The last week of my first year of MBA could be summarized as “We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are.”
My summer internship felt special even before it started because I would be returning to my home city - Bangalore, for my first foray into the corporate world. My internship was at Xiaomi India Pvt. Ltd. and boy, it was quite an experience. We met Mr Manu Kumar Jain, the Vice President and Managing Director of Xiaomi India and also had the opportunity of interacting with other members of the leadership, on the first day itself. I was working in the Mi Home - Finance department where I not only got a deeper view of the applications of corporate finance but also learnt how a company works in a cross-functional manner.
The culture of Xiaomi is refreshing, and everyone is passionate about their work and products of the company. The essence of a start-up is visible, and at the heart of the company lies its hunger for innovation to make consumer-centric products at an affordable price. It is surely the people who make Xiaomi great by thriving as a hard-working, fun-loving and zealous group. I had much to learn from my interactions with my own team, and by observing other batches. My mentor was a source of constant support, always pushing me to improve at the work I was doing. One of the highlights of my internship was meeting people from other B-Schools who acted as a window to new places and experiences. I'll truly cherish every “chai-biscuit” break we took and the laughs we shared.
I re-discovered Bangalore. A diverse company led to varied perspectives. “If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently. ” I saw this quote come to life as we, the interns, would set off on adventures at 2 am for a hot cup of tea. Weekends were exhausted by exploring Bangalore and the areas in its vicinity still, there wasn't enough time to do all the things I desired. Day by day, nothing appeared to change. Yet, by the end of two months, everything was different.
Amritavarshini M R
Class of 2020
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
