You enter through the front gate, take a long glance at the building and let the feeling sink in. Yes, you have made it, to one of the most prestigious B-school of the country. Walk a bit further and observe the statue (Wings of wisdom) in all its grandeur, explore some more and soon you will be at the ‘Top of the world’.
Parents leave, and you are left, eagerly waiting for your first day at college. Rest is better left unsaid, the days turn to nights and you see yourself pushing off your limits, up to a level when even your brain gives up, on the number of things you saw in a day. Soon you lose the count of days/nights and completely become a part of a tribe, a closely knit group ready to help you out at even the worst hours of the day.
Few days can be very harsh. Hostel for 1st year boys (C-9 as they call it) is around half a km away, thereby increasing the commute time. Cultural biases ended here, we ate together (both vegetarians and non-vegetarians in same plates), planned our bathroom visits and worked together as a unit to save time. This made us learn the important group dynamics which no other activity could do.
In this hustle bustle of a ‘normal’ day at IIFT, you realise that you have made some very important bonds and without these people, it would become impossible to work for even a single day. These are the Lifelines of IIFT, who keep the college alive and awake throughout the day and night.
The Seniors: The best bunch of people you will meet. They are the ones who treat you like their own younger brother/sister. They worry for your safety, placements, CV, and a host of other things. They can be tough on you but its always for your own good.
The Guards: Some of the most friendly and helpful security personnel. Some of them are here from over 25 years. It’s because of them, we feel safe while working, even at odd hours.
The Staff/Cleaners: They are honest and loyal. You can leave all your belongings and trust them to clean your rooms and manage the hostel without a single complaint.
Nikhil and Mirza bhai (Nescafe): An IIFTian’s saviour, the only source for coffee and food items to keep you awake in the lectures and through the night. Everyone pays at least one visit per day. You just can’t imagine your day without it.
Diwan Sahab: If C9ers had to choose the most important person in their hostel, he would be him. Why? If a man can cook for you at 3am in the night, with a smile on his face, that’s more than a reason.
All of them treat you like family, and it never feels like you have been working day night, away from your home, because these guys make this journey easy for you, and if it was not for them, IIFT wouldn’t have been what it is today. They play a very important role in the life of every IIFTian and acknowledging it, is the least we could do for them.
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ABG Company:
I would want to work for Aditya Birla SunLife Asset Management Company. I feel passion and inner motivation are important to enjoy the work, and my zeal to learn will be best satisfied at ABSLAMC. Also, commitment and integrity towards work, team, organisation and society as whole are some values that I share with the organisation and it will make me perform the duty to the best of my levels.