Opening remarks by Dean Anand Gramopadhye prior to the graduation ceremony
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & EVENT PLANNING
After building relations with India's Tata Trust for several years, Industrial Mogul and Philanthropist, Ratan Tata, received Clemson University’s first honorary Ph.D. in automotive engineering.
I was tasked with planning the event along with a live broadcast interview conducted by Keith Crane of Automotive News. The challenge to recreate the pomp and circumstance of Clemson's traditional graduation, followed by a professional interview was one I will not forget. During a 15 minute coffee break at the South Carolina Automotive Summit, I turned a stark conference room into a vibrantly branded environment that represented Clemson in the national spotlight. It was "all hands on the deck" as I brought in backdrops, signage, flora, fauna and furniture.
Additionally, I handled media relations. While press was not allowed to attend the summit, I negotiated with the event manager to
allow reporters and news crews in during the ceremony and interview.
The result was a deepened relationship with one of the most influential leaders in the world. Since the event, dozens of Tata fellowships have been awarded as well as multimillion dollar gifts to the university.