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KAMC ENTERS SILVER JUBILEE YEAR

BY P S SUNDAR

Kothari Agricultural Management Centre (KAMC), the premier knowledge and capacity enhancement institution on plantations and agriculture management in South India, has now entered its silver jubilee year of service to the cause of enriching the global data bank on agri-related aspects.

KAMC was established in Coonoor in the Nilgiris district, hailed as Mecca of plantations in South India, in 1991 by the leading industrialist D C Kothari, a great visionary who was keen to foster the development and modernisation of agriculture activities through professional training.

From then till now, KAMC operates with four thrust areas – Management education, Executive Training, Technical and Management Consultancy and Applied Research.

KAMC and its sister institution Plantation Management Academy (PMA) are now divisions of Ananya Centre for Education Pvt Ltd (ACE).

They offer six well-designed courses regularly :: 

1. Six-month Post-graduate Diploma Course with specialisation in tea plantation management:

“This course aims at equipping plantation industry with trained personnel.  Over the years, more than 200 Indian students have got qualified through this programme.   Many occupy senior positions getting placements through campus interviews and off-campus selection process.  Our Alumni are working in plantations in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka as also in Uganda, PNG and Tanzania”, Director Dr AVK Iyengar told me.

I have devised and taught a syllabus on Plantation managerial Economics for this programme.

2. Three-month programme on Tea Tasting and Quality Assurance

3. Three-month programme on Advanced Computer Applications for Plantations

4. Three-month Basic certificate programme in Tea Plantation Management

5. Two-month Advanced Programme on Tea Plantation Management and

6. Two-month programme on Agricultural Project Management.

These above programmes are sponsored by Government of India under Technical Co-operation Scheme of the Colombo Plan from which officials from many countries regularly benefit.   Officers’ of Agricultural ministries, Tea Board and research institutes, tea planters, manufacturers, traders as also agriculturists from many countries attend these programmes which comprise many modules – class room lectures, seminars, private study with the extensive background materials supplied, presentations, field visits, interaction with experts and on-hand practice.  

“Over 500 foreign delegates from 20 countries including Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Malawi, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe”, Dr Iyengar recalled.

Also, the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, has sponsored candidates form Asian Commonwealth countries for training here.

As one delivering a series of lectures on core subjects at all these programmes, I experience the overwhelming response of the candidates regularly.

In addition, tourists from different countries interested in benefiting from a direct experience of tea tasting have been periodically receiving this unique facility at KAMC/PMA.

Likewise, students, especially those studying for MBA degrees, have been coming to KAMC/PMA for undergoing industrial training. 

“We have been imparting knowledge through specific training modules for various groups including workforce, personnel governed by forest ministry (TANTEA), co-operative sector (Indcoserve) and those requiring computer adaptability.  We have exclusive programmes on Government Budgeting attended by officers of Governments of various countries”, Dr Iyengar disclosed.

“More importantly, our modules are flexible to elaborate on contemporary developments and futuristic challenges faced by professionals.  Thus, WTO, key limiting factors, business in the current millennium, present overview on the global front, outlook for the middle and long term – constitute our learning system.  We hold brainstorming sessions to kindle thought-process suggesting solutions to tough challenges, thereby equipping the participants to become alert, active and achieving managers”, he claimed.   

“As part of our co-curricular enrichment, we have been conducting cultural exchange programmes jointly with Nilgiris Cultural Association (NCA) where the participants of our programmes from various countries present a cultural highlight of their respective countries.  This highly-applauded programme is open to public as well”, he observed.

“We celebrate the Silver Jubilee with tremendous satisfaction of having played a pro-active role in the knowledge enrichment for plantations and agriculture professionals.  We re-rededicate ourselves to this cause with renewed vigour to align with contemporary and futuristic challenges”, Dr Iyengar declared. 

   

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)