Searching for some of the finest business schools in India has been daunting for many aspirants. While the saturation in the field of business education has been hitting its all-time high every year, some of the most trusted business colleges in the country are today somewhere lost in the long waiting list of aspirants.
Moreover, the strong current commercial winds are bringing innovation, information and technology with them worldwide. Going with the current, the country has made significant advancements in technology and innovation, and it would be completely wrong to say that India is today dictating the terms of modern leadership and innovation.
While the saturation is funnelling and filtering the passionate aspiring leaders in the pool of abundance, some colleges have come forward to be the guiding light for the leaders of tomorrow.
Now that the world is transitioning to set the bedrock of modern-day business, indulging itself with technology and innovation, many business schools are focusing on grooming leaders to be innovative and influencing entrepreneurs.
And as Daymond John rightly said, “As an entrepreneur, you never stop learning,” many students’ focus has shifted from being a leader to being an entrepreneur. Catering to this specific need of the students of the 21st century, some of the most prominent colleges in the country have gained a reputation as the most trusted colleges in India.
The Knowledge Review, in its quest to find ‘The Most Trusted Colleges of India, 2022,’ came across the Acharya Bangalore B-School, which is redefining business education in India while catering to the modern-day need of aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders.
In an exclusive conversation with B. Poornima Reddy, the Managing Director of this prestigious B-School, she highlighted the school’s journey from being one of its kind’s first business schools to become one of the most trusted business schools in the country.
A Humble yet Visionary Beginning
Economically, in the year 2007-09, the world was passing through ‘The Great Recession’. Amid the fight-and-flight response of the economic superpowers, financial institutions, and forums focusing on recovery, it was also the year when many prominent businesses—like WhatsApp, Slack, Pinterest, Uber, etc.—laid their foundation.
Though businesses were booming even during the great recession, the focus of providing quality education to sustain modern-day business was sought out by Acharya Bangalore B-School.
While many colleges were shutting down, Dr H R Venkatesha, the Founding Director of Management Studies, and Dr D M Mahishi, the Dean of the School, laid the school’s foundation, going against the tide to make a name for itself in Bangalore.
Emphasizing some of the highlights of the school’s journey, B. Poornima Reddy says, “Started from scratch, in an empty land in Andrahalli, today after 14 years, the entire vicinity of Andrahalli has become a well sought after residential and commercial area. The inception days were challenging but worthwhile as we built our core team during the inception itself.”
“The infrastructure at ABBS is one-of-a-kind; where the architecture was designed by Nagaraj Vastarey, who, along with the chairman of the college, Dr Vijaypal Reddy, visited Singapore for inspiration and new ideas as colleges in India have always been built conventionally. The open space at the campus encourages collaborative learning, and the natural light and ventilation bring in a lot of calmness to the rigorous academic schedule of students,” she further adds.
An Instrumental Leader
Having a leader who has been throughout the journey always plays a very instrumental role in the organization’s development. And similar is the story of Acharya Bangalore B-School’s Managing Director B. Poornima Reddy. As one of the institute’s core members, she has always had a nurturing approach to students, faculty, and staff.
Speaking about the leadership style, the school management says, “B. Poornima Reddy has ensured equal opportunity across all stakeholders and believes in putting the student at the centre of everything. Today, ABBS has set standards in its processes and the accreditations it has received over the years is a testimony of the quality that the institute stands for.”
Trendsetting Institute
Acharya Bangalore B-School has kept alive the trend of business education with an entrepreneurial approach. However, as the Indian government introduced NEP 2022, it set the roadmap for the future of the prestigious business school.
Emphasizing the unique educational pedagogies that the school has implemented, B. Poornima Reddy says, “As we are in the midst of turning autonomous, we will be focussing more on multidisciplinary education and giving options beyond certain disciplines of study. Another step we will take is implementing an online delivery mode, making the programs more flexible and hybrid. Lastly, building an institution with diversity and focusing on quality systems at all levels.”
A Skill-based Learning Approach
After curating a holistic education curriculum, the school recognized and implemented the skill-centric learning approach for the students for holistic development. Foreshadowing how the college helps students to develop their skills, B. Poornima Reddy says, “The college has always believed in approaching education in a holistic manner, for which we have introduced various skill enhancing programs such as Toastmasters, Armageddon, Entrepreneurship Club, etc. Students undergo value-added certifications which are beyond the course curriculum, as this is mainly to ensure that skillsets are aligned with the industry by the time they graduate.”
Completing the Learner’s Arc
Completing the Learner’s Arc Acharya Bangalore B-School is one of the go-to business schools for many aspiring business students and leaders, and it also specializes in offering a personalized learning approach for the students to complete their learning arc.
Realizing that the extra-curricular activities also play a critical role in their grooming, B. Poornima Reddy says, “We provide a platform for students to express their interests and showcase their talents in extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. The approach has helped us balance strict academics and non-academic activities with cohesiveness. Most events are not mandatory, but we often see a huge turnout and participation from the students. Co-curricular activities often become mandatory as they are critical for skill development.”
Offering a Global Perspective
This prestigious business school is located in the heart of Bangalore, and offering global exposure to the students is something that comes as complimentary for the students. Despite a global culture residing in the city of Bangalore, the school management also goes to various lengths to provide a plethora of opportunities to the students.
Bringing that global perspective to light, B. Poornima Reddy highlights, “The college has a strong placement department, with over 150 companies being associated at various levels of recruitment. International placements have also been one of the strong points, where students get placed in places like UAE, France, Belgium, etc. Apart from recruitment, our master’s program students have a global immersion program where students visit industries and take part in lectures from reputed faculty and industry leaders.”
Awards and Achievements
- 9th Best B-School under ‘Top 20 business schools of south India’, Times B-School Survey 2022
- ABBS School of Management is ranked amongst the Top 10 promising Management colleges of Karnataka, Higher Education Review Magazine 2022
- 6th Best B-School in Karnataka, EW Private B-School Ranking, 2021
- 34th Best B-School in India, EW Private B-School Ranking 2021
- 9th Best B-School in South India, Times B-School Survey 2021
- 10th Best B-School, South Zone, Times B-School Survey 2020
- 23rd Best B-School, ABBS School of Management, IIRF 2020
- 34th Best Private B-School, Times B-School Survey 2020
- 5th Top B-School of Eminence, CSR-GHRDC B-School Survey 2019
- 9th Best B-School in Karnataka, CSR-GHRDC B-School Survey 2019
- 39th Best B-School, Business India 2019
- Top 10 Best Campuses for Research and Innovation, CEO Insights 2019
- 42nd best private institutes in India, Times B-School Survey 2019
- 13th Best B-School in South Zone, Times B-School Survey 2019
- 40th Best B-School in India, Businessworld 2017
- 28th Best B-School in South Zone, The Week 2016
- 10th Best B-school in India, Business Today 2016
- AAA Rated B-School, Career 360, 2016
- 16th Best B-School, CSR GHRDC B-School survey 2015
- 9th Best B-School in Karnataka, CSR GHRDC B-School Survey 2015
Paving the Way for the Future
Envisioning the future of Acharya Bangalore B-School, B. Poornima Reddy asserts, “Going forward, we envision Acharya Bangalore B-School to become a destination for quality higher education in south India. The focus is on building a credible and real impact on the local community that is measurable each year. Attracting the best talent who understand the larger vision and growing the college into a sought-after destination for different age groups offering different courses meant for life-long learners.”
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