KOLKATA: London overseas centre of cost accountants (LOCCA) has set up its first European centre at London.
LOCCA, which is part of the 77-year-old institute of cost accountants of India, decided to have the virtual opening day ceremony on Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th anniversary, as a tribute to India’s most loved national hero.
The institute of cost and works accountants of India set up with the aim of promoting, regulating and developing the profession of cost accountancy has four regional councils in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, 110 chapters in India and 11 overseas centres. London is the 11th overseas centre and the only one in Europe. It will cover UK, Ireland and Mainland Europe.
Anurag Singh Thakur, Union minister of state for finance and corporate affairs, was chief guest for the program on Saturday. He congratulated the institute for increasing its footprint even in a pandemic-hit year and called for its participation in the atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.
The guests of honour included Lord Kamlesh Kumar Patel (Baron Patel of Bradford), OBE, chair of social work England, Nick Low, British deputy high commissioner to Kolkata, Prof Nora Colton, director of UCL Global Business School of Health, Kevin McCole and managing director, UKIBC (UK India Business Council).
Anirban Mukhopadhyay, chairman LOCCA, said, "This is a very significant step for the Institute, setting up its first base in Europe - our aims are very ambitious, aimed at development of the profession and the business, educational, research and public health needs of India and UK - we are open to proposals from universities and institutes of UK, with whom we can work collaboratively."
Udayan Guha, secretary, advances studies, research and industry, said, "We have already started discussions with various educational bodies regarding some advanced study courses, which will make their students more ‘market or job ready’. We are also talking to companies, who are the potential employers to consider these 'market ready' students for employment - it’s a win-win for both sides. On the topic of research, we are focussing on climate and health as potential areas."
The British deputy high commissioner to Kolkata felt that LOCCA was the right project at the right time and at the right place. He reckoned the launching of LOCCA could be a turnaround point and spoke about the 10-year road map for the Indo-British partnership that the two PMs are working on.
President of the institute Biswarup Basu paid tributes to Netaji and thanked everyone for making this happen.