship actually is. The panelists, Mr. Vikas Khanvelkar, MD and CEO of Design Tech, Mr. Kunal Maheshwari, Co-Founder of Superbowl and Mr. Vineet Sethi, Co-Founder of Bagtalk.com stressed upon the 5P’s of entrepreneurship i.e. Purpose, Passion, People, Proposition and Persistence. Each of the panelists also narrated the story behind their venture and explained the learning outcomes. The panelists did have differing views on some aspects, but, one thing that they unanimously agreed upon was the fact that it is imperative to know the industry that one is venturing into like the back of one’s palm.
Following this informative session, the students were given an opportunity to try their hand at developing business plans. The event, “Synovate” which saw teams from IIM-Indore, XLRI-Jamshedpur, K J Somaiya, IMI Delhi, SIBM-Pune, Jamnalal Bajaj etc was a platform where the students could come up with new ideas and also get suggestions to improve upon it. The first, second and third places were bagged by teams from SIIB, SIBM and MISB Bocconi respectively. The committee also organised an eCash Policy Innovation Challenge (EPIC) to see if students can come up with an innovative idea to solve the problem of a delay in digitisation. This was won by teams from SIBM and SPJIMR.
Apart from this, the students got to set up stalls and display their entrepreneurial skills. Overall, the event was very informative and successful.
Impressa, the annual flagship management event of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, held on 19th January 2017 and organized by Entrepreneurship cell of SSBF impressed everyone out there with the extravagance of its events. Participation from various institutes across India made the event a great platform to compete with each other. The two main events of impressa i.e. SYMPODIA and SYNOVATE tested the analytical and business skills of the participants.
SYMPODIA was the first event of Impressa which was an online quiz. Unlike other online quizzes, SYMPODIA broke the monotony of the cliché online quizzes. This quiz consists of 20 questions and each question has three figures, the common thing between the figures was the answer to the question. The twist was that the answer to a question was password for next question. The zeal to unlock the next question kept the participants engrossed in the quiz and motivated to brainstorm further. The participation this year was more than 150 in SYMPODIA and the positive appreciating feedback from all the participants showed us the success of the inaugural event of IMPRESSA.
The event by Entrepreneurship cell would be incomplete without a guest speaker for the budding entrepreneur. The skills of an entrepreneur can be best explained by a person who has experienced all of it. We were privileged to have Dr. Vivek Barve between us to give a speech for budding entrepreneur. Dr. Barve is an entrepreneur who is a co-founder of a company “Accures Legal”. Accures legal assist clients in all fields of intellectual property including patents, trademarks, copyright, designs, plant variety protection, geographical indications – from its development to its monetization. The speech was about the risk and planning an entrepreneur needs to do and different dimensions of business.
Impressa was concluded by the event “SYNOVATE – the Business plan competition “. Across India many teams registered for the event but 9 teams qualified for the finals after the preliminary round. The event was judged by Dr. Vivek Barve, Mr. Dilip Thosar and Dr. Shailesh Natu. The teams presented their business ideas in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. They were appreciated, advised and given constructive feedback by the judges. Judges provided some of the participants with their contact, so that they can get some help in starting up their ventures.
Impressa is growing year by year and the expectations of people becomes the motivation to make it even better. The efforts of Entrepreneurship cell under the guidance of Dr. Shailesh Natu made the event a great success.
Recognizing the need for harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit, the Entrepreneurship cell of SSBF organized its first Entrepreneurial Summit “Impressa“on 26th September, 2015. Based on the theme “Harnessing the Innovative Mindset”, the summit featured a series of events which included a guest lecture, panel discussion, a workshop and 3 Inter B-school competitions.
The summit was inaugurated with the lighting of the lamp and welcome address by the Deputy Director, SSBF. This was followed by a guest lecture by Mr. Rohan Chhazed, AVP, Zoomcar India Pvt Ltd on Business Startup Strategy. He spoke of the importance of understanding the value proposition that an entrepreneur presents to his customers as well as the importance of market share capture. It was a very interactive and informative session and Zoomcar goodies were distributed to the students. An impromptu contest was also held where the students of SSBF impressed the guests with their ability to devise marketing plans. This was followed by a workshop on trading in financial markets, conducted by Mr. Purv Shah- Member of BSE Stock Broker’s Forum. Mr. Shah explained the nuances of trading in stocks and shares and kept the audience hooked with his presentation.
