In a first, a woman has been selected for the Distinguished Alumni Award, instituted by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore for its alumni who have excelled in industry or academia and also contributed to society.
Malavika R. Harita, chief executive officer of Saatchi & Saatchi Focus Network, which she founded in India, has been selected for the award. Ms. Malavika belongs to the 1982 postgraduate programme batch of the IIMB.
Instituted in 2007, the recipient of the award not only receives a citation, but their name would be engraved on the wall of fame at the institute.
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Currently the president of Advertising Club Bangalore, Ms. Malavika was elated at being selected for the award. “It is an honour to be selected and I am proud about being the first woman to get it. It (IIMB) is like a second home to me.”
Ms. Malavika, who has over 30 years of experience in communication, advertising, branding and entrepreneurship, confessed that she fell in love with advertising during her course in IIMB. “For me it is an honour to be recognised by the alma mater and greatest gift that one can get from the educational institution,” she added.
She started her professional career at HMT Watches where she performed advertising and sales promotion function and joined Saatchi in 1993 after a stint at Mudra Communications. She also teaches advertising and brand management at various postgraduate institutes of management and communication in India.
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Ms. Malavika has donned many roles in her life, including that of a teacher, trainer, mentor, dancer and classical singer.
The award will be given away to her at an august ceremony to be held in the evening of October 28 to mark the Foundation Day of IIMB.