The world is going topsy turvy since the mid of March due to COVID 19, yet there was one more storm running through my mind since the day I sat for CAT- whether I will get to study in a reputed B-School of India. Working from home and staying at home all day was not doing any good as well. So, when I got my offer letter from one of the esteemed B- Schools of the country, Indian Institute of Management, Sambalpur, my excitement knew no bounds. I resigned from my job, packed up my things, and came home waiting for the experience of my life to start. I enjoyed the admiration of everyone that comes with the admission offer from a revered IIM.
I was a little upset knowing that our batch will not be able to experience the so desired campus life of an IIM I was looking forward to. Still, the institute and all the members and committees involved left no stone unturned to give us the best possible experience anyone could have virtually. I woke up early that day, excited to start this journey. The Induction ceremony began with the auspicious lighting of the “Diya,” and I was taken aback by the cultural roots the institute still holds even with being one of the revered centers of modern-day education.
Our Chairperson, Prof. Atri Sengupta, introduced us to the MBA curriculum, whereafter our Director sir, Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, spoke and welcomed us to this prestigious institute. I was astounded by his personality, his dedication towards this institute, and how he carried himself with so much poise. He shed some light on how our days are going to be for the next two years and maybe the rest of our lives because once we are inside this program, we are branded for life- Yes, I am talking about the cherished IIM Brand.
Our inaugural address and keynote speech were delivered by the Chief Guest Mr. Guru Prasad Mohapatra, IAS, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), a dignitary from the Government of India, and Mr. Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India & South Asia respectively and they gave us an idea about how important these two years are going to be for us. Seeing them made me understand how good education is important to reach heights in career and how our prestigious institute is going to help us in molding our life into a much higher standard than ever imagined.
All of these were accompanied by team building and induction week activities coordinated by the 2nd years for different clubs and committees, which were, in the long run, making us industry-ready. Apart from going virtual and digital in all aspects of our life, our “New Normal” now included preparatory activities till early dawn and college classes from the morning. Sleeping 4-5 hours a day became a luxury, and the constant hustle-bustle made us realize that getting into this IIM might be the first step in our road to success, but we have a long way to go to become successful.
They say that the strongest of swords are forged in the hottest of fires, and our IIM Sambalpur follows the same. Apart from the IIM Brand, flashy salaries offered at the end of the program, our institute provides much more than what meets the eye. Here you are molded, skills are honed, and to sum up, here, not only managers are recruited, but leaders are built who are ready to face any challenges that life may throw at them.
Over the next days of the induction week, we were introduced to several fields by venerated academicians and also shown sneak-peeks of the industry by several industry leaders. All of these were also accompanied by several team-building exercises in the evening and how much trust is going to be necessary for working in and with a team. It was an experience that one could never explain in mere words. Towards the end of this induction week, I felt happy with one realization, that I have gained one more family, the IIM Sambalpur family. Being the 6th batch of this institute, we are the torch-bearers and flag wavers of this institute, and we will help it achieve its full glory. At the end of this 7-day program, when I was going to bed and was getting mentally prepared for the classes to start the next day, I saw an image getting gradually clearer on the canvas of my imagination. It was a little boy with big dreams proudly scratching big golden letters on the walls of my heart – “I made it to IIM Sambalpur now”!
Kaustav Das Gupta
IIM Sambalpur (MBA Batch 2020-22)