The highlight of the Summit was a panel discussion on the theme –“Harnessing the Innovative Mindset.” The panel comprised of young and dynamic entrepreneurs and executives. The panelists included Mr. Manish Harodia, Founder of Dreamwallets; Mr. Mihir Badiani, Launch Manager, Swiggy; Mr. Purv Shah, Member of BSE Stock Broker’s Forum; Mr. Heramb Nargundkar, Director and Founder, Efact Solutions and Mr. Rakesh Das, Cofounder, Instainnovations India. Each of the panelists shared their experiences. The most important fact they highlighted was that there is no set route to success, and each entrepreneur must find their own path. The importance on disruptive technology and businesses was touched upon, and the need for an entrepreneur to be even more unfazed by failure than other professions. One thing to remember is that entrepreneurship requires iron certitude and that it is best to enter only if one is absolutely sure of pulling it off.
Apart from these, the E-Cell organized three exciting events for the B-school participants.
All three events received large number of registrations from across India. The finalists for Synovate and Symulate were selected on the basis of online test and submissions. There were a total of 10 teams who made it to the finals of Synovate and seven participants who made it to the finals of Symulate. Finals of both these events were held at SSBF. Team Achievers of CSS National Institute of Agriculture, Jaipur won the first prize and Team Vcare of SIBM Pune won the second prize in Synovate.
Amit Shirude of IIM Indore (Mumbai Campus) and Karthikeyan N.B. of IIM Indore (Mumbai Campus) won the first and the second prize respectively in Symulate. “Sympodia” was an off-campus event where participants participated in an online puzzle solving exercise, which involved hunting clues across a variety of images. Dinesh Gupta of International Management Institute, New Delhi won the first prize in Sympodia and Priyanka Lunawat of Wellingkar won the second prize. The event was sponsored by Zoomcar India Pvt. Ltd. and Swiggy, who also joined the discussions and guest lectures.
The event was a great success and we at SSBF look forward to seeing you all at Impressa 16!
The warm morning of 25th September 2015 witnessed excitement, enthusiasm and passion running through the veins of the students of SSBF. As a part of its PR initiative, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organized its first ever virtual stock trading workshop and competition: “Dalal Street Arena” on 25th September 2015 at Symbiosis Vishwabhawan, S.B Road, Pune. The event was designed to create awareness and improve the knowledge of the participants relating to the functioning and operations of the stock markets.
The participants were undergraduate students of various colleges across Pune and Mumbai. Registrations were received from colleges like MITSOM, Indira and BMCC to name a few. A total of 80 students participated in the event and about 30 on spot registrations were recorded.
The event was conducted in two slots. The morning slot involved a talk on career goals and aspirations by eminent entrepreneur in the field of financial advisory Mr. Purv Shah. In the second slot, a virtual trading ring was created where students were asked to trade in stocks keeping in mind the various market forces. At the end of the event, winners were announced on the basis of highest portfolio value and highest intraday gains. They received cash prizes worth Rs. 10000 and certificates.
Dalal Street Arena turned out to be a huge success and worth every effort put in by the volunteer students of SSBF. All the participants and volunteers had an intellectually stimulating experience and went home better informed and more learned about the secondary market. The whole purpose of the event to raise awareness regarding the volatility of the stock market and its importance in shaping the economy was very well achieved. Inspired by the grand success of Dalal Street Arena, the PR Team of SSBF plans to target students from across the country next year, to have a pan India impact.
On the 9th of September 2016, Symbiosis school of Banking and Finance had organized a mock stock event called DALAL STREET ARENA 2.0.which was held at Symbiosis University, Senapati Bapat Road at the SYMBIOSIS VISHWABHAVAN AUDITORIUM.
Students from various colleges came to take part in this event. Participants were mostly from Poona College, Marathwada Mitra Mandal College of Commerce (MMCC), Singhad Institutes and Symbiosis Institutes to name a few. They were welcomed by the volunteers and guided towards the registration desks at sharp 9:50 AM where they also received a notepad, pen and a customized keychain.
The resource person for the day was MR.PURV SHAH, freelancer at the BROKERS FORUM and who was felicitated by Mrs. Manisha Ketkar, Director of Symbiosis School of Banking And Finance. The first session was regarding the career opportunities provided in the financial sector in today’s relevance which was then followed by a lunch and refreshments break. The second session started off at 2:00 PM with a small quiz round to lighten up the mood of the audience. And this was followed up with a session on stock exchange and its working. After the completion of the workshop the mock stock competition started where the participants had to apply the knowledge they received from the workshop and make use of it in this simulation. An Instagram boot was also provided for students to take pictures with.
