Recently an article was published about how IIMs should be set up only close to the industry and how IIMK has a 'locational disadvantage' when it comes to industry interaction.
I am sure this article will give a lot to talk about to students across India! As an Alumni of IIMK who has seen the ground realities, I will offer my two cents.
1. There was a problem of accessibility to the institute and that did have some effect on the corporates coming to IIMK. However, I also do know that this has never been a serious impediment. IIMK has been able to host the maximum number of seminars over the years and now our events attract corporates and students from all corners of the country. As someone who has seen sufficient working of the corporate world, I know that companies don’t mind such issues till they get good ROI and the quality of students at IIMK has always remained a strong 'Return' for the 'Investment' made. We also have used technology to circumvent this problem. IIMK has videoconference facility which gives its students access to industry stalwarts with both parties settled at their respective locations. So, what may have been a locational constraint 5 years back is something archaic to talk about now.
2. The issue of BSchool ranking is a contentious one. I have not analyzed this issue in detail but yes I find it hard to believe some of the rankings and I am happy that aspirants don't rely on these rankings for making their choices.
3. I have seen that working in the social sector is a matter of choice rather than compulsion. We do our summer internship with MNCs but our Social Development Projects give us a means to give something back to the society. I remember how happy we felt to do financials for an orphanage which was struggling to complete it. In the process we made good friends with the students who someday want to become IIM grads!
4. For me, the most important aspect of a BSchool is not the courseware, the infrastructure or even the faculty; these are just enablers. What matters is the quality of people I am going to spend two years of my life with. I have learned a lot in the evening discussions in the canteen over a cup of tea and have gained very useful insights discussing topics while talking a stroll after dinner. Students form my batch have taken roles with some of the top Consulting, Banking, IT and FMCG firms and have started to make an impact already. There will be some catchup needed to reach the levels where the Alumni of A,B,C have reached and this is just because they have had more time to grow but I am sure that younger IIMs are churning out the same potential.
In all this hoopla over placements, location, faculty etc I see that the most important aspect of a BSchool life – its student life – is missed. A Man is known by the company he keeps and I am happy that in institutions of repute like IIMK, there is no dearth of good quality company.
Everyone has the right to a point of view. For different people, different things become important. For the writer of the article, being a busy journalist, time to reach was an important factor however for me, who studied there, my fellow students mattered and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Hoist It in Your Heart..
India is turning 60 tomorrow! Very few of us would have seen both sides of the ‘midnight’ and so for many of us 15 August is:
1. A day of flag hoisting
2. A day when TV channels play patriotic songs
3. A day when we get to see movies like ‘Mother India’, ‘Independenc47Day’, ‘Haqeeqat’ on TV
4. A day after Pakistan’s Independence Day
5. A Holiday
6. A day when the chances of a bomb blast happening increases
7. Just another day
Most of us can not connect ourselves to the pain, the suffering and the sacrifice that has gone through for centuries before this day finally came in 1947.
For most of us, nothing will change after 15 August 2007 and so most of us would not care much for this day. Many of us who do attend functions will momentarily think of images we have seen of the freedom struggle on TV, maybe remember the famous photo of Bhagat Singh/Azaad or think of Nehru’s ‘freedom at midnight’ speech but rarely will we think of the dreams that these people had for India.
India at 60 may be a ‘transforming’ country but Indians certainly do not carry the vision that our freedom fighters had in their hearts when they had laid down their lives fighting the British. We burn our women, we kill our girls before they are born, we run-over innocent people on the streets, we discriminate based on caste, color, region and religion, our children work when they should be in school and we don’t feel ashamed being one of the most corrupt nations in the world. We are in one country but we are not one.
By saluting the Tricolor and singing the National Anthem but not sharing the vision we are not giving respect to our forefathers. If we want to pay true homage to the martyrs, we must start making a change in our ways. Let each of us make a resolution today to do something that is right. If we win the fight to stick to our resolve even in the face of adversity, we would have paid true homage to the millions who sacrificed everything to see their children breathe the free air of a free country.
Some suggestions:
1. I won’t honk on the road unnecessarily
2. I won’t jump a red light
3. I won’t dirty the roads
4. I won’t abuse anyone
5. I won’t eve-tease (and adam-tease!)
6. I won’t discriminate on color/caste/religion/gender/region
7. I won’t have more than 2 kids
8. I won’t give/take bribes
9. I will vote
Take your pick!!
Jai Hind
1. A day of flag hoisting
2. A day when TV channels play patriotic songs
3. A day when we get to see movies like ‘Mother India’, ‘Independenc47Day’, ‘Haqeeqat’ on TV
4. A day after Pakistan’s Independence Day
5. A Holiday
6. A day when the chances of a bomb blast happening increases
7. Just another day
Most of us can not connect ourselves to the pain, the suffering and the sacrifice that has gone through for centuries before this day finally came in 1947.
For most of us, nothing will change after 15 August 2007 and so most of us would not care much for this day. Many of us who do attend functions will momentarily think of images we have seen of the freedom struggle on TV, maybe remember the famous photo of Bhagat Singh/Azaad or think of Nehru’s ‘freedom at midnight’ speech but rarely will we think of the dreams that these people had for India.
India at 60 may be a ‘transforming’ country but Indians certainly do not carry the vision that our freedom fighters had in their hearts when they had laid down their lives fighting the British. We burn our women, we kill our girls before they are born, we run-over innocent people on the streets, we discriminate based on caste, color, region and religion, our children work when they should be in school and we don’t feel ashamed being one of the most corrupt nations in the world. We are in one country but we are not one.
By saluting the Tricolor and singing the National Anthem but not sharing the vision we are not giving respect to our forefathers. If we want to pay true homage to the martyrs, we must start making a change in our ways. Let each of us make a resolution today to do something that is right. If we win the fight to stick to our resolve even in the face of adversity, we would have paid true homage to the millions who sacrificed everything to see their children breathe the free air of a free country.
Some suggestions:
1. I won’t honk on the road unnecessarily
2. I won’t jump a red light
3. I won’t dirty the roads
4. I won’t abuse anyone
5. I won’t eve-tease (and adam-tease!)
6. I won’t discriminate on color/caste/religion/gender/region
7. I won’t have more than 2 kids
8. I won’t give/take bribes
9. I will vote
Take your pick!!
Jai Hind
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
