Dean's Message

Dear Aspirant,

"We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true." - Woodrow Wilson

The world is full of dreamers. The biggest changes in technology and entrepreneurship have come as a result of people who dared to push the envelope, try a different path rather than the one trodden by countless others. They were the ones who eschewed the comfort of the familiar, the softly enveloping embrace of the status quo. They never wore the halo of incumbency too well, because they were always eager to carve out a new direction. They were bold, visionary, and ambitious. Not all of them were intellectual geniuses, but they had this crazy drive to achieve something different. This is the world we live in now. Robotics, AI, and Machine Learning have changed the landscape, such that no competitive advantage can last too long. The power of the incumbent is waning, and new companies and business models are taking over.

What has that got to do with me, you may ask. Well, I am here to talk to you about your dreams. You are achievers, all of you. That’s why you are considering getting into business school. You aspire for the world to be at your feet, the hopes of your parents and your loved ones riding on your shoulders. You have spent a lot of time thinking about the future. Your future! It is time to see whether your future aligns with how the future in general will be. You are in a world where everything is changing. A bewildering set of new mantras and jargon is taking over. VUCA, agility, digital transformation, deep learning. You get the picture. The question is, where do you think you will get ahead of these words and phrases? Where do you think you can impress a potential employer with your knowledge gained during 2 years of your education? Wouldn’t you think of an institution built in and for the 21st century? Let me tell you about Great Lakes Institute of Management. Let me tell you about a school that is best geared to prepare you for the future, and help you realize your dreams.

Great Lakes has been a pioneer in contemporary Management Education. We had the foresight to start a cutting edge business analytics program long before it was a norm. Today, we are rated as having the very best analytics program in the country among all business schools and among the top few internationally. We use a whole range of pedagogical methods to bring things to life for our students. Apart from regular classroom instruction, we have a variety of experiential learning modes of instruction where students learn by actual doing rather than theory. We have live projects offered by companies, simulations, real-time trading, conferences and seminars, industry interface and interaction opportunities, etc. We have a one of a kind social engagement experiential learning program called Karma Yoga, where students spend time in villages around the institute, and provide instruction and help to poor tribals and farmers on a variety of issues including primary education, healthcare, financial literacy, etc. You will interact with a truly select set of students filtered by our rigorous admissions process, chosen not just for their intellect, but also for the diversity of thoughts and ideas they will bring into the classroom. Great Lakes is an amazingly diverse institution, drawing students from all parts of the country, almost 40% of whom are female. What we offer is a nurturing environment, and not cut-throat one. We take good care of our students, and consider ourselves a student-centric organization that places the overall development of a student as our highest priority. You will be taught by leading scholars from both India and from around the world, gurus in their respective fields. You will learn from some of the best people in industry, who will share not just their knowledge but also their rich experience. Little wonder then, that the latest Outlook Business School rankings place us among the top 5 private business schools in the country, among several well-known older, more well-established ones. We are growing fast in stature and reputation.

We provide an excellent array of co-curricular activities, that keep student engagement at the highest levels, and provide multiple opportunities to grow and develop a dynamic personality. The Great Lakes campus in Chennai offers an ambience that is a sylvan oasis of green. It is certified as a top-rated eco-friendly campus with state-of-the-art facilities. You cannot help being inspired to learn in this environment. You cannot help but dream. Dream on. We are here to help you realize what's on your mind.