Reserve Bank of India is a place every MBA student dreams of interning at and IFMR provided me with this once in a lifetime chance to experience this dream. RBI selects only 5 people from the state of Andhra Pradesh every year for its internship program and I was one of the lucky people to grab a spot in it.
From the very first moment I set my feet into RBI, Hyderabad, I was awed by the institution’s grandeur and ambience. Even though all my colleagues were far superior to me in age, designation and experience, they behaved cordially and made sure that I felt at ease.
RBI has a very structured internship program. During my first week of induction, I had to choose the department and project for my internship. I met the Regional Director who allocated me the department of Foreign Exchange in which I wished to do my internship for the next two months. Later I got acquainted with my mentor who was General Manager of the Foreign Exchange Department, and after getting a hang about the work and culture of the department for a week, I finalised my project to work on. From the very first day, we were not treated like interns but like full-time employees, a gesture which brought RBI closer to my heart. I researched and analysed
my topic regularly and at the end of the day got guidance and feedback from my mentor. His constant motivation and guidance helped to bring out the best in me.
RBI has a great working culture. Every single person in my department was very helpful. I also had the experience to visit other commercial banks and talk to their AGMs, thereby gaining useful insights for my project. This exposure helped me to sharpen my interpersonal skills, people management skills and learn a lot about corporate ethics.
Finally, at the fag end of the internship, I had to present my project in front of the Regional director and people across various teams. It provided me with a real-life experience of presenting in front of senior corporate members and boosted my confidence. The knowledge I gained helped me to ace my interviews easily and the brand boosted my CV in front of recruiters. RBI was the stepping stone in my life to a great future. It gave me world class experience and groomed me so well. Each and every moment I spent inside this prestigious institution in those two months will be etched in my memory with golden words forever.
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About the Author:
Sudipta Dhar
‘A traveller, total foodie and love reading and listening to songs’
Pursuing PGDM in Financial Engineering. Final Year Student at Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR).