Can creative work provide a career?

A good part the Indian economy that is doing well is being quietly re-curated: And this by a new group of restless young people who are creative and full of energy. The career gallery in India used to be full of pictures of engineers, civil servants, doctors, and software techies. No longer so.

Most of these smart, creative kids are stuck in a cycle of making things without ever starting a business. They have the artist’s spark, but not the entrepreneur’s brain. To do a jig means to perform. But to build a scalable entity around that performance series, you need to use your mind to build an architectural structure that requires discipline and strategic thinking.

If someone want to stop this creative surge from turning into a bunch of short-lived viral moments, they need to do more than just talent hunts. What is needed is a strong, institutionalised ecosystem—an institution or college for Creative Business that can give the dreamer the ledger, the legal protection, and the strategic direction. This could be the start of a new kind of education called Creative Business education, where artists learn about finance, intellectual property, strategy, and building a business along with their art.

To discuss what students can do to develop the acumen of business persons and how can educational institutions step-in to support them, The Hindu will host a webinar titled, ‘Can creative work provide a career?’, on April 4 at 5:00 p.m. The panellists include Prof. Devasheesh Mathur, Strategy and General Management, IMI Delhi; Siddharth Somaiya, Co-creator, Immerse Fellowship, SVU; K. Ramachandran, EdTech Entrepreneur. The webinar will be moderated by Ravina Warkad, Senior-sub-editor, The Hindu.

Register now for free to ask questions and interact with the panellists. The three best questions will receive a free online subscription to The Hindu.

Panellists

Prof. Devasheesh Mathur, Strategy and General Management, IMI Delhi

Devasheesh is an Assistant Professor at IMI Delhi in Strategic Management. He is the Chairperson of the Centre for Business Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Incubation at IMI Delhi. He mentors early-stage startups and coaches startups to scale strategically. He is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. He has 17 years of experience at think tanks and startups. One of his courses is popular among students titled ‘The Art and Science of Starting Up’, which enables students to ideate and build a worthy startup during their management studies.

Siddharth Somaiya, Co-creator, Immerse Fellowship, SVU

Siddharth Somaiya is a Mumbai-based artist, entrepreneur, and co-creator of the Immerse Fellowship—a fully-funded platform that supports emerging Indian artists and curators with studio space, travel and accommodation, mentorship, production resources, and a public showcase. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art & Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he was awarded a Merit Scholarship, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Curatorial Studies from the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum.

K. Ramachandran, EdTech Entrepreneur

K. Ramachandran ( KRC) is an entrepreneur, freelance journalist, and writer. In his 18-year career in journalism, KRC has covered education and urban development. In 2007, he shifted careers to head the industry-academia interface program at a leading IT and consulting services company. He was involved in curriculum making committees on many occasions of universities, colleges and industry forums like Nasscom and the CII. He became a co-founder of 361 Degree Minds, a digital education and edtech company. Currently he heads Strategy and large initiatives at 361 Degree Minds.

(For any feedback or suggestions, reach out to us at education@thehindu.co.in)