A total of 59 fellows of the inaugural batch of the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF – Phase II) of the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) completed their two-year intensive programme.
K.N. Raghavan, Director General of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect taxes and Narcotics (NACIN), was the chief guest at the function which was presided over Debashis Chatterjee, Director, IIMK.
MGNF is a visionary programme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), managed by IIMK. It ingrains academic inputs, workshops, mentoring, and extensive field immersions at the district level that finally culminate in the award of a certificate in public policy and management to successful participants. The Fellows of IIMK were posted in Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Nagaland, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The respective State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs) also played an important role in supporting the Fellows’ mission of advancing the development of a skilling ecosystem.
IIMK fellows also came up with outstanding social projects to benefit the disadvantaged and marginalised sections of society, including transgenders, tribespeople, sex workers, and slum dwellers. It was befitting that the ‘Scroll Tube’ awarded to the fellows was produced by the members of Association of Mentally Handicapped Adults (AMHA), in Thrissur district, an initiative supported by one of the MGNF Fellows of the Kerala cohort.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Raghavan said there was a huge need to upskill and reskill oneself in an age when Artificial Intelligence was challenging the status quo. “India has tremendous potential left unexplored in the rural hinterland, and tapping grassroots skills will bring in the next talent revolution,” he added.
Invoking the Father of the Nation after whom the fellowship is named, IIMK Director Prof. Debashis Chatterjee encouraged the cohort to follow in the footsteps of the Mahatma who was one of the most ‘resourceful’ managers known to the world.
A press release said that over the course of the fellowship, the Kerala cohort of the MGNF programme Phase-II drafted the “Policy Recommendations for Kerala’s Skilling Landscape” for presentation to the State government. This document explores approaches to address some pressing challenges related to skill development, livelihoods, and employment in Kerala.
