Humans Of IIM-Indore

I was first introduced to athletics in the summer of 6th standard when I joined a training program. Little did I know that it would become a defining part of me. By taking the call to pursue athletics professionally, I definitely chose the road less travelled by and this included 5 am trainings 6 times a week with weight training sessions in the evenings. The year most kids were burning the midnight oil for the 10th boards, my 10th was characterized by a hamstring injury and preparing for nationals. While I was leading for 398 meters of my 400-meter race in the national finals, my injury got the better of me and I tripped right before the finish line. Taking clumsy to a whole another level I must say :p However, it’s more about the journey than the finish line and athletics has given me a lot of memories, adventures and stories to share.

When I joined IIM I, I had the same nervous yet excited feeling I’ve had many times at the starting line of a race. This was a new journey, a new adventure, and though I was not prepared or trained for it (being an Arts fresher) I was determined to make the most of it. And I have truly enjoyed this journey. My fondest memories include late night walks, terrace adventures, riding on a tractor in REP, trying to cook for the first time, game nights, landing my dream company and forming everlasting bonds. Now with the last 2 meters left, I look forward to my next starting line.

~ Advika Agarwal
PGP 2019 - 2021

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My IIM story has been a little less told and a little different

Feb 2008: The day I set foot in IIM Indore. I was 11 years old back then. I had no clue what IIMs were. I was just going to a music concert with my cousins.
The place fascinated me….the vibe and cheerful energy was infectious....IIM I was my introduction to college life.

My little feet were trying to climb two stairs at a time all the way up from Patal Lok to Acad Block and man, was I tired! Who knew I would have to do the same drill, 11 years later yet again with books in one hand and coffee in another!
A slight detour here: I was born and brought up in Indore. Completed schooling in Indore and then did engineering again from...guess where...Indore :p

So, when I appeared for CAT, unlike many I had just one dream- “God please, anything but Indore!”
But the comedy of errors that my life is, of course my top converted college was IIM I and so the joy ride began.

The experience has been beyond my imagination. From the deadly drills of the PPRA sessions to infinite campus walks.

Hogging up and gossiping at SR 10 basement and never ending case discussions with generous servings of Pizza; IIM I was no less than a dream. A rollercoaster with twists and turns and ups and downs where you pretty much can't do anything but just let your hair down, hold tight and enjoy the ride.

I found a set of lovely friends, a club that is close to my heart and many other buds who are just too precious and ‘they’ are my definition of IIM I
So, to all the PGP 1s, this is all I can say-
You’ll meet plenty of people ( Thanks to our batch size :p) and you’ll end up liking most of them.
You'll find your clan- a community, a club, or just a bunch of backbenchers who accidentally formed a WhatsApp group and stuck to it.
You'll fit in, I promise.

~ Mansi Bhagwat
PGP 2019-21


www.fiveowlfilms.com

“Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line?”..I have been asked this (dreaded) question many times, more often than a usual MBA grad. It has been 6 years since I graduated from IIM Indore and it has been quite a journey since then. I was the youngest one in my batch and unsure about what drives me. I landed a “dream job” at Goldman Sachs. Here, I met the most hardworking and smart bunch of people and there was so much to learn. After 2 years of 96-hour workweeks, it was difficult to say goodbye to that life and to leave the people who had become more like family since I spent most of my day in office. On bad days, people used to say - “Welcome to Investment Banking”, and I had gotten used to it. But, I was longing for something else. I moved to Uber and had to deliver from the first week! The pressure was real, as I was used to someone telling me what to do, but at Uber, I was the one who had to decide what I wanted to work on and how. It felt like I am starting from scratch. In the 6 months, my learning was 2x and I guess that is how it is when you do things on your own. I was lucky to have amazing mentors at Uber who pushed me to do better. I was still longing for a sense of satisfaction and I felt I have something else to offer. I wanted to create an “impact”. Cliché, but true. Post Uber, I got selected to be a part of a year-long program at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to work with the Smart Cities Mission Director. That was my chance to create grass root level impact. I got the opportunity to work with very senior bureaucrats and our project helped clean out a garbage dump site that existed for 10 years.I might have taken a huge cut in my pay, but the sense of satisfaction was unbeatable. That satisfaction became a driving force for me.

Alongside this, I have been creating Mandala Art for the past 2 years. Making mandalas is a meditative process that increases concentration, relaxes your mind, and helps you get to know yourself better. I can sit for hours at length without realising it. I want to share my art with others and spread good vibes and zen to their lives through my venture . Starting my venture has been spine-tingling, exciting, and very challenging. You must be wondering that I am an adventurer, risk-taker, or impulsive, but it is quite the opposite. Taking risks requires courage and that, for me comes from having studied at a place like IIM Indore. I feel grateful for having an amazing network of people from IIMI who have helped me whether I work at an investment bank, a startup, government or in my venture.

It is said, take the risk or lose the chance. It took 6 years of taking risks and starting from scratch to find my ikigai, so I don’t know where I will be 5 years down the line, but I know that I would be happy.

~ Palak Mahanot

PGP Batch 2012-2014


www.fiveowlfilms.com

The dream started with joining an IIT for my Bachelor’s. But unfortunately, that did not happen. Fast forward to third year of my Computer Engineering, when I thought of appearing for CAT and pursuing an MBA, IIM was definitely the next destination. And here I am, living one heck of a dream of mine.
I heard people saying that IIM Life would have a lot to offer you; it depends on what you choose. And yes, right from day 1, life here at IIM Indore has been Overwhelming!! I had decided to make the most out of it and grab as much as I can from this place. Right from the first week itself, you are bombarded with batch meets, placement preparatory sessions, academics, selections and of course meeting a hell lot of new people! The first term had a lot to offer on my plate, more than what I could digest. So, sometimes, I thought that this place is not meant for me, sometimes I thought of just running away; but there were some people who always had my back; some friends, some seniors and family, which kept me going me going and motivated me to perform better! But I would definitely say that the first term has been the best learning phase and a beautiful experience of my life!
The second and third term brings you with different choices and a lot of opportunities to explore yourself. The campus is always buzzing with some Cultural fests being organized, sports activities going around here and there or maybe just another late night party! Keeping myself confined to my room was not my cup of tea. So I tried to take part in most of the activities I could and ended up learning many things! I tried my hands on learning volleyball, badminton, performing Garba, drama and anchoring; also tried to be the best cheer leader for my section, during the section wars and a lot more!
I have been fortunate enough to find some amazing friends, an awesome section and be a part of the best club , during this journey!! I just could not express how much I miss all this; the late night campus walks, chai at tea post, some heck of late night parties and all the fun around the campus! Just couldn’t wait to get back!! Bula lo yaar vapas.
The next destination still remains IIM Indore:)

~ Bhavisha Thakkar
PGP Batch 2019-21


www.fiveowlfilms.com