Interview by Pratyasha

LBSIMDS

Mr. Kumar Saumy is currently designated as the Director (Development) of LBS Institute of Management and Development Studies. He holds a B.Tech. in Computer Science from Abdul Kalam Technical University. To hone his managerial skills, he pursued GMPE from IIM Lucknow.

A Software Engineer by qualification and a management professional by practice, Mr. Kumar Saumy holds a work experience of approximately nine years. He worked with Syntel for three years before joining LBS Institute as Group Additional Director. His work profile includes liaising for the Group at the Corporate and Institutional level, looking for new initiatives and opportunities and leading it towards excellence. 

Experience in the education industry - Satisfying and rewarding

This is not only the best but also the most potent industry to work in because it shapes the future course of all other sectors. You not only get to inspire and educate young minds and build a bright future for them but also contribute towards the well-being of the society. It’s like planting a young sapling putting in all efforts for its proper growth and the pure joy of watching it grow. It is one of the very few industries which makes you a lifelong learner by interacting with new students every year. 

Leadership philosophy and style of Mr. Saumy

I follow a democratic leadership style by maintaining a two-way channel of communication. I believe that my strength lies in my team, and I try to be a people-oriented leader by being empathetic and understanding. Being a leader, I allocate responsibilities to my team members as per their strengths and aptitude. Also, I am always open to questions, suggestions, and criticism. I believe in the leadership of ideas rather than the leadership of a person or leadership of hierarchy.

I have inherited my leadership philosophy from my father Prof. Sunil Kumar who is my role model and inspiration. His belief was firmly rooted in his power to work hard to any extent with sincerity and commitment. With quality as the core and excellence as the goal, the Group made continuous strides under his dynamic and visionary leadership. However, in this journey, values, and ethics were never given a backseat even if painful decisions had to be taken. That is what sets the LBS Group apart from the rest.

Challenges faced at the Institute

Being a Software engineer, I met many challenges while entering into academics. The process of unlearning was the biggest hurdle because one becomes so adapted and comfortable in one’s environment. I had to undergo a paradigm shift by re-learning many things which were very challenging for me. In the process of relearning, the time spent with my father, his teachings, and his emphasis on adherence to ethics and values in any situation were my navigators.

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Establishing a world-class education at LBSGOI

The foundation of LBSGOI was laid almost 37 years ago when the majority of the people were not even aware of the purpose of professional education. We have always believed in being proactive, futuristic, and aiming towards excellence in all spheres of activities. This requires paying attention to the details, putting in place a good metric for each dimension of progress, and ensuring that it is measured with actual versus estimated results. 

Further, we benchmark ourselves with the best in each of the dimensions of progress and learn from those practices and improve. Faculty are at the heart of world-class education affecting every aspect of realizing and implementing it. Therefore, we follow a very effective system of faculty selection in place.

Why is LBS Institute an apt choice for students?

With hundreds of educational institutions to choose from, choosing the right one may seem like a monumental task for the students. As I have already mentioned, faculty is the key differentiator for an academic institute. We have a very highly qualified, experienced faculty and competent faculty base. Besides their competence in academics, many of the faculty are invited as trainers from reputed organizations. Apart from this, we regularly organize Seminars, Workshops, Guest Lectures, Short-term courses, plant visits, etc. We also conduct a plethora of co-curricular activities like quizzes, case studies, management games, role plays, creative writing, and many more.

At LBS, we understand that every student is unique, and hence, we have a customized approach in dealing with every student, especially when we prepare them for their final placement. This is why our students are working in diverse companies like Amul, Ministry of Finance GOI, Axis Bank, BITS Pilani, HCL, Star TV Network, TCS, Thomson Reuters, Tata Motors, Perfetti van Melle and many more. Also, many of them have been shaped into successful entrepreneurs.

Mr. Saumy tips on time management

I try to optimize my time as far as possible and prioritize the tasks beforehand. I try not to procrastinate decisions. As I earlier discussed that we have a very reliable and experienced team. Before taking a decision, I quickly take their views on all important matters and arrive at a consensus. This not only ensures their participation but also leads to fast decision making and even faster implementation. 

I delegate tasks after a careful understanding of the ability and willingness of the concerned person. This ensures the effectiveness in task accomplishment without time wastage of both the persons. 

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Methods opted to build a healthy relation with the students

Being an educational institution, students are our assets, brand ambassadors, and strength. Any form of communication and feedback from them is essential. I make myself available on the campus as much as possible. I regularly address students in their class and take one to one feedback from them in my chamber. Students who may be hesitant to approach me physically can drop their anonymous feedback in a dropbox. Apart from this, I can be contacted through all forms of social media

Upcoming goals for the Institute – to explore the unexplored

With a glorious past, LBS has delved into various areas that were path-breaking. We have successfully organized several Management Development Programs, In House Training Programs, Workshops, Conferences for middle and senior-level employees of government departments, which have made LBS a name to reckon in the state of UP. 

I plan to undertake more activities in this domain especially customized skill-based, job-oriented training for students. I plan to take the Group ahead on the National and International map. For this, I am working on specific tie-ups and collaborations in this regard by introducing contemporary market-oriented courses.

Suggestions to the aspiring students

With the advent of technological advancements, students are now surrounded by several career choices. However, they are not able to comprehend which institution s/he choose for professional education. I would advise the young generations to choose based on the institute’s credentials, placement, faculty, and its student-centric approach. Students must remember that their self-motivation and commitment will drive them to success.