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Sri Rahul Mehta,
Vice-Chairman,
IAM
At the outset, I would like to thank the
Secretary (Textiles), Ms. Zohra Chatterji,
IAS for having been a pillar of strength and
support for the apparel industry over the
last 2 years giving us much needed policy
support as well as directions and guidance
from time to time. I must also congratulate
Chairman, AEPC & IAM Sri Virender Uppal
for his august leadership and unstinted
support to IAM just as much or more like
the previous Chairmen Sri Rakesh Vaid, Sri
Premal Udani and Dr. A. Sakthivel. I must
compliment including Dr. Darlie Koshy,
DG&CEO, IAM, Mr. Somesh Singh, Director,
IAM and the entire team of IAM for winning
the National Education Leadership Award
for the second time from the media group
ABP and Dainik Bhaskar. I must also extend
my best wishes to all the students who are
set to receive the diplomas and degrees
today at the hands of our Chief Guest Ms.
Zohra Chatterji. Being a multi-varsity it is
only natural that the certifications are being
made available to the students from different
sources IGNOU, Mewar University, Edexcel
and others. We appreciate Mewar University
for their collaborative initiatives and Edexcel
for the wonderful support over the years.
When the students who are graduating
today had joined at IAM, the industry was
probably passing through the worst phase
of depressed market conditions and stunted
growth. However, it is full of good news
now and it can be said now for the textile
apparel industry that “ACCHEY DIN AA
GAYE HAI”. The significant achievements
of IAM have been charting a new path in
India among fashion institutes focusing
more on an integrated Fashion & Lifestyle
approach, digital tools and technologies
and more importantly “Fashion Business”
as such. The more I talk to the Heads of
Departments at IAM they tell about the
stories of many students they have started a
garment manufacturing unit or a brand or a
store after having completed their education
at IAM. IAM students don’t not want to
become job seekers but they want to become
‘entrepreneurs’. This certainly augur well.
The DG&CEO will be touching on different
aspects of progress of the Institute in his
report & review. It will suffice to say that
ATDC & IAM are very much part of the
Export Promotion, because without trained
human resources at every level exports
cannot go up. Similarly, for the domestic
market, the need is to strengthen Indian
brands which can only be achieved by a very
different breed of professionals who believe
in design and management together. Having
an Education & Training arm in the form of
IAM & ATDC has certainly elevated AEPC to
another level among all the other Councils.
I wish the Graduating students my sincere
congratulations and best wishes.
Welcome Note of Vice-Chairman, IAM,
Sri Rahul Mehta at the 3rd convocation
ceremony of the Institute of Apparel
Management, Gurgaon.