Conceptualization 
 
The Kolkata chapter of the National HRD Network under the dynamic leadership of Chapter President, Mr. Sujoy Banerjee (VP-HR, Eveready Industries) and Immediate Past President Mr. Sourav Das Patnaik (Director-HR & Strategy, Apeejay Group) started working on building a meaningful collaboration with B Schools last year based on a White Paper prepared by Mr Janmejoy Patnaik (Head-Central Bank Training College). The objective was (but not limited to) chalking out modalities of minimizing the widening gap between what is taught in classrooms and what is expected at the workplace on a dynamic basis.  The Chapter was looking at a comprehensive collaboration program- beyond the usual and routine fare of Guest Lectures. 
 
Breakthrough Meeting 
 
The prospective contours of the collaboration was drawn at a marathon meeting of directors of leading B Schools of the region, namely, IISWBM (the oldest B School of India), ICFAI Business School (IBS), ISB & M, Haldia Institute of Technology and Globsyn Business School with the members of the Executive Committee of the Kolkata Chapter on 6th Feb 2009 at the Apeejay Conference Room.   
 
Collaboration Contours 
 
The Kolkata Chapter and the B School directors identified the following areas for collaboration:
 
1.        Awareness Program: HR as a Profession (including opportunities for further studies) for 1st year students
2.        Workshop for faculty involved in Selection of students
3.        Pedagogy (Train the Trainer)/Mentoring for faculty research/PhD Aspirants
4.        Orientation for 1st year students going for Summer Training
5.        Information Technology applications in HRIS (real exposure through industry visits)
6.        HR Skills-Interview/Appraisal /Negotiation Skills  etc
7.        Compilation of Case Studies
8.        Mentoring Students & Affirmative Action
9.        Sharing of Best Practices (Both Ways- Industry and B Schools)
10.         Knowledge Sharing through E-Groups 
 
Implementation 
 
Rajib Kumar, Jt. Secretary of the Kolkata Chapter who is coordinating this project followed up this breakthrough session with several visits to the B Schools and had a series of meetings with senior officials. He met the director of Globsyn Business School Prof RC Bhattacharya as well as ISB & M director Prof Gautam Ghosh.
 
On 11th June 2009 Rajib Kumar called on officials of IBS including director Prof Ashim Ghosh.
 
This meeting facilitated the process of the maiden event of the collaboration on 24th June at the IBS Campus at Sector V. An interactive HR awareness session with students from 2nd year was held. Chapter President Mr. Sujoy Banerjee, Jt. Secretaries Mr. Rajib Kumar and Mr. G Srikumar fielded questions from an enthusiastic student audience.  Mr. Banerjee dwelt at length on the need for a fine balance between being a good human being and a hardcore professional in order to be an effective HR functionary.  He motivated the students through real examples of members of the HR fraternity making it to the very top of the organizational hierarchy.
 
The taste of the pudding lies in the eating: The interest generated among students at IBS was reflected through a huge turnout from their end in the following NHRDN Kolkata event (Interactive Session with Mr. Bimal Rath, Head-HR, Nokia Asia) at The Park.