PMI TAMIZHAGAM

A PMI CHENNAI CHAPTER'S NEWSLETTER

NOVEMBER 2023

NAMMA NEWSLETTER
 CONTENTS
02 FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

AWARENESS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY

04
MS. PUNITHA ANTHONY

04 CORPORATE CONNECT EVENT AT BOSCH GLOBAL

SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES, COIMBATORE (VIRTUAL)
PMI TAMIZHAGAM
05 HEARTFULNESS MEDITATION SESSION ON "STOP
YOURSELF FROM STOPPING YOURSELF" BY
MR. VENKATARAMAKRISHNAN

06 WOMEN GREET N MEET – WEC EVENT

07 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS FOR

ACADEMIA AT MRK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY,
CUDDALORE

07 SESSION ON RISK MANAGEMENT AND STAKEHOLDER

MANAGEMENT FOR TÜV NORD GROUP DELEGATES AT
CHENNAI

08 E&C FORUM KNOWLEDGE SHARING SESSION ON THE

TOPIC “DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TRENDS – BIM IN
BUILT ENVIRONMENT” BY DR. AMARNATH CB

08 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS FOR

ACADEMIA AT MOOKAMBIGAI COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING, TRICHY

09 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS FOR

PROJECT PUTHRI TEAM

10 STAR VOLUNTEERS
Project Management Institute
Chennai Chapter CROSSWORD PUZZLE
11
715-A, 7th Floor,
Spencer Plaza, Suite No.1182, 13 CONTENT WRITING AND EDITORIAL TEAM
Mount Road, Anna Salai,
Chennai - 600 002 14 SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS - PMI CHENNAI CHAPTER
Tamil Nadu, India
Mobile: +91- 63810 15153

1| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK...

Parvez Alam M
Dear Member of PMI Chennai Chapter,

Greetings!

I hope this message finds you all in good health and high spirits.

Our chapter continues to thrive, thanks to the relentless efforts and commitment of our members. It's remarkable to see how we've
grown as a community of project management professionals who are dedicated to achieving excellence in our field.

We want to thank all the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to make our chapter vibrant and resourceful. Your contributions are
invaluable, and we couldn't achieve our goals without you. We are thrilled to share some of the remarkable highlights and exciting
plans for the future.

Chapter Highlights: ( Jul' 23 to Oct' 23)

PMSAC23 Success Story: The PMI South Asia Conference 2023 was a great success with 800+ delegates, 22 speakers, 8
sponsors, and a dedicated team of 75 volunteers.

Single Membership Launch: We're excited to launch Single Membership in India for easier access to PMI benefits.

Best Performing Board Award: Secured the 2nd place in the Best Performing Board Award in South Asia, a testament to our
team's excellence.

Finalist of the Chapter of the Year award - 17 finalists globally from the 303 chapters

Extended Board: 3 Associate VPs joined the Extended Board.

With an 84% retention rate, we received a Chapter Recommendation Score of 83-95.

Training Programs: Introduced Authorized Training Partner (ATP) collaborative programs.

New Member Engagement: New members are introduced through our social media channels.

Plan of Action: For the future, we have exciting plans:

More opportunities for professional growth.

Expanding our Global Community of Practice (GCoP).
Stronger ties with academia for learning and collaboration.
Reconnecting with past members.
Recognizing and rewarding our volunteers.
Comprehensive programs to welcome and orient our volunteers.

In the coming months, expect exciting events and initiatives for professional development, networking, and knowledge sharing.
Stay updated through our events calendar and announcements.

2 | PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

I urge you to actively engage, participate in events, and make the most of our resources. Your involvement benefits not only your
growth but also our chapter's success. If you have ideas, feedback, or wish to get involved, reach out to us.

Thank you for being a part of our incredible community. Let's collaborate, learn, and grow as project management professionals.
Together, we can impact the world of project management.

Stay Connected!

Best Wishes,

Parvez Alam M, PMP, PMI-ACP, DASSM.,

President - PMI Chennai Chapter
Email: president@pmi-chennai.org

www.pmi.org.in/pmsac23

3| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

 AWARENESS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY MS. PUNITHA ANTHONY

On June 10, 2023, the members of the PMI Chennai Chapter had a great time interacting with Ms. Punitha Anthony, Senior
Director of Human Resources, on a delicate yet an important topic that every Project Manager must know - “Awareness of Sexual
Harassment”.

