Interview: Mrs. Rakhi Kankaria, Founder & Director of Rachnoutsav Academy|Collegedunia

Interview by Yash Panchal

Mrs. Rakhi Kankaria is the Founder & Director of Rachnoutsav Academy. She is the brainchild and genesis of the journey called Rachnoutsav. She is the execution and administration brain behind the inception and the growing acceptance of Rachnoutsav in the marketplace today as a full spectrum events company. She is responsible for bringing to life all the brilliant ideas that have come out of Rachnoutsav. It was Rakhi’s clear foresight and articulate vision that metamorphosed Rachnoutsav into a premium flagship brand in the event industry map of India.

Mrs. Rakhi also brings tremendous material planning and sourcing acumen to the table. She has been the face of Rachnoutsav from day 1 and delightfully compliments her husband and business partner Sanjay’s quiet demeanor with cracking panache and zest! When Rachnoutsav set out two decades ago, few would have guessed the scale and impact in professionalizing this industry. Rakhi Kankaria has played a major role where she continues to provide thought leadership in this robust, futuristic industry.

Mrs. Kankaria is now successfully sharing her vast experience by creating a talent pool of future leaders in event management. She has significant achievements to her credit largely due to her passion, feminine intuition and innovative approach to dealing with people and processes.

She has a multifaceted personality, bestowed with the Best Wedding Planner Award from EEMA, Pearl of Hyderabad by TCEI, Best Woman Entrepreneur Award by ALEAP, PRCI Women Achiever Award, PRCI Best Wedding Planner Award and many more to reckon with. She is a key member of several associations Presently the EEMA Vice President South, FICCI Ladies Organization – Events committee Head, Vice President of TCEI, Chapter chairperson of ALL Ladies League, Hyderabad. Mrs. Rakhi is a member of FAPCCI, ICPB, ABIA, HMA, NHRDN, HDCF and TiE.

Mrs. Kankaria’s experience in the education industry

Rachnoutsav Group of Companies has been in the Event Industry for the past 25 years. a well-established brand, we have one prime motivation, to give back to the event industry which has given us so much. Rachnoutsav Academy came into existence for only one purpose, to give back to the society and to the people.

The shaping of young minds, shaping their thought process, inculcating the right values and ethics, and to get industry ready professionals available for direct employment in Management related sectors is our aim.

With over 6 years of growth in the education industry, we are proud to say that we have had a wonderful experience, especially when we meet Rachnoutsav Alumni and see the effect we have had on their lives. We believe we have been successful when we look at them develop into smart professionals and better human beings. It is the impact that education has on the lives of the students that has driven us to come till here today.

Mrs. Kankaria’s experience in the education industry

Significant challenges faced as the Founder Director of Rachnoutsav Academy

Rachnoutsav Academy is an Event Management Educational Institution. All our courses are focused on Event Planning and Management related subjects. The biggest challenge we have faced is that Event Management is not yet a mainstream field of employment in the minds of the people. Since we deal in a subject that is slowly building up steam to become a mainstream field of employment, the challenge we have faced is to convince parents to allow their children to embark on their journey to become event managers.

Since our inception into the field of education, we can now proudly say that through various career awareness building campaigns and activities, we have a strength of over 300 budding event and management related entrepreneurs in our campus. Event management is soon becoming a mainstream field of education and we believe that it is a futuristic sector.

Curriculum of Rachnoutsav Academy

Rachnoutsav Academy focuses on a Practical based learning style. We aim at providing unique opportunities to students in newer areas of education such as Business communication, personality development, application based learning, etc.

An interdisciplinary approach to study serves to broaden and complement the student intellect.

We engage our students in live events, market surveys, venue recess, mock events, studio visits, practical training and a host of various other opportunities. We engage students in live events like Corporates, Weddings, Marathons, Social meetings, Committee Events, Sports Events and a host of other events. Students participate in these events to get live exposure and work in various teams like Production, Logistics, Console Management, Procurement, event Coordinators and others.

