Since the day I converted IIM Indore, saying that life has been a Roller Coaster ride would be an understatement. Suddenly I am a part of the world where deadlines are sacrosanct, discussions articulate and life, in general, a little too fast-paced. It’s tiring and exhilarating at the same time. There are times here when I feel that it’s all slipping away (and if you are an engineer fresher, you get that feeling a little too often), the challenges never seem to end and the learning curve is extremely steep. There are submissions, quizzes, meetings, and parties all happening in these 24 hours. The campus never sleeps and sometimes all I do is gasp for breath, but the fact that I get to be a part of an institution that boasts of such a rich legacy makes it all worthwhile. The adrenaline rush one experiences after everything, be it reaching the classroom on time to submitting the assignments, it’s akin to what one would probably feel after successfully scaling a mountain maybe. But then we here do that literally every day, considering the entire campus is on a Hillock called Prabandh Shikhar. The lush green surrounding, clean air, smell of the Earth-all of it is absolutely intoxicating and never let any stress get to you. I get to see peacocks when it rains-a visual which is so appealing and unfortunately so rare these days. Being a teetotaler, a question that is always posed to me is how have I not given in to the temptation. My answer is simple- I find my high in all things bright and beautiful that surround me. And there is no alcohol that can provide this kind of euphoria. Also, I have met some of the most intelligent, humorous and grounded people in this campus. I was a very cocky teenager. However my stint in institutes (both undergraduate and postgraduate) have made me realize that there is so much I need to work on and that arrogance can never be the hallmark of excellence. We are all vying for the same place, there is intense competition but the way we party here, I don’t think even the best of friends can. Therefore for me, the unpretentious people and the thriving and lush campus are the most unique things about my campus.
Which ABG company would you want to work for and why?
I would love to work for Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail. I am very fond of clothes. And at the cost of sounding very predictable Pantaloons and Allen Solly are an all-time favourite. I have been hanging out in their stores ever since the time I can remember. The variety, quality, colours and design are unique, classy, chic and very affordable. Since clothes are something I enjoy and these entities are an integral part of my wardrobe, I feel I can do a good job if given an opportunity to work for ABFRL.
- Praagya Sharan