“Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better”
-Albert Einstein
Nature teaches us ample things. It teaches us simplicity, optimism, co-operation, how to live in harmony with each other and many other things. Today, I got a chance to meet nature and to realise that there exists a beautiful world covered under a green blanket untouched by the dazzling lights of the city. This day was the day of the sustainability trek which is a part of the foundation course on sustainability in the curriculum. I believe that it is a really unique part of my college, IIM Shillong.
In the sustainability trek, at first we all reached the Sacred Forest in Mawphlang. My group was guided by the guide Arnol. The very first instruction that we received was not to take anything out from the forest along with us because of the spiritual and religious beliefs related to the forest. As soon as we moved inside the forest, we saw many trees and got to know that with each tree some religious beliefs are associated. The thing that triggered my interest the most was a bat calmly sleeping inside its home that was a small hole in a bamboo tree amidst all the disturbances surrounding it. By watching this bat, I realised the true meaning of peace i.e. peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, no trouble, no hard work, no trials, and no tribulations; peace means to be in the middle of all mayhem and chaos and yet to stay calm, to stay focussed and yet to make that inward journey of inner peace with all the problems and difficulties surrounding us.
Keeping this thought in mind, we moved forward and I was perplexed by the beauty of the river flowing calmly; at that point in time I was just left admiring its carefree nature. It is really hard to resist the purity and elegance of nature. This was the time when we were given crowns made out of the branch of a tree by our guide Arnol. I was just appreciating the talent of his hands that simply converted a stem of a tree into a beautiful crown.
Now, we moved ahead and this was the only time in the forest when the path was very difficult to cover but when I crossed that path then the scene that I saw destined in the bosom of my heart, it was a beautiful waterfall that was telling me to leave all the stress and grudges behind and just live life to the fullest. After such a beautiful experience, we left the forest.
Now, we headed towards the Mawphlang dam. This is the first time I was watching a dam. The strong flow of water scared me but at the same time I realised that when we are bound with restrictions then we summon a lot of strength and power that when we are set free or released from those restrictions; we actually come to know our real worth and establish ourselves as very strong individuals. The thing that surprised me the most was that at one side of the pool the water of the river was calm and serene while at the other side there was a furious and devastating flow. This made me to ponder that can an individual also exhibit two completely different personas at the same time; can one be so generous at one point in time while disastrous at the very other moment? These are some questions which are very easy to ask but very difficult to answer.
Moving ahead, now we reached Lingyong. This was the place from where the actual trek started. Finally, we were set to climbing the mountains. I was very enthusiastic for the trek as this was the first time I was doing something different from my routine affair. We crossed many waterfalls and streams. I could still feel the sensation caused by the cold water each time I stepped into it. At reaching the final spot, a breeze of triumph crossed my senses and I was very proud of myself. Now, the return journey started and as a matter of ill luck, I chose the wrong path and the journey suddenly changed into a more difficult one. Though the path was more tortuous this time I crossed it with even more enthusiasm and enjoyed each and every moment of it. Finally, I reached the spot where some of my batch-mates and friends were waiting for the rest of the members to arrive. The feeling of completing a journey which I started with ample pessimism and fear cannot be expressed in words, it was like to live a dream that I thought of but never dared to believe.
After a rigorous schedule of twenty days at the campus, the trek offered was extremely rejuvenating and refreshing and I enriched my book of knowledge and information with one more interesting experience. The trek is a very special gift given by my college and is quite unique too. It is a very beautiful memory residing in the bosom of my heart and I would always retain the learnings that I have gained from it.
Which ABG company would you want to work for and why?
I would really want to work for Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, India’s No. 1 fashion retail entity. I am keenly interested in the retail industry and if it incorporates fashion into it then that would fetch me real opportunities to bring my creativity to the table. I want to recognise the value elements for the sector so that I could draw the value model paving a chance for the company to approach to the customers in this segment with a value proposition that has an upper edge over the competitors existing in the market. I believe that my creativity in terms of ideas and approach would help me to become an asset for the company and I would not only fully exploit the opportunities provided by the most revered ABFRL but at the same time would work for the positive of the company with all my perseverance and hard-work.
Ankita Singh
PGP 2nd Year
IIM Shillong
