Dr. Manish Nigam is the Director of Engineering at Seth Vishambhar Nath Institute of Engineering and Technology, Lucknow. He has a B.E. in Civil Engineering, and an M.Tech. in Structural Engineering from Harcourt Butler Technological Institute (H.B.T.I.), Kanpur. Dr. Nigam has also earned a PhD in Structural Engineering. With 30 years of experience in Civil Engineering, Dr. Manish has worked in administration, academia and research. He has published over 30 papers in national and international journals and has had two candidates win their PhDs under him. His areas of expertise are in Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering Designing), Quantity estimation, and Building and Pavement construction.

Seth Vishambhar Nath Institute of Engineering

Being the director of the institute what is your philosophy of leadership how would you describe your leadership style?

Being the director of the institute, I believe in Aristotle's philosophy of leadership. The philosophy goes on to say that the role of a leader is to create an environment in which all the members of an organisation have an opportunity to realise their own potential. On a personal level, I believe that a good leader is not the one who just leads but also manages well. Leadership is not merely a position; rather, it is more about a person's passion for excellence and making a difference.

Any insights into how your institute could be more welcoming to the students of different races or economic backgrounds?

Knowing well that our country is known for its plurality in terms of culture, social and economic backgrounds, our institute strives to provide an environment for all students by focusing on the affordability of the courses offered. We also focus on easy accessibility to resources and the accountability of teachers towards their students. Moreover, the institute has a board conference that emphasises academic performance and curricular activities. Scholarships are also provided to the students on a merit and need basis.

What do you see as your institute’s greatest strength?

The educational sector in India has a long way to go before it is perfect. Yet the greatest strength of an institute is acceptance and an accommodating environment for all the students from diverse backgrounds. More institutes in multidisciplinary areas with equitable access are cropping up for all the students to further realise that the digital revolution is a new age. We focus on sports activities as well as academic activities to groom and develop essential skills in students.

What would you like to people know about your Institute that they might not know?

SVN is an institute that does not mainly restrict itself to economic excellence. The SVN Institute believes that excellence in education is subjective and involves the wider holistic development of students. SVN is an institute that believes that excellent education is more about what is practised and not only preached. Hence, we engage our students in various interactive sessions through meetings and seminars. In this process, we help them develop their skills, not just their academic performances.

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What are the biggest challenges you see both for higher education in general and for your institute specifically?

I believe that education is the pivot for development in the nation. However, the education system in general encounters a few challenges. The first and foremost challenge is the culture of overpromise and underdelivery. Other challenges are inclusivity of opportunities and resources, gender, gap and a lack of investment in research and development. To be specific, the biggest challenge faced by SVN is to balance quality with quantity in terms of recruitment of both faculty and students.

What do you think should be the Institute’s top priority over the next 10 years?

In a world of rapid change, today’s youth require plenty of skills to thrive, along with subject-wise knowledge. Hence, the priority of our institute over the next ten years is not just for students to be "jacks of all trades,” but to be innovative and creative in their respective fields. We wish to do this so that these job seekers of today can become job givers of tomorrow.

How do you tend to establish a healthy relation and environment in your institute?

SVN, as an institute, has established healthy relationships and environments by following a set of clear behaviour patterns. In the institute, positive relations are established through effective communication and connectivity between teachers and students, along with maintaining a sense of order and decorum in the institute.

Any suggestions, you would like to give to the current youth and aspiring students?

My suggestion to the current youth and their sparing strengths is to believe. Believe in yourself and your abilities. The ‘I can’ attitude is more important than IQ to excel in life. Do not stop learning; keep upskilling yourself to remain competitive and grasp all opportunities that come your way.