A memorable classroom experience at IIM Trichy
They say that work expands to fill the time available, but living on campus will convince you that time expands to accommodate the expansive list of activities that IIMT has to offer. Be it scrambling for a midnight submission deadline, partying hard to retro music after that, strolling into a talk by an eminent finance freak, playing Frisbee across the hostel floors or just discussing your favourite football team over a cup of coffee. The biggest proof of vibrancy of campus life is that there is no typical one day in the life of IIM Trichy. Each day brings its own set of experiences and whether you are a night owl or an early bird, there is never anything routine about it.
Our marketing faculty is one of the best faculty among the new IIMs and we are privileged with some great professors. One of the lectures used to start at 2.30 PM in the afternoon and after lunch; a few people tend to doze off during the lecture. One day Prof noticed a few students dozing.
“While a few people are busy making notes, I can see a few people meditating.” As the class resumes after recovering from his comedy punch line, he noticed a few students busy with their cell phones. He told the whole class:
“If you have any doubts just ask me, Don’t WhatsApp me”
Also, in the same class, we have a case discussion on the brand makeover of Pepsi over the years. We were discussing how the Pepsi has evolved into a Brand and how they have associated themselves with the youth schema. Professor instantly said this
“Young people like you drink Pepsi because you are young; I drink Pepsi with the hope of becoming young."
We appreciated his melody with words and how good he explained the Brand association of Pepsi. He had given some assignment that had to be handwritten and submitted before the professors’ lecture. My friend did not do the assignment. So during the class, the professor asks all those who did not submit the assignment to stand. He is the only one. When asked why he hadn't submitted, my friend coolly replies, “It’s still in my pen, sir!”
The whole class including the professor had a hearty laugh at his witty comeback!!! For everyone, college days are considered as the best days of their life and they remember the memories for the rest of their life.
Which ABG company would you want to work for and why?
I would like to work for Pantaloons Fashion and Retail of ABG group. Indian apparel industry, which is the second largest contributor in the retail industry after food and grocery, is seeing major shifts. It is envisaged that the current fashion retail market will grow at a promising CAGR of 9.7%. India has the world’s largest youth population, which is becoming fashion conscious owing to mass media and social media penetration. This has opened unprecedented retail market opportunities. With a GDP growth rate of 7%, India has an edge over developed markets of US, Europe and Japan which are expected to grow at a rate of 2-3%.
This article is written by Deepak Kumar - Class of 2019.