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USC Viterbi India Board members with Dean Yannis Yortsos (center) and Prem Natarajan, executive director of the USC Information Sciences Institute (third from left) |
In a three-day whirlwind of activity, Dean Yannis C. Yortsos reconnected with old friends, alumni and parents and made new connections for the Viterbi School in India on his recent trip from Dec. 7-9, 2014.
He was accompanied by Prem Natarajan, executive director of the USC Viterbi Information Sciences Institute (ISI); Raghu Raghavendra, vice dean for global academic initiatives; and Sudha Kumar, director of the USC Viterbi School's India office.
With a new government led by a dynamic new prime minister, India is poised for growth, creating exciting new opportunities for collaboration. The USC Viterbi team explored new corporate partnerships with Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Group and Boeing, India. They also reconnected with Infosys, which has a research center on the USC campus.
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Dean Yortsos with Devita Saraf, USC alumnus and CEO, Vu Technologies Pvt. Ltd. |
Dean Yortsos met with enthusiastic alumni, friends and parents both in Bangalore and Mumbai and updated them about events on campus. He was particularly struck by the fact that almost 70 percent of the alumni who met him were entrepreneurs. USC Viterbi alumni in India are certainly contributing to the dynamic Indian economy.
The India Board meeting and the Alumni, Parent and Friend Dinner in Bangalore at the J.W. Marriott were both sponsored by N. Narendra, USC Viterbi India Board member and managing director of Vinyas Information Technologies Ltd. The event was co-sponsored by DCX Cable Assemblies Pvt. Ltd. The gala dinner in Mumbai was hosted by USC Viterbi India Board member, Sandeep Tandon, and his wife Gauri in their lovely beachfront home.
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Dean Yortsos with Dr. Pratyush Kumar, President, Boeing India |
The USC Viterbi India Board met for its third annual board meeting in Bangalore on Dec. 7, 2014. After presentations by Yortsos, Natarajan and Raghavendra, there was lively discussion on strategic partnerships that were possible or needed to be explored. Chaired by Srinath Batni, the board consists of leading industrialists and alumni and advises the Dean on matters pertaining to India.
“Meeting with the India Advisory Board was an energizing experience. Every single member of the board seemed genuinely and deeply committed to advancing USC Viterbi’s mission, especially in India. The diversity of perspectives on the board – accomplished business leaders, thought leaders in technology, young entrepreneurs – is particularly impressive,” said Prem Natarajan.
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Dean Yortsos with Mumbai alumni in the Tandon House |
