Kaptains of Kozhikode returns for another season! Meet the stalwarts from the IIM in God's Own Country.
Meet, Arka Biswas
(To meet other Kaptains of Kozhikode
click here)
An achiever with a bagful of awards and honors, a finalist of the coveted Economic Times Young Leaders Award, a merit scholarship for excellent academic record at IIM-K, what inspires you to pull up such great performance?
I have a very simple motto in life: sincerity and clarity of thought. No matter how daunting the task is or how improbable the achievement is, there is always a fighting chance when you can work hard and when you are clear in your objectives. Hence, for me the key to succeed is not only devotion but a crystal clear “mental palace” where one can chalk out all the intricate details of that path to success.
Considering you have achieved accolades in almost all fields including finance, marketing, IT etc. which among all these intrigues you the most and why?
Now, that’s a tough one! Truly speaking I have found all of them to be really interesting and it will be difficult to take a call on one. However, I think I found my love in finance. And it was never because of the “numbers” since that’s so banal. It was because of the amount of depth that the domain provided and the amount of thought process that needed to be aligned with any business model as a whole in order to really get a hold on the subject. Finance helped me gain a lot of “common-sense” and common sense really helps in life.
Literature is something which you are passionate about. In this busy b-school schedule, do you actually get time to nurture your passion? How often do you read? What are your favorite genres?
Books have been my best friends since I was a kid. What has only changed through the years has been my taste. A passionate comic book reader, I hated borrowing books. A pretty awesome library of comics rests at my house till date. Over the years I have found love for fiction; fiction that balances the realities of life with the dreams of beautiful storytelling. Two of my most loved ones are Snow by Orhan Pamuk and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. In these two years of b-school hustle and bustle, I have found ample time to read the books that I have always wanted to be checked off my bucket list.
How has your experience been so far in the institute with respect to the opportunities you got, the life you led and the career path that you have possible chalked so far?
Before joining the institute, like many others, I too faced that difficult dilemma on whether IIM Kozhikode was the right place for me. A month at the institute and I knew it was match made in heaven! It has been a journey of a lifetime; the beautiful landscape, the never ending academic pressure, the foggy sleepless nights, the wonderful friends, the plethora of activities and the whirlpool of emotions. I have learnt a lot from this place; the only place which gave me so many opportunities to change my life.
Any suggestions/message for junior batches coming to IIM-K?
Enjoy life and be sincere. Yes both can actually be done together! Never sulk and give up when you mess up an opportunity. It is ok to mess up, IIMK will give you the chance to hit right back!
To meet other Kaptains of Kozhikode
click here