She kicked off the discussion with a fundamental question that many of us ponder, “What constitutes sexual harassment, first of
all?”. Though it is obvious that an unwelcome physical contact is always considered harassment, Punitha shared many other real-
life examples of sexual harassment that most of us had never thought of.

Ms. Punitha went on to talk about the Vishaka Movement and how the POSH law came into effect. The participants learned
about the Internal Complaints Committee of POSH. Since there are no specific guidelines or policies to identify whether an
incident is a sexual harassment or not, Punitha advised the Project Managers to always include the HR in such confidential
discussions with the employees. Towards the end, Punitha highlighted the key responsibility that every Project Manager is
expected to fulfill: to create a safer workplace for his/her team.

Engaging the participants and sustaining the energy level throughout the session, especially with a topic like this one was really
challenging but, Ms. Punitha Anthony handled it with ease and hence the session was humorous and lively.

CORPORATE CONNECT EVENT AT BOSCH GLOBAL SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES, COIMBATORE (VIRTUAL)

PMI Chennai Chapter conducted an online Corporate Connect event at Bosch Global Software Technologies, on 11th July
2023, with the further objective of promoting the PMI South Asia Conference 2023. The event was organized by Mr. Bhuvan, VP
Outreach and Ms. Janani, AVP Branches, along with Ms. Radha, a PMI-SA Champion.

Mr. Koushik Srinivasan, former Chapter Board Member, lectured on the topic "Story Telling - An Invaluable Tool for
Communication". Later, Mr. Parvez Alam, President PMI-CC presented a session on PMI and #PMSAC23 and spoke on the
benefits of associating with PMI, by. Over 250 Bosch associates participated in this online interactive session. The effectiveness
of the Connect session reflected in a significant number of Bosch Employees either registering for the PMSAC23 Conference or
joining PMI, in the days following the event.

IT/ITES professional with 22+ years of Strategic,

Leadership, Program & Project Management experience.

Experience in building businesses, leading and

implementing transition & transformation projects

EMCEE and Public Speaker at various Conferences

Member of Board Advisory Group (BAG) for

PMI Chennai Chapter

Author of 2 popular books:

Filter Koffee Chronicles
Thittamidu Vetri Thodu

4| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

HEARTFULNESS MEDITATION SESSION ON "STOP YOURSELF FROM STOPPING YOURSELF" BY
MR. VENKATARAMAKRISHNAN

Heartfulness Meditation Session "Stop yourself from stopping yourself", was conducted by Mr. Venkataramakrishnan, on
Sunday, July 09,2023, at SRCM World Headquarters, Manapakkam, Chennai. The session lasted for nearly an hour (the first 30
minutes for explaining Heartfulness Meditation and the next 30 minutes in demonstrating meditation methods). The greatest
strength of human beings is to help each other by motivating, guiding, coaching and training them. Training gives knowledge,
skills and the right attitude. It will help everyone to achieve their main goal, to be successful and live happily.

Mr. Venkataramakrishnan, is a passionate trainer. He believes that "training transforms the gap between who we are and who
we ought to be". He has been practicing meditation at the Heartfullness Institute for 30 years. He has led meditation trainings for
corporations, colleges, and individuals in India and overseas, either face-to-face or through digital technology.

The subconscious mind controls the heartbeat, the blood circulation, regulates digestion and excretion. It is a memory bank for
everything that is not in our consciousness. It stores our beliefs, our past experiences, our memories and our abilities. Emotions
are the language of the subconscious mind. The practice of Heartfulness meditation helps improve the quality of sleep, reduce
stress, and strengthen the immune system. It also helps improve the quality of life in many ways. Heartfulness meditation leads
to an increase in the total output (TP) of the heart, a component of the frequency range of HRV. This indicates better
physiological and emotional regulation and adaptation.

Heartfulness practices take us on an inner journey, and this journey begins in the heart. We develop the 5 Cs: contentment,
calmness, compassion, courage and clarity. Mindfulness meditation focuses on the development of present awareness and non-
judgmental observation of the self, Heartfulness meditation emphasizes the heart as the central point of spiritual growth.
Heartfulness is a simple, modern and methodical approach to meditation. Instead of focusing on the breath or repeating a
mantra, you simply focus inward, on your heart, to cultivate inner strength and serenity. Heartfulness can be done alone or in a
group.

Five tips for beginners to learn how to meditate:

Find a quiet, peaceful place.

Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your heart.
Begin with the suggestion that the source of light is in my heart, drawing me inward.
Meditate for 10 minutes or until you feel ready to come out of meditation.
Repeat this every day, morning and evening. By taking this time for quiet contemplation
and reflection, you can reap tremendous mental and physical benefits.

