Vishwamitra, a character from the Ramayana, pursued King Dashratha, father of Lord Ram and Lakshman, to allow him to train the young boys with practical skills as they would one day be King. He would train them in the forest. The King agreed after much persuasion by the sage.
Once they were on their voyage the troop reached a fork on the road. Vishwamitra asked, “Should we take the short, safe route or the more dangerous one full of rakshasas?” Lord Ram replied, “Lets take the long, fearsome route, that is the route to knowledge”. There are two things that I wish to convey through this excerpt I read in “Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana” by Devdutt Patanaik. One, when the sage wanted to impart practical knowledge he takes them to the forest. The place where survival instincts must be at its peak.
When you enter the campus at the Hilltop in Lavale, it is no less than a forest, literally and figuratively. The moment you enter the approach road you know you are entering a wild territory. Let me also tell you that peacocks and snakes become an almost everyday visual to us. We see the sunrise over mountains from our windows when we wake up and sunsets from our classrooms. This reminds us everyday that nature and life will not wait for you, we have to go grab it. We see the strength of the mountain ranges all around and the fluidity in the reservoirs, fountains and waterfalls. The smell of Frangipani resonates within the walls of the corridors, the mist during the rains soothes our mind and creates an aura of a calm monastery. The red of the Gulmohar tree reminds us to keep our flame alive.
Two, when we chose to be at this prestigious university, we were aping the thoughts of Lord Ram, we chose to gain knowledge. We wished this journey of two years would transform our very being. In our case, however, the rakshasas are internal. The demons we fight with within us. We hope that after we are out of the forest we have axed the rakshasas and are on the path on triumph.
That is exactly what it delivered to us.
Our classrooms feel like a taking a walk in a wild safari moving from one idea to another, one perspective to the next, making you aware of the plethora of knowledge beyond you. The manner in which it is conducted will ensure that not only would it make us professionals in the specialization we opt for but also help us be responsible and respectful individuals. We find inspiration from the diversity that we find on this campus with lawyers, CA professionals, engineers, green building consultant, interior designer, economists etc. all coming together under one roof to discuss on a point from various angles. These discussions not only make us more tolerant to another individual but also leave an impact on us beyond the classroom. The discussion is carried on in the common eating area, the hostels and in the middle of the night.
Inspired by only the title of the Netflix Original series “Wild, Wild, Country”, I think it describes SIBM Lavale the best. It can be ruthless with rakshasas on your way but at the same time, it can be a humbling experience in the classroom and beyond. That’s what makes my campus unique.
Which ABG Company you want to work for and why?
To,
Aditya Birla Fashion And Retail Ltd.
Dear Team,
Firstly, thank you for giving us this opportunity to present our ideas and speak about topics that we hold so close to us. Secondly, speaking about those topics gave us an opportunity to introspect and take a moment to actually understand the journey we are on. I am a 25-year-old woman from Mumbai who has lived wearing brands starting from Gini&Jony as a child moving to Kraus, Levis, Lee in my teens, Allen Solly, Van Huesen, BIBA, Global Desi and W during my working tenure at EY LLP. Your team has managed to bring my closet over the years under one roof and also thrown in the loyalty/Membership program for
maximum benefits. I already feel the connection with this place and would love to be a part of it.
Sincerely,
- Raveena Godhia
Marketing, SIBM Pune