It all started from CST station to the iconic red brick building of JBIMS. I came to Mumbai with a bag and a suitcase. A bag full of dreams and a suitcase full of ‘Formals’. I looked at the old brick red building that shone of a legacy built over 50 years and thought about all the things I would do in here. About the legacy of JBIMS, it is here since 1965, everything about this place, physical and intellectual, feels ‘heritage’. The striking red building, the spacious (newly renovated) classroom, one of Asia’s largest libraries, the traditional ‘South Bombay’ infrastructure and of course the extensive alumni network built over 53 years. Who would not be in awe of a B-school with such a rich alumni heritage which is also known as – ‘The CEO Factory’ of India.
I met my fellow batchmates while fulfilling the formalities of admission on the day of ‘Pre-Joining Meet’. I replayed my introduction in my head several times. I had an air of anxiety around me, just like everyone else as my JBIMS (or JB or Bajaj as we fondly call it) journey had begun. The biggest shocker for me was the timetable for lectures. Well, because JB doesn’t have one. There is no typical day at Bajaj, lectures for the next day are decided at 11 PM the previous night. Reality came crashing down on me when I had lectures from 7 AM to 10 PM. When I had to sit through 7 hours lectures on the same subject, I realized that from now on, l will be technically living here.
The first couple of months are nothing but a hustle at JBIMS. A schedule filled with lectures, guest lectures, pre-placement talks, projects, case studies, competitions and assignments. You live and enjoy life ‘The Bajaj’ way, nothing is free or complimentary at JBIMS. You’ve got to do it yourself and each and every Bajajite learns it the hard way. In this process of learning, we learn a great deal of organizing, man management, leadership, decision making etc. Managing submissions and activities by the clubs; competitions to be fought fiercely and conferences at 5-star Hotels have all become a way of life. Being in the business hub of India, we can always go to markets and businesses to see in action the theories we learn. We have visited the bazaars of old Mumbai and Malls in most upscale of areas in search of answers for assignments.
JBIMS has a culture of nurturing opinions and encouraging individuality. This culture has been brought about by professors who are CEOs and who want us to engage with them without holding back. In a very informal, yet professional setting, we have met our idols and been inspired. It is always a two-way street at JBIMS, open to communication for one and all. You have people with millions of net worth coming and addressing to you. You cannot help but be enchanted by their humility, their knowledge and in a strange way, their thirst to learn from a batch of 20-25-year-olds.
JB gave me a chance to experience the corporate side of the business. I did my summer internship at MetLife where I studied the Asia Pacific region as my project. Who would have thought that a farmer’s son from a village would be studying in one of the top B-schools in India at a metropolitan city and working on a project having a global impact for the company? A practical application of the concept ‘Local and Global’. A journey starting from a village to a global project; JBIMS made it happen.
The qualities we learnt at JBIMS are of immense importance for progressing in industries that face stiff competition and where demands are ever increasing and dynamically changing such as retail and fashion, cement, infrastructure, etc. In my opinion, after a thorough evaluation of my abilities and the nature of the industry, I would be able to and would love to contribute significantly to companies of ABG groups such as ADITYA BIRLA FASHION AND RETAIL LIMITED, IDEA CELLULAR LIMITED, ULTRATECH CEMENT LIMITED among the varied companies of the group. As ABG embarks upon its journey to form
“A NEW MARK FOR NEW MILESTONES”, we as JBites vow to generate new ideas to form a new mark for achieving new milestones.
- Aniket Somkuwar
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies