This was a much-awaited event we waited five years for. The last one was the 25th, and this, the 30th. Gives you a fantastic feeling of nostalgia, with all the 'masks' you wear falling off, and leg-pulling and joke-telling taking centrestage. We also had a couple of genuine articles that were new this time, thanks to the team at the alum office and student volunteers.
One was a good stand-up comedy act from a student who is a budding stand-up, and a big surprise, a sports tournament in various games with us versus current students. I played a bit of Badminton partnering Venky, our batchmate who is actually nicknamed Baddy after his love for the game, and won a game against the youngsters, most born in 1982 or later! I was never in any kind of doubt about the talent we have in our batch, and it manifested itself in myriad ways in these two days.
You name any kind of achievement, interest or talent, and we seem to have someone in our group who is very good at it. Music, sports, NGO type activity, teaching, entrepreneurship, corporate achievement, and so on..but more than all of that, a certain goodness of the heart, or a generous sharing of laughter, and an ability to switch careers and take risks, like retiring from regular work when it felt like a burden.
We interacted with faculty and tried to provide our perspectives on getting IIMB more global, diverse and socially relevant. One suggestion we made was that an IIMB manager must stand up for what is right and not buckle down under wrong kinds of pressure. Another was to improve the EQ through interventions in the two-year program. Challenging, but doable.
Since I also teach, I got a few questions about IIM Indore's Industry FPