Sitting in the late evening classes of marketing, all I could do was refresh my Gmail Inbox. I was growing impatient as the clock was ticking beyond the scheduled time, and there was another 1 hour before the deadline for submission of a report. It was raining quite heavily outside, and I could hear the water drops hitting against the classroom windows. It could have been a good night to sleep off early, but things happen very differently here at IIM Ranchi. I had a submission at 9, a quiz at 9:15 and two interviews, one at 1 am and the other at 4 am.
Life at Ranchi has been extraordinary over the last few months. We have quite forgotten the literal meaning of leisure. Everything is made to happen at the same time. We never put an effort to understand why, but that’s how things work. The word hustle does not quite explain the intensity of what happens here. It’s a commotion of happenings around you. Catching hold of the wind is very important and in the right direction. You get it wrong, and you fail miserably.
Each night at Khelgaon has a different thing to offer you. You could either be inside your room studying Kotler by yourself, or you could be watching Game of Thrones at your friend’s room. You could also be studying at the common rooms, or wandering at A block mess. There are close to 420 students on the Khelgaon campus, all creating their own stories. Working through the night is a culture by itself here. You see people chilling out at 3 in the morning at the Cafeteria munching on hot parathas with butter. The coffee vending machine is the hardest working entity at night. The usage of word 'Night' itself seems inappropriate considering we do not respect the night enough. People sleep only after they see the sun. It’s quite amazing to see everyone enjoy the life past midnight, and is an exorcism of tempestuous thoughts.
IIM Ranchi has grown a culture in itself. 'Deadlines are sacrosanct' is the culture here, and we are adjusting to it now. We believe in sticking to time frames. The amount of value that’s given to time makes you respect it even more. Life as we see it is built on a similar framework. We have fun along the lines of discipline. It helps you to go the extra mile to serve the need of the hour. At times you happen to question yourself, but the moment you answer it, you have your priorities sorted. The commotion, tumult, agitation are all served on the plate. It’s how we eat, that defines us.
Looking behind at these last few months, it’s fascinating as much as it’s intriguing. It feels like we have already spent an eternity here. So many things have happened over time, the relationships we have built, the work we have learnt, the customs and cultures that we got acquainted with, it’s all been a part of reinventing ourselves. This is the so-called IIM Ranchi culture. More than what we learn in the classes, we are learning it here living and working together. We are already a part of this culture. Nights at Khelgaon gives us a sense of belonging. We are people from all over the country. We work beyond midnight, resolving the everyday distortions.
It has been difficult, but worth it. I believe that these are the things that make us who we are. IIM Ranchi is helping us become better and suited for the future. The hustle and bustle may not be easy, but there has been much to learn. Khelgaon is, in fact, a home away from home. Even though we have not had many peaceful nights here at Khelgaon, it’s always a relief to get back to the hostel campus. Over the last few months, we have created terrific and astonishing stories at the same time. Some have been difficult, the others been enriching. It has just begun for us, and we are excited.
The water here is not calm, it’s disturbingly calm. The moment you get used to it, you feel the difference.
- Akash Sasi