It’s not often that a guest lecture feels like a homecoming. But my recent session at IIeBM, Pune, on the occasion of their 26th anniversary, was exactly that. A beautiful confluence of familiar faces, thoughtful conversations, and the joy of shared purpose.
I have been associated with IIeBM for many years now, and every visit has left me deeply impressed by how this institution has grown. What was once a promising management school has steadily become one of India’s most respected, industry-oriented B-schools, attracting some of the best students and corporate attention alike.
Full credit goes to Dr. Jai Singh Marwaha, the visionary Managing Director, and Col. Vinod Marwaha, the guiding force and Trustee. It was truly heart-warming to reconnect with Col. Marwaha after a long time and even more fulfilling to be part of the cake-cutting ceremony yesterday, marking this special milestone.
As always, Jai's clarity and commitment stood out. Our conversation after the session gave me insight into his expansive vision for the future – a roadmap that combines academic excellence with ethical leadership and global relevance.
From Products to Purpose: The 4Ps Reimagined
During my lecture, I began with a concept all management students are familiar with: Philip Kotler’s 4Ps of Marketing – Product, Price, Place, Promotion. These help us understand how brands position themselves.
But then I offered a shift. I spoke about the 4Ps that form my life’s compass. Something I have written and spoken about in the past, but never tire of doing again.
In a world grappling with rapid change, uncertainty, and ethical dilemmas, we need a strategy that’s not just market-facing but soul-facing. That’s when I introduced my personal framework: Life’s 4Ps.
Preparation, Perseverance, Prayer, and Patience.
And to anchor them in something timeless, I connected each of these to the Bhagavad Gita – a text I have long turned to for clarity and courage.
1. Preparation
"You have a right to perform your duty, but not to the fruits thereof."
Before any major transition in my career – whether as MD at Govind Milk or CEO at Lactalis – I found that the most powerful outcomes emerged not from luck but from deep preparation. Systems thinking. Values alignment. Training the mind.
Just like Arjuna prepared before battle, so must we – intellectually, emotionally, spiritually.
2. Perseverance
"Dedicate all actions to Me… fight without inner turmoil."
The world doesn’t reward effort immediately. Whether you’re building a brand or a career, it’s the long game that matters. My corporate journey taught me that perseverance is less about grinding and more about showing up aligned and undistracted – again and again.
Arjuna didn’t win in the first round. He had to persist, with clarity.
3. Prayer
"Elevate yourself by yourself… for the self alone is friend and enemy."
This is not about ritual, but about inner connection. As leaders, we often forget that reflection, silence, and surrender are not distractions – they’re assets. My biggest decisions were rarely made in meetings. They came from quiet mornings, solitary walks, and faith in something deeper.
The Gita, at its core, is a dialogue – a prayerful conversation between confusion and clarity.
4. Patience
"Surrender unto Me… do not fear."
We live in a world of instant gratification. But the most meaningful things—trust, legacy, transformation – take time. Many times in my career, especially during tough quarters or organisational resistance, I learned the value of strategic patience.
The Gita ends with surrender, not because Arjuna gave up – but because he grew into readiness.
An Inner Strategy for a Complex World
The beauty of this framework is that it doesn’t compete with professional ambition. It complements it. As I told the students yesterday: "The world may hire you for your CV, but it will follow you for your clarity of thought and inner alignment."
It was uplifting to see such enthusiastic participation, curious minds, and purposeful questions from the IIeBM students. They give me hope that ethical, conscious leadership isn’t just possible – it’s inevitable.
Gratitude
Thank you again to Dr. Jai Singh Marwah, Col. Vinod Marwah, and the entire faculty and student community for hosting me so graciously. IIeBM is not just evolving – it’s emerging as a benchmark of how management education in India should be: integrated, introspective, and impactful.
Congratulations on 26 glorious years. May the next 26 be even more luminous.
Rajiv Mitra
