To encourage and inculcate observation skills in the management students, through exposure and survey of rural environment, livelihood systems, socio-economic conditions etc. With the help of these observations the students will explore and formulate opportunities for development of the entire rural eco-system. The experience of rural immersion is enriching and will prove very valuable, not only in giving students a first-hand view of village life and its challenges, but also because this experience may be used to develop innovative solutions to rural problems.
Learning Outcomes:
The entire programme is oriented towards ensuring that the participants get a chance to apply their classroom management concepts and learnings to the rural markets and identify implementation gaps or business opportunities. The programme will also sensitize students towards rural shortcomings and how business in cities can convert these to opportunities that will mutually benefit – both the commercial undertaking and the rural development.
Report: Rural Immersion Program 2019, Visit to Velneshwar
With an aim to encourage the students to experience the rural life and also to facilitate rural research, VPM’s Dr. V. N. Bedekar Institute of Management Studies (DR VN BRIMS) organized a rural immersion project for the First Year MMS Students, a 4-day tour to the village of Velneshwar in the Konkan region of Maharashtra.
The Konkan region of Maharashtra and especially Ratnagiri, is a steadily
developing district with major focus on tourism, agro-processing
industries and fishing. Velneshwar is a small village in the Guhagar
Taluka, with a population of over 5000; this coastal village is known for its
pristine beach and a famous Shiva temple frequently visited by pilgrims.
Our aim was to stimulate the young minds to ‘Go Rural, Think Rural &
Understand Rural Potential’. The study enabled students to analyse and
derive creative mechanisms for application in the areas of rural
healthcare, education, infrastructure, finance and an overall rural
development model for India. We believe that the urban citizens are now
seeking peace and tranquillity that the villages offer. A researched and
well-thought of development plan can become positive step towards
sustainable progress of the rural region.
The 34 students, led by 3 faculty members from BRIMS, visited
Velneshwar and the surrounding villages in Guhagar Taluka like Palshet,
Hedvi and Jaigad. The highlight of the Rural Immersion Program was a
visit to JSW Energy, Jaigad. The students had a session with the CSR head
of JSW Energy and also visited the JSW Vocational Training Centre. The
major economy drivers in Velneshwar are fishing and agriculture. Further,
to understand in detail about the lifestyle, economic drivers, markets and
to identify the potential for development that students interacted with
locals, interacted with fishermen, visited local agro-industries, agro-
tourism places, resorts to under stand tourism potential.
The 4-day tour was educating but the students also took time to visit the
famous Temple at Ganapati Pule, Jaigad Fort, a 100-year old Karateshwar
temple and the beautiful beaches of Hedvi and Velneshwar.
The team stayed at the VPM’s Maharshi Parshuram College of
Engineering; a modern higher education Institute developed on the
periphery of the Velneshwar village. The Institute boasts of a fully
equipped solar facility which the students got an opportunity to visit and
understand the roof-top solar mechanism. Post their visit, the students
worked on innovative business ideas that can contribute to the growth of
industry and the village.
As brands have begun to set pace to aggressively capitalize in the rural
markets, understanding of the potential of this segment becomes quite
vital. A rural immersion project is a once-in-lifetime experience and
provides an opportunity for students to practically learn and sensitize
about the rural life and put to use their management knowledge in various
dimensions that can bring productivity and uplift the villages.