June 2016, Kolkata. As I was going through the contents of an e-mail that I had just received, notifying me of my final selection at IIM Sirmaur, I knew my life was about to take a turn. A turn for the better, hopefully. It’s been two months since I have joined the Post Graduate Programme at IIM Sirmaur, and all the skepticism about joining a “baby IIM” has already vanished into thin air.
Opportunities galore. If you ask me to capture in words the most striking element of being a part of a new institute I’ll say it is the plethora of opportunities that one here has access to. You initiate things, see them grow and take pride in their existence. Be it a cultural event or a literary competition, a marketing club activity or something that the finance club does – the world of opportunity here only gets bigger by the day. When something you create assumes grand proportions, the joy and the sense of ownership it brings along is unparalleled. After all, you don’t follow a trend. YOU SET IT!
So far as the academics go, you can only guess what happens when you have IIM Lucknow as your mentor. The 32-year old embodiment of academic excellence which is widely known for its rigorous curriculum ensures that education of only the highest standards makes its way into the classrooms. A typical day that starts at 8 O'clock never fails to keep us on our toes throughout the day. Lectures from the finest faculty are leveraged with a multitude of assignments, case studies, projects and quizzes that ensure holistic learning and evoke an interest in knowing beyond the realms of conventional knowledge.
Being one of the latest additions to the IIM family, IIM Sirmaur has both responsibilities to shoulder and challenges to meet. The responsibility of carrying forward the IIM legacy; the challenge to make its presence felt. On both counts, we are well on course. For any established institution, the students are its wards. Here at IIM Sirmaur the roles reverse. And when the efforts of scores of people are amassed, it's only a matter of time before this ‘baby’ takes wing.
About the Author: Soumyadeep is a Commerce graduate from St. Xavier's College Calcutta and is currently pursuing his MBA from IIM Sirmaur. A GoT fan, Soumyadeep loves writing and watching documentaries and misses Kolkata's biryani big time!