Released on = January 6, 2007, 3:34 am

Press Release Author = Anjali Sinha/International Management Institute

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = US Ambassador, David A. Gross gives a guest lecture at
International Management Institute, New Delhi

Press Release Body = Convergence in the 21st century: Ambassador David A. Gross

15th December 2006: U.S. Ambassador David A. Gross visited the International
Management Institute's (IMI, New Delhi) campus and gave an engaging hour long talk
on, "Convergence in the 21st century". This was the Ambassador's first visit to the
IMI campus and he paid glowing tributes to IMI. "This is my first visit to your
campus and I am extremely delighted to see the bright future of India," said the
Ambassador. His visit coincided with the ongoing Silver Jubilee celebrations of
the Institute.
In his distinguished career, Ambassador Gross has served as the U.S. Coordinator for
International Communications and Information Policy in the Bureau of Economic and
Business Affairs; he was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the
Senate. Ambassador Gross began his career in communications more than twenty years
ago. He is a graduate in Economics and then went on to study law at the Columbia
University Law School. After graduating from the law school he joined the law firm
of Sutherland, Asbill & Brenna. While at the law firm, he became a partner
specializing in communications and telecommunications issues. Year 2000, Ambassador
Gross joined the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign as the National Executive
Director of Lawyers and since his joining of the Department of State he has
addressed the United Nations General Assembly and led US delegations several times.
Ambassador Gross is also a member of the UN Information and Communications
Technologies Task Force.
"Convergence in the 21st Century", said the Ambassador; was a multi dimensional
phenomena, involving politics, technology, sociology, psychology as well as culture.
The beauty about the process of convergence at various levels, he said, does not
compromise the underlying diversity among nations. He implored students to take
advantage of the situation they find themselves today in due to the Internet
Revolution and use their knowledge to make the world a better place to live in for
their future generations. 'Never have we been so empowered in terms of access to
knowledge and information' and this according to him was the single biggest
achievement of the digitized era. In answering questions that spanned an expectedly
wide canvas, the Ambassador defended America's foreign policy because of what it had
achieved in the Middle East and elsewhere. "It has empowered people and hopefully
history will recognise the U.S.'s role in bringing freedom and democracy in Iraq."
Some of the audience appeared doubtful, but one thing was clear that whether it was
WMD or nuclear rogue states, the Ambassador provided coherent answers to all the
googlies thrown to him.

The guest lecture was attended by leading academicians, senior government officials
and of course the students. Among those present on the occasion was the Former
Secretary of Department of Information and Technology (DIT), Mr. Brajesh Kumar.
Although there were many more questions that the audience wanted to ask the
Ambassador, paucity of time drew the lecture to a close, with everyone in much the
same vein as Oliver, asking for 'More'. Perhaps another visit by the Ambassador is
justified stated Prof Ashoka Chandra in his vote of thanks. The Ambassador readily
agreed. It will be well worth the wait.


Web Site = http://www.imi.edu

Contact Details = International Management Institute (IMI)
B-10, Qutab Institutional Area
New Delhi. India
www.imi.edu

Ms. Anjali Sinha
(Exec. Corporate Communications, IMI)
anjalisinha@imi.edu