RAI launches first online retail education prog with GOLS

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) Retailers Association of India (RAI), the unified body of the Indian retail industry, and GurukulOnline Learning SolutionsTM (GOLS), today jointly launched the portal-- www.instituteofretailmanagement.com, offering online courses in retail for the very first time in India.

On the need to set up this portal, RAI CEO Gibson G Vedamani said, ''Retailing is a very significant industry in the country today with diverse business formats and ownership structures.

However, with this explosive growth comes the need of quality manpower. I am sure this initiative of ours will provide the opportunity for students and professionals to attain proficiencies in retailing and help them achieve a bright retail career.'' Rated the fifth most attractive emerging retail market, India is being seen as a potential goldmine, and modern retailing here is currently witnessing a transformation where traditional markets are giving way to the emergence of department stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, specialty stores and malls, he said.

Retail is a sector that has registered phenomenal growth, and is poised to grow even further. However, it is facing a huge manpower crisis threatening all growth projections, Mr Vedamani said.

The first course being launched is called Certified Retail Professional and covers the fundamental aspects of the organised retail business.

The organisation is planning to launch more such courses in the near future.

RAI is the first independent body of retailers in India, and its Governing Board comprises Kishore Biyani of Pantaloons, B S Nagesh of Shoppers' Stop, Noel Tata of Trent Ltd, Vinay Nadkarni of Globus, Sumantra Banerjee of RPG Retail, Nandan Piramal of Piramyd, Kodandarama Setty of Viveks, R Subramanian of Subhiksha and Gibson G Vedamani.

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