MAKE A DIFFERENCE (MAD)
IIM Tiruchirappalli 's vision is to produce socially responsible corporate managers and leaders who also contribute to the immediate community of which they and their organizations are a part of. IIM Tiruchirappalli believes that organizational leaders should engage with societal issues that affect their community and offer their organizational and managerial expertise in tackling these complex problems. There is also a growing recognition among the leaders of corporate world that they need to look beyond the immediate boundaries of their companies. Business leaders as ‘custodians of society’s most powerful institutions’ are increasingly expected to ‘reconnect business success with social progress’. ‘Make a difference’ (MAD) project is conceived in this context. The project is also an attempt to inculcate the core values of social responsibility, humility and empathy in its students so that they evolve ad socially responsible managers and also work towards the betterment of their communities.
MAD TALKS
Every academic year, the Make a Difference projects are kicked off with ‘MAD Talks’. These talks will introduce the MAD project to the students and emphasize its need and relevance. These talks among others will showcase stories of successful social entrepreneurs. The talks will also introduce the students to the problems and concerns faced in specific areas like education, healthcare, unorganized labour etc. The talks are also conceived as an opportunity for students to start identifying potential project ideas and network with social organizations that can serve as sites for their projects. The following are the speakers for MAD Talks in the previous years:
S.No. |
Speaker |
Organization |
| 1 | Shri Ravichandran | Commissioner, Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation |
| 2 | Shri Krishnan Dharmarajan | Executive Director, Centre for Digital Financial Inclusion |
| 3 | Shri Justin Jesudas | Associate Director at Cognizant, Para-Swimmer at International Paralympic Committee |
| 4 | Dr. George Puthuran, | Aravind Eye Care System |
| 5 | Ms. Sowmya Suryanarayanan, | Head, CSR, Societe Generale Global Solutions Centre, Bengaluru |
| 6 | Mr. Rakesh Dubbudu | Founder, Factly, Civic and Social Organization, Hyderabad |
S.No. |
Speaker |
Organization |
| 1 | Professor Des Gasper | Erasmus University, Rotterdam |
| 2 | Mr. S Damodaran | Gramalaya |
| 3 | Mr. Senthilkumar Gopalan | Payir |
| 4 | Mr. P.S. Narayan | Wipro |
| 5 | Mr. Thirukumaran Nagarajan | Ninjacart |
| 6 | Mr. A Gurunathan | Tata-Dhan Academy |
S.No. |
Speaker |
Organization |
| 1 | Mr. Damodaran | Gramalaya |
| 2 | Mr. Mahatvaraj N | Director, AMM Foundation, Murugappa Group |
| 3 | Professor Satyajit Majumdar | Tata Institute of Social Sciences |
| 4 | Mr. Ramesh | Rural Shores |
| 5 | Professor John Peter | Joseph College, Trichy |
| 6 | Mr. Gurunathan | DHAN Foundation |
S.No. |
Speaker |
Organization |
| 1 | Mr. Damodaran | Gramalaya |
| 2 | Ms. Anuradha Sriram | Redington |
| 3 | Dr. Nilratan Shende | Allcargo Logistics |
| 4 | Mr. Senthil | Payir |
| 5 | Mr. Jayaram Venkatesh | Magasool |
| 6 | Ms. Latha Suresh | Centre for Social Initiative and Management |
| 7 | Ms. Pooja Mishra | Gurukul, Rae Bareilly |
MAD PROJECT
After the MAD Talks, students organize themselves work in teams of five or six on an issue of social importance. They work on a specific theme such as education, health etc., or work on a project with an organization like NGO etc. These projects are undertaken by students across three to five months along with other curriculum requirements. All projects should necessarily involve on-the-field component and should be carried out under the guidance of a faculty member. The projects are evaluated by faculty mentor and external experts. A satisfactory rating in the team project is a mandatory requirement for the graduation.