IIM Shillong – Learning In The Abode Of Clouds

Imagine waking up in a setting surrounded by clouds. Imagine taking a walk along the hills with a mild drizzle constantly gushing over your face. Imagine sipping tea with your buddies after a long hard day with a view so peaceful and heart-warming that it would make you forget all your worries. Imagine going for a night-time stroll and encountering an array of fireflies around you. These aren’t scenes from a movie set in the highlands of Switzerland, but are instances from the daily lives of students of IIM Shillong.

Set amidst the beautiful Khasi and Jaintia Hills, IIM Shillong offers an experience like no other institute. I remember the excitement I had while I was about to begin this wonderful journey, and every bit of that excitement increased manifold as I began the trip to Shillong from Guwahati. The breath-taking view and mesmerizing pours had me in awe even before I had reached the destination of my new abode.

As soon as I entered the gates of this holy grail, I realized that everything I had been expecting of this place was going to come true and much more. The energy around the campus was infectious, with the senior batch helping around the students of the new batch with their luggage and introducing them to the life around the campus. This was when it hit me that all the talks of IIM-Shillong fraternity being a family was not just internet talks, but it was visible in every move and action of every person around the campus.

It didn’t take long for the fresh batch of MBA aspirants to get into this family-mode and just within a few days, with a pinch of luck and a dash of trust, I had my second family. As the classes began and the initial rigor started to kick in, it was this camaraderie that came into effect when everyone started to support each other and help each other to dwell well with this hectic new lifestyle. With half the batch being fresh out of the undergraduate college and several students getting out of the comfort of their houses for the first time, we (the work-ex people) took the onus of making them comfortable at this home away from home.

As the dust and the students settled, and after a marvellous legacy-driven sustainability trek, the amazing batch diversity of the current batch came into the picture in full view as the classes furthered. With almost 40% females in the batch and one of the most diverse batch in terms of specialization, the discussions and ideations that take place in class brings out the true essence of peer learning and has been a joyous learning experience all around so far.

After having spent over 3 weeks in this fairyland of a place and establishing new bonds and learning new experiences everyday, all I can say about the life at IIM Shillong is that,

“Everyday is a journey, and the journey itself is home.”

Which ABG company would I want to work for and why?

Having worked for 3 years in the IT industry and getting myself hands-on with the world of Technology, what affected me in terms of my overall business understanding was my lack of real-time experience in the field of finance. Working for one of India’s largest financial services organization, ‘Aditya Birla Capital Limited’ would provide me an opportunity to work amongst few of the best in the field of finance and allow me to grow while contributing equally to the growth of the organisation.