On Cloud 9 At IIM Shillong - Ranjana Ritu

The day I was offered admission to IIM Shillong, the Campus in Clouds, I was on cloud nine. Whilst I was packing to start my new venture, I could literally picture my life ahead of me. I was bestowed with several compliments and best wishes from my family and friends for making it into IIM Shillong. To become a member of the IIM family is no less a golden opportunity for anyone. But why is it so? What is it there which makes it unique?

As I entered the campus, I could feel my nervous jitters amalgamated with excitement. Nature offers peace to one’s mind, but that day it seemed oblivious to me. I had entered my college, my home for the two years to come, feeling a mix of emotions. I hadn’t even absorbed the solemnness yet, and I had reached the glasshouse to disembark. It was then, when I realised that I need to concentrate on lifting the luggage rather than pondering over my life here.

To my surprise, two seniors approached me and my parents to help us in lifting the bags. It was completely unprecedented because no one would have expected such a hearty welcome. I had brought seven bags with me and they did not even let us lift one bag. With smiles on their faces, they interacted with me and my parents as if we had known each other for quite a long time. I would be thoroughly surprised to know if the same ideology is followed in any other college, because I hardly think so.

While approaching the registration counter, I observed that there were no official faculty members or admission department members to conduct or oversee the registration process. It was being handled by the seniors entirely. From allotting us our hostel rooms to escorting us till there, it was no less an a reflection of their humility and sincerity towards the institute, as well as towards us.

Until then, social media used to be the only medium of interaction amongst us. However, virtual realisation of being helped at any instant is entirely different from witnessing their real efforts. Yes, IIM Shillong has a student driven campus, but so does other colleges. The difference, or say the uniqueness of the institute lies in the overall personality that students portray.

Be it before the admission process or after, the senior batch students have taken care of our most minute concerns and streamlined the process for us by taking the heavy burden on themselves. From guiding us in our academia, preparing us for the corporate world individually to increasing our awareness about non-academic events, they would aid us in everything. They have become a sole part of our lives and we would not be capable to thank them enough for the contribution they have given or will be giving in the coming days. “IIM Shillong is a family” is not just a saying. It is the reality because they have made it so.

Today, I have become a member of this family. One Day, I would be in their place, intending to carry forward the same legacy and I hope that on that ‘One Day’, I am ready for the same.

Which ABG Company would I like to join and Why?

Aditya Birla Group is a multinational conglomerate in the League of Fortune 500. Personally, I would like to work for the Aditya Birla Science and Technology Company. Coming from a technical background, I would be able to relate to the business areas of this company and develop an innovative and strategic approach towards sustainable business solutions in collaboration with its sister organization ‘Corporate Technical and Energy Services”. Moreover, the objective behind this company was to make Corporate Social Responsibility an integral part of corporate culture since 1990. Hence, it would help me to enhance myself analytically, as well as socially.