The winners of the event were Yogesh Mishra,Pooja Ridichatti, Anirudh Rao and Mohammad Kashan Azmi. The feedback received from the participants depicted the success of the event where students found this experience to be extremely fruitful and they would be willing to be a part of the event in the years to come.
The Public Relations Committee of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, hosted their flagship event “Dalal Street Arena – 3.0” on 23rd November 2017. The event which was held at the S. B. Road campus, saw over 200 participants from various colleges in the city.
The event started with a workshop by Mr. Purv Shah, a freelance entrepreneur in the field of investment advisory and training. The workshop, gave the students a fair idea about stock markets, trading as well as careers in finance. Having an experience of over twelve years in financial markets, he told the students that it is alright to make mistakes. According to him, one learns the best from experiences and emotions.
This was followed by a “Mock Stock Exchange” where all the participants were traders and had to buy and sell shares from other fellow participants. There were constant news updates such as impact of GST on specific sectors, dividend declaration of companies and declaration of quarterly results. The students, based on these updates took decisions on whether to buy, sell or hold the shares.
The competition ended with the person with the highest net worth winning. This year’s winner was Aman Kumar. The second and third places went to Rohan Jaiswal and Siddharth Arora for having the highest trading profit and least cash balance respectively. To say that the event was a huge success would be an understatement.
“Dalal Street Arena-4.0” one of the flagship events of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance was organized by Public Relationship team on the 11th of October 2018. The event was held at S.B.Road campus. There were students from various campuses like BMCC, MMCC, Indira college, SCAC.
The event started with a guest lecture by Mr. R Ravi Kumar who is a seasoned multi-faced consultant with over a decade of experience in finance, E- commerce, marketing, education technology, and talent development. The session gave the young minds idea about career and opportunities ahead in the field of Banking and Finance. Mr. R Ravi Kumar who has over a decade of experience told the students it’s alright to make mistakes, but shouldn’t stop following the dream. He also told that we shouldn’t celebrate too early in life.
This was followed by the main event of the day “Mock Stock Exchange” where all the participants were the traders and they had to buy and sell among their own fellow participants. Along with this, there were constant updates regarding news of the companies that would lead to an impact on the share prices of the companies. So looking into all of this the traders had to see if they wanted to hold back the shares with themselves or sell it.
Mock Stock Exchange process went on for an hour and a half, in the end, the winner was decided on the basis of a trader with maximum net worth with them. First place was won by Apoorv Joshi and second place was won by Ajinkya Deshmukh. All the students actively took part and made the event a big success.
Warren Buffett rightly quoted “The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.”
Keeping this dogma in mind, individuals from all over Pune entered this arena of opportunities, an arena where acumen and instincts play through, an arena we have christened DALAL STREET ARENA 5.0, the annual mock stock event organised by Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance.
The event kicked off with a captivating speech by the Guest of Honour- an investment management consultant, highly accomplished in his field - Mr. Prasad Kalbhande. His opening quote “Wealth is in the hands of few- because they think differently and take calculated risks”, allured the young minds of the audience into a world of thought. His justifiable difference between being rich and being wealthy, stating that the market is full of people with riches, but who lack wealth, developed a keen insight for the topic. He beautifully explained the rationale and analysis behind placing every order, for it to be effective, coupled with the variations in trading and investment, simplified the opinions of many into a single chain. The session came to an end with Mr. Kalbhande leaving behind a tip “Become financially literate. Spend time learning the markets and you will grow along with your wealth”.
With refreshments out of the way, the stock market trading floor was set for skills and dexterity to be displayed. Shortly, applying the ideology of “knowing the value and not the price”, the calm and tranquil auditorium turned into a ruffled environment tied with heaps of determination and fortitude and there was no mistaking that trading had begun! Chaos, grins, laughter and screams of excitement that filled the room, all drew attention to one thing, that yet again SSBF soar to great heights. The students managed to pull off yet another successful event with sheer dedication, steadfast hard work and persistent efforts.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”, at the end, although just 3 candidates traded their way to victory showcasing patience, discipline, adaptability and mental toughness, all left with oodles of erudition, entirely owing to the triumph of DSA 5.0.
The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.' – Warren Buffet
Dalal Street Arena 6.0 ‘As real as it could get’, the flagship event of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance was conducted by the Public Relations (PR) Team from 14th December, 2020 to 18th December, 2020. The virtual nature of the event helped get over the geographical barrier and saw pan India participation for the highly anticipated proceedings. The platform used this time was the Modern Electronic process of trading which not only helped the attendants gain familiarity with the online trading process but also simulated a real trading environment, kindling a competitive spirit and making the event a resounding success.
Two webinars were held on the first day of the event to warmly welcome the participants and introduce the participants to the concept of DSA 6.0. Dr. Manisha Ketkar, Director of SSBF, marked the beginning with a short speech addressing the audience, impressing upon them the importance of Stock Market Trading and the necessity of learning from our own mistakes. It was followed by an interesting guest lecture on the Dynamic Behavior of the Stock Market by Mr. Kunal Rambhia, an adept industry professional in the field. Mr. Rambhia provided a deeply informative and systemic look into the movements of Stock Markets, with a special focus on Black Swan events. His informal and educative approach resonated well with the participants, who ended up being supremely appreciative of his personal experiences and vast knowledge of the subject.
A short session with Hardik Arora, the winner of 2019’s Mock DSA followed, wherein he introduced the online software to be used during the event. Mr. Arora explained the intricacies of the software in detail and proceeded to open the session for doubts. Anyone who had any doubts about the event was encouraged to come forward and clear them to ensure smooth functioning over the next four days of actual trading. The audience responded well and an interactive session followed, whereby issues were handled immediately and all doubts were sated calmly by the team.
While the current situation restricted in person gathering for the event, the PR Team outdid themselves with the flawless organization and virtual conduct of the event. Shravan Gupta (B.Sc (Math), University of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh) was announced as the winner, with Basil Manithottam (B.Com (Accounting and Finance), Madras Christian College, Chennai) and Priyanshul Govil (B.Tech Information Technology, Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Mumbai) winning the second and third place respectively on the fifth and final day of the event. With the faculties in charge coordinating seamlessly, the Creative Team spear heading the visual campaigning and more than 20 volunteers handling back-end for the constant support of participants, the DSA 6.0 culminated as one of the largest accomplishments of SSBF in 2020.
25th , 26th January 2020
Symbiosis Lavale, Hill Top Campus
For the very first time the sports committee of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance organised a two days cricket tournament playoff on 25th and 26th January 2020 for corporate players at the scenic hill top campus where all the participating companies got a chance to display their strengths and competitiveness in a friendly cricket match. The sports event saw a zealous participation from all the 10 companies. Each match had 10 overs and the companies were divided into three groups. Every company played against two other teams. The top four companies with highest scores and maximum wins were qualified for the semi – finals. It was a beautiful sunny day during the match as the teams competed with commendable vigour and enthusiasm.
While sportsmanship and rivalry were displayed on the field, all participants emerged from the event with a newfound sense of friendship and camaraderie. The tagline of the event was “leave nothing undared” and that is exactly what the participants did. The audience were thrilled the entire time as no one could predict till the end that which team would definitely win.
Out of the ten teams, Expleo India Infosystems, HDFC Bank, Bank of India and Fiserv got qualified for the semi - finals. The day ended with winning hoots and cheers for the winners. The field was filled with laughter of joy and the anticipation of coming out victorious in the finals. It was a day filled with sportsmanship, enthusiasm and memories to cherish.
The closing ceremony captured the true essence of the event. The semi-finals were between HDFC bank and Expleo India, which was won by Expleo. The second match was between BOI and Fiserv and the winners were the later. The final showdown was between Expleo and Fiserv, with Expleo lifting the Trophy. Mr Kiran Sathe of Expleo won the best batsman award. The winners earned a mind blowing amount of Rs. 20,000 and the runners-up a Rs, 10,000 as prizes.
The chief guest was Mr Udit Birla, who is an Indian cricketer and also a part of Pune Warriors in IPL. Guest of honour was Mr. Satish Gaikwad, who is an ICC level 3 couch, a sports psychologist at FC Barcelona and is currently working with elite players. Their words of wisdom were truly to be pondered upon. The closing ceremony inspired all the players, professors and the students to excel in any field of life- be it sports, finance or any other field. Also the Sports Committee of SSBF, who organised the event, the volunteers who worked tirelessly and the staff who helped make the event a successful one, were highly appreciated.