Such exposure guarantees students’ growth in their abilities, improves their confidence and ensures that they are ready to be a part of any organization with their sharpened skills. We create students infused with self-belief who have the go-getter attitude. Embracing the spirit of practical studying methods, we aspire to produce the finest results. We aim at providing unique opportunities to students in newer areas of education such as Business communication, personality development, application based learning, etc.

Goals in mind for Rachnoutsav Academy

We hope Rachnoutsav Academy continues to stand as a modern educational institution which breaks the barrier of conventional education and careers and stands apart as an institution which gives its students the ability to stand on their own feet as entrepreneurs and able professionals. We believe that Event Management Education has a massive future ahead and hope that Rachnoutsav Academy stays the prime institution in this field.

Mrs. Kankaria on how she ensures the quality of education in your institution

Ensuring quality of education starts with recruiting the right faculty. Our faculty team consists of Professionals with highly prestigious and diverse qualifications. They have had dignified positions in the past and have joined us on our journey predominantly for our shared value system and futuristic outlook. Our faculty is experienced in teaching at various international universities in the United Kingdom, Dubai, and consists of members who have been corporate trainers and industry professionals.

We have an extremely active mentoring team that focuses on the practical development of the students, a professional and personality development team that only focuses on students and improvement of their communication skills, presentation skills, and body language. This ensures the quality of each student that graduates from Rachnoutsav Academy.

Our Faculty department is governed by a continuous development program to ensure that with the passage of time, the team ensures to update themselves, the curriculum and their teaching methods to achieve career advancement and constantly receive growth in their own career while they are part of the organization. This helps us ensure that we always maintain the highest standards when it comes to education.

Mrs. Kankaria on building a positive school culture and her relation with the students

Rachnoutsav Academy provides a full-fledged Wi-Fi enabled campus in the student hub of the city, state-of-the-art classrooms, a tech-savvy computer lab, round the clock security check, parking facility, max connectivity, projector and HDMI teaching tech. and follow complete student safety standards.

Apart from catering to the infrastructure needs, Rachnoutsav Academy conducts several annual and periodic in-house events for the students. These range from traditional competitions like Rangoli making to western ideas like Halloween.

This builds a competitive sportsman spirit and acts as a team building activity between peers. To maintain a healthy environment, we conduct events like the annual sports day participated in by both the faculty members and students where they get to interact outside the classroom boundaries. The Annual College Fest ‘Jalwa’ is attended by several teams and groups from colleges all over the twin cities. It is a stage to showcase talent and capability. Our students get the unique option of participation in the organization of this inter-college fest or to compete in it. These activities instill a sense of pride and belonging in every student associated with Rachnoutsav, that in turn makes our organization endeared and exquisite.

Views on the growth of students through opportunities available at Rachnoutsav Academy

In such event participation and exposure, students interact with professionals already experts in their fields where they gain invaluable experience and knowledge, which cannot be substituted by any amount of textbook learning. The process of interacting with company owners and professionals also acts as motivation for our students to grow in the field of event management. We ensure that all students get an equal opportunity.

We further wish to push this envelope as we are planning to start an incubation center for all students planning to start their lives as entrepreneurs.

Mrs. Kankaria’s philosophy of leadership

Leadership is commonly used with terms like integrity, motivation, and influence. These are all inseparable qualities of a leader. But what I believe in most of all is valuing my people. An organization is made complete by each person part of it. No individual supersedes the organization but each individual is the representative of the entire organization in himself. Extreme hard work over the years has gotten us to our current standing and this is owed to unity and loyalty.

Suggestions to the current youth

Rachnoutsav Academy came into existence to give way and make a path for aspiring candidates in an unconventional education field and career path. We have placed students in various event management companies and we have students who have started their own ventures into the field of event management. We want the students to choose a career path of their passion. Education is not limited to the regular fields anymore. The time has come where opportunities are endless and choices are there to be made.

We want the youth to take up challenges and grow as individuals, professionals and take the country forward and achieve their true potential.

“Carpe Diem” - Seize the moment.