To say that we live in one of the most beautiful campuses in the country would be an understatement. Words cannot do justice to the beauty of this place. I must admit that the surreal beauty of this place makes us think twice about attending lectures. But, some professors make sure that you will give up anything to attend their lectures. Take, for instance, Professor Sanjeeb Kakoty.
I still remember him introducing himself as the professor who teaches 'nothing' at IIM Shillong on our commencement day. A couple of days later I saw him standing in front of all of us for the 9 AM class. Dressed in his 80s-inspired check shirt and holding an umbrella in one hand, he stood there for a couple of minutes, just observing and smiling at us. He then broke the awkward silence with a more formal introduction. He introduced us to the course that was 'Self Leadership & Communication.' For all the budding managers wanting to specialize in our respective domains, it was hard to digest the fact a professor who claims to teach 'nothing' will take a course on communications and leadership. For all of us, this was something that we felt ‘there was no need for’ as we were already experts in such elementary things.
Our misconceptions were short-lived; halfway through the first lecture, we realized we couldn't be more wrong. With most of us struggling to answer the most fundamental questions thrown at us by Kakoty Sir, we learnt the art of communicating effectively. The constant movement of clouds that kept moving in and out of the lecture hall and perennial Shillong rains made the perfect backdrop for learning leadership.
The past one year has, time and again, made me realize the importance of this course. It is convenient to overlook these fundamental but essential skills in our fast-paced lives, but I cannot stress more on the significance of these in the larger scheme of things.
The batch of 2019 at IIM Shillong will always be indebted to Kakoty Sir for taking the time out to teach us the intricacies of communication and leadership.
Which ABG company would I like to work for and why?
If given an opportunity, I would like to work for Aditya Birla Capital. I believe that working at Aditya Birla Capital will provide me the right learning opportunities and exposure in the financial sector. To be able to work with industry leaders and learn about the intricacies of the diverse financial industry is something I look forward to.
Arpit Murarka,
PGP 2nd Year
IIM Shillong