The qualities that constitute goodness of heart such as kindness, gratitude, and generosity are both beneficial states in and of
themselves, leading to greater well-being and happiness, and essential support for mindfulness practice. The discipline of daily
practice, an open-minded attitude, and the support of yogic transmissions and regular sessions with a trainer help to change
one's level of consciousness. "Meditation is not concentration, but Meditation frees our mind"

5| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

WOMEN GREET N MEET – WEC EVENT

Women Greet n Meet, is an in-person event dedicated for women professionals, organized by the Women Engagement
Committee (WEC) of Project Management Institute Chennai Chapter by Aparna Grandhi - a Volunteer Leader, WEC Chapter
Representative & WEC Committee member, PMI South Asia. This platform gives the participants a chance to speak one-on-one
with expert mentors (Female) to offer guidance for their professional goals in the following areas:

Career Guidance
Leadership for Women
Work life Balance
Project Management (Agile/Traditional)
Restarting the Career after break
Entrepreneurship
Accelerate the Career

We were delighted to see the participation of women professionals across various fields like IT, Healthcare, Construction,
Learning & Development, Fintech, etc. who appreciated the opportunity they were provided through this platform. Through this
event, over 20 women got mentorships and found the way forward to their career paths.

Remarkable contributions made by 8 Women Volunteers Ms. Sasyrega Karthikheyan, Ms. Sudhalakshmi Hariharan,
Ms. Madhurambika H, Ms. Devi S, Ms. Jeny John, Ms. Rajalekshmy.N, Ms. Latha Vishwanath, Ms. Jahnavi Naidu, Ms. Jeyaselvi
P and Ms. Swetha Surendran.

We are deeply grateful to 4 of our Women Mentors: Ms. Saveetha Lakshmanan, Ms. Anumughil M.P., Ms.Umasree Raghunath &
Ms. Nisha Mukund, for their valuable inputs & next steps provided to our participants.

This event received numerous accolades from the participants and below is the feedback from one of the expert Mentors, Ms.
Umasree Raghunath, Director - Atos & President – eWIT.

“PMI- Women Great and Meet event is a kind of rediscovering ourselves as mentors. It is quite a soul-satisfying experience
sharing our expertise and experience with our peer women who need that little bit of push and support. It is kind of a learning
experience to me also, talking heart to heart with the mentees. I was super surprised seeing a mentee of last year, coming again
and wanting to discuss on the steps she took post our discussion last year and looking forward with growth mindset. It makes us
feel strong that we are doing something right here. This platform should grow and the support system should enrich the PM
community multi-fold. With the changing demands in the industry and revolutionizing of the emerging technologies, PMP stands
out to deliver the best of PMs to the ongoing evolution. We women, are playing a great role in this change with consistency of the
project management deliveries, no matter what domain, technology or the industry is. Mentoring from PMI Chennai Chapter is a
stalwart program and I am super proud to be part of this initiative. Thanks to Aparna and PMI Chennai Chapter for this amazing
opportunity”.

6| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS FOR ACADEMIA AT MRK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CUDDALORE
BY MR. BHUVANA SUNDAR SOORAPPAIAH

As part of the Academia Outreach campaign, the Vice President (Outreach) Mr. Bhuvana Sundar Soorappaiah, conducted an
online Knowledge Sharing Session- "Project Management Fundamentals for Academia", for a batch of 50 Engineering
students at MRK Institute of Technology, Cuddalore on 11th September 2023. The connect was facilitated by our Chapter
volunteer from Coimbatore, Ms. Ruby Sakthivel.

SESSION ON RISK MANAGEMENT AND STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT FOR TÜV NORD GROUP DELEGATES AT
CHENNAI BY DR.S.KALIRAJAN

The AVP Outreach for E&C Forum, Dr.S.Kalirajan, conducted a session for about 20 delegates belonging to @TÜV NORD
GROUP on the topics "Risk Management" and "Stakeholder Management", at Mumbai on 11th September 2023. Project
Management Institute Chennai Chapter has a long history of working with major stakeholders from the Engineering &
Construction Industry, and such interactions go a long way in strengthening our engagement.

7| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

PMI CHENNAI CHAPTER’S E&C FORUM KNOWLEDGE SHARING SESSION ON THE TOPIC “DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
TRENDS – BIM IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT” BY DR. AMARNATH CB

PMI Chennai Chapter’s E&C Forum conducted its special Knowledge Sharing Session on the topic “Digital Transformation Trends
– BIM in Built Environment”, on 16th September 2023, delivered by Dr. Amarnath CB – Director, BIM Crew and President, India
BIM Association. Dr. Amarnath spoke on how BIM – Building Information Modelling - is transforming the E&C industry, as well as
current and emerging trends in the adaptation of BIM. The online session was attended by over 35 E&C members of the Chapter,
and was facilitated by Dr. Kalirajan (AVP E&C Forum ) and E&C active volunteer Mr. Ravi Nukala.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS FOR ACADEMIA AT MOOKAMBIGAI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, TRICHY

BY MR. BHUVANA SUNDAR SOORAPPAIAH

PMI Chennai Chapter’s Vice President (Outreach) Bhuvana

Sundar Soorappaiah conducted an online Knowledge
Sharing Session on "Project Management Fundamentals for
Academia" for a batch of 200 students, mostly from
Mechanical Engineering, of Mookambigai College of
Engineering, Trichy on 20th September 2023.

The connect was facilitated by our Chapter volunteer from

Coimbatore, Ms. Ruby Sakthivel. In this session, Bhuvan
explained how and why Project Management needs to be
learnt and practiced from early on in one’s career, and how
PMI can support in this journey.

8| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS FOR PROJECT PUTHRI TEAM BY MR. BHUVANA SUNDAR SOORAPPAIAH

On the request of PROJECT PUTHRI team, PMI Chennai Chapter’s Vice President (Outreach) Bhuvana Sundar Soorappaiah
conducted two special online sessions for a highly selected group of “Puthris” – pass-outs of their Career Intentionality coaching
program, on the topic "Project Management as a Life Skill" covering 200 students, on the 9th and 16th of September 2023.

In this session, Bhuvan explained with practical examples on how these students could learn and apply the basic skills of Project
Management in their everyday lives and to enhance their career. This is a continuation of PMI Chennai Chapter’s long-standing
association with Project Puthri, inculcating PM knowledge to the Girl Child.

9| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

 STAR VOLUNTEERS
In this column, we shine the spotlight on our star volunteers from PMI Chennai Chapter who have made immense contributions
through their dedication and passion. This is an opportunity for us to learn a bit about these remarkable Volunteers from our
practitioner community.

Premkumar Balan, PMP

Project Engineering Manager, Dow Chemical International
Volunteer, PMI Chennai

Been a PMI member since: 2010

The biggest hurdles I face as a project manager: Frequent changes in customer
requirement
The top skills I have learned through PMI: Structured way of conceiving, planning,
executing & controlling the project
My new success mantra as a project manager: People oriented Domain Technical
expertise with agility in changing world
The big takeaway for me from volunteering: Together we can achieve great
The future is: Brightest when you engaged with PMI

Victor Jacob Damodaram, PMP

Senior Progam Leader, Verizon Data Services India
Volunteer, PMI Chennai

Been a PMI member since: Mar 2008

The biggest hurdles I face as a project manager: Getting work done from team
members who are not aligned to the Project Goal
The top skills I have learned through PMI: Envisioning, Collaborating Planing and
Delivering on time and Quality
My new success mantra as a project manager: Be receptive to change, Learn on the
Fly , Communicate Loud and Clear
The big takeaway for me from volunteering: Team work, Servant Leadership and
giving back to Society.
The future is:.Understanding Market Demand,Improving customers experience and
Sustainability

10| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

It’s time to refresh our memory and play around.

11| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

12| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

THANKS TO THE CONTRIBUTORS

MR. PRABHU PALANISAMY

MS. APARNA GRANDHI
MR. VIJAY MOHAN GANDHI
MR. MADHAN RAM R. ARUMUGAM
MR. BHUVANA SUNDAR SOORAPPAIAH
MR. SHYAM SUNDAR
MR. SUNDARAM MUTHUKUMARASAMY
MR. HARIBABUJI HARIKRISHNAN
DR. DINESH BABU THAVAMANI
MR. SIVARAM ATHMAKURI
MR. VIJAY NARAYANAN
MR. PARVEZ ALAM M

EDITORIAL TEAM

MR. MOHAMMED EJAAZ BASHEER

MR. MUTHUKUMARAN (MK) SOWNDHARARAJAN
MR. ARUMUGAM MARIAPPAN

13|PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

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14| PMI TAMIZHAGAM | NOVEMBER 2023

 Project Management Institute Chennai Chapter
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Suite No.1182, Mount Road, Anna Salai,
Chennai - 600 002
Tamil Nadu, India.
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