CII Communique - December, 2010

training and development
VLFM Institute
VLFM for CEOs
Prof M S Ananth, Director, IIT Madras; R S Jain, Chief, NMCC;
Rajeev Ranjan, Principal Secretary- Industry, Tamil Nadu;
Dr Sarita Nagpal, Deputy Director General, CII; T T Ashok, Deputy
Chairman, CII (SR); and Prof Shoji Shiba, Chief Advisor, VLFM Institute
The VLFM Institute, a CII initiative, launched its ‘VLFM
for CEOs’ programme on 23 November. The three day
programme saw 21 CEOs of the Indian manufacturing
sector, commit to walk the ‘Breakthrough’ path.
This programme is being held under the Joint Technical
Cooperation Agreement signed by the Prime Ministers of
Japan and India in December 2006. A nationwide survey
organised in 2006 had revealed that a programme to
sensitise CEOs to the need for breakthroughs and their
role in leading such initiatives in their organisations was
going to be critical.
Over the last three years, the VLFM Programme has
created a pool of over 300 visionary leaders who are
skilled to lead their organisations in times of drastic
change and to implement breakthrough projects. The
programme is led by Prof Shoji Shiba, the world renowned
expert in Breakthrough Management and Chief Advisor,
VLFM Institute. Over the last three years he has personally
guided and handheld managers in implementing their
breakthrough improvements. The programme has also
seen such successes as the Chotukool, a cooler for the
Bottom of the Pyramid, and Kirloskar’s submersible pump
to meet the specific needs of the Punjab farmers.
The Special Opening Ceremony organised for the ‘VLFM
for CEOs’ programme was a landmark in the history of
this initiative. It represented the confluence of the three
key stakeholders of India’s growth story - Industry,
academia and government. Mr. Rajeev Ranjan, Principal
Secretary, Industry, Tamil Nadu, and Mr R S Jain, Chief,
National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council, spoke
at the session, urging the CEOs to focus on sustainable
growth. Prof M S Ananth, Director, Indian Institute
of Technology, Madras, and Mr T T Ashok, Deputy
Chairman, CII Southern Region, also spoke.
The programme has sensitised the CEOs of their role in
thinking breakthrough ideas, setting up the organisation
for implementing these ideas and for leading these
from the front. The CEOs made presentations on
‘Breakthrough Strategies for the Stone-carving industry’
based on their observations and Prof Shiba gave
guidance and feedback at each stage.
The 21 CEOs who attended the programme, represented
companies such as Godrej, TVS Motors, Anand Automotive
and Sona Koyo. On the last day of the programme, they
presented the possible breakthrough project that they
might want to pursue in their organisations.
Going forward, the VLFM Institute is committed to
supporting the projects and the VLFM companies to
support inclusive growth and build entrepreneurship
within the enterprise to help India really become the
Innovation hub for the world.
VLFM Institute and IIT Madras MoU
Jamshyd N Godrej, Past President, CII, & Chairman, VLFM Institute
and; Prof M S Ananth, Director, IIT Madras exchange the MoU.
Also seen Baba Kalyani, CMD, Bharat Forge Ltd.
The VLFM Institute, and the Indian Institute of Technology,
Madras, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 27
November to collaborate in research projects in order to
meet evolving industry needs. IIT Madras and the VLFM
Institute have also agreed to jointly implement the VLFM
Programme for the benefit of the Indian industry and
exchange faculty to take this engagement forward.
This MoU marks a historical step forward in India’s
journey to becoming an innovation-led nation. A
partnership between one of India’s top technology
academic institutions and India’s apex industry body has
the potential to become a change leader in harnessing
the country’s resources for growth.
Communiqué December 2010 | 47