Abstract
Prof. (Dr) G. D. Sardana (15 July 1938–17 October 2016)
With profound grief and sorrow we inform the passing away of Prof. G. D. Sardana who left us for his heavenly abode on 17th October 2016 after a brief illness.
Dr. Sardana, an ardent lover of ‘Case Method of Teaching’, has left an indelible mark on the sands of time by creating a legacy in the form of ‘International Conference for Management Cases’ that is held every year on the first Thursday and Friday of December. He not only nurtured its growth during the past decade but utilised this platform for publication of selected cases in Case Center, U.K, Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies and his own edited South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases which has entered into top ten list of SAGE Publications from India, sharing the glory with Vikalpa of IIM Ahmedabad. The last words he uttered in his hospital bed were concerning smooth conduction of ICMC this year and his commitment to the Case Clearing House and Journals.
Having worked with reputed national and international companies at top positions, he had deep understanding of industrial processes; he could kindle the ‘desire to learn’ among students in ‘Service Operations Management’ and ‘World Class Manufacturing’ classes by citing real-life examples, often through cases authored by him. He was a well-cited researcher with diverse expertise who left a rich repository of more than one hundred cases and research papers published in reputed journals.
Dr. Sardana was one of the finest human beings with whom we have had the privilege of interacting; a selfless collaborator, a gentle mentor and a friend all rolled into one. He was a thorough professional with eye for detail as well as a ‘perfectionist’ to the core. To him everything had to be perfect; the word ‘Compromise’ was not in his dictionary. However, getting deeper into perfectionist and professional persona of Dr. Sardana, one could experience his humorous and child-like nature. The child in him was very curious and sometimes obstinate for maintaining the standards that made all working with him highly quality conscious. Through his witty anecdotes he could make listeners laugh without laughing himself. Those ecstatic moments will haunt us for long.
May the Almighty give strength to the grief-stricken family members to bear this irreparable loss.
May his soul rest in peace.