The freshman batch of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, took a small step towards changing the face of the earth, by organizing a tree plantation drive on 16 July, 2019 (Tuesday). Considering the manifold benefits of trees and the degrading state of the planet, this was a small step by the students to raise awareness and contribute their part, at Symbiosis International University, hilltop campus, Lavale. The event witnessed active participation by students, staff and the esteemed faculty members. The staff and the 'kakas' were specially appreciated by the students and faculty for helping them make this event a grand success. Although SIU Lavale is a lush green campus, steps like these, are the need of the hour, not just on 'Environment Day', but on a regular basis. Co-existing with the flora and fauna has always been the culture of Symbiosis and these initiatives just prove to be cherry on top. Pictures of the event show that the students of SSBF are not about the trending 'Faceapp' but more about changing the 'Face' of the earth.
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Tree Plantation Drive was held on 27th of August 2018, by students of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. The Symbiosis, Lavale campus is filled with lush greenery and is a health promoting campus. The students, staff and management strongly believe in the coexistence of humans with the flora and fauna that the campus has to offer. The tree plantation drive showed that it is not important to plant trees only on Environment Day to keep the environment pollution free, but that this initiative can be taken up for a better life on a regular basis. The students were taken to hill base of Symbiosis hills where they, along with the faculty and staff, assembled near the rain water harvesting reservoir. Next, they took a mini trek up the Lavale hills to plant saplings at various locations at the hills. The drive had active participation of the students and director, Dr. Manisha Ketkar along with the faculty of SSBF. The event tells us that taking care of our environment and being responsible for it should be a part of life. Finally, there was a happy picture taken after a successful event.
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“There is no best time to plant a tree. It should be done as quickly as possible.” All of us have a duty towards the earth that is to sustain it’s greenery and to not destroy the trees that give us our basic need that we require for survival, which is oxygen.
As the first initiative for the academic year 2016-2017, the ISR committee undertook a tree plantation drive on the 1st of July, 2016 in the campus itself at 9:15 a.m. Trees were planted near the academic block and the parking space of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. All the faculty members, non-teaching staff and the director of the institute along with the students of the committee actively and enthusiastically participated in this drive. At 9:15 a.m. two members each from the junior committee and senior committee along with the head of the ISR committee, Dilip Sir went to receive our director, Manisha Ketkar Ma’am to flag off the tree plantation drive. The first tree was planted by our director ma’am and subsequently all the teaching, non-teaching and admin staff also planted the trees. First, the trees were planted near the academic block of the institution and later we all proceeded towards the parking area where two more trees were planted by the teaching faculty of the institution. The ISR committee has taken upon itself to maintain and take care of the trees planted in the premises as a part of the social responsibility of the institution to contribute towards the greenery of this beautiful campus and also discharging our duty towards mother nature. After the plantation program, photos were clicked in order to cherish this beautiful memory.
On behalf of the ISR committee, we would like to thank director ma’am, teaching, non-teaching and the admin staff who spared some time from their busy schedule, for their support and enthusiastic participation, which helped us make the first event of this academic year a great success.
Photo GalleryReport on the ‘Swachchhata Pakhwada’ initiative carried out by the Institute Social Responsibility committee at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance.
The ‘Swachchhata Pakhwada’ was the initiative of Maharashtra government to give a push to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Accordingly the Swachchhata Pakhwada initiative was to be carried out between 1st September 2017 to 15th September 2017. The Institute Social Responsibility committee of Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance focused on the campus cleanliness initiatives. The committee carried out the following events on the background of Swachchhata Pakhwada.
This initiative was carried out on 11th September 2017 at the Hostels at the SIU Lavale campus. Along with the committee members many volunteers from SSBF also participated actively in the initiative.
To undertake this initiative the committee members visited the mess and inspected the cleanliness and hygiene of the facility. This initiative was carried out on 13th September 2017. According to the inspection the mess is thoroughly cleaned thrice a day and the surroundings are cleaned twice a day. Cleanliness is given utmost emphasis when it comes to mess facilities at SIU Lavale campus.
The Clean Campus Day was undertaken on 14th September 2017 at the Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance. The surroundings of the college were targeted for this cleanliness initiative.
This initiative was carried out on 15th September 2017 at the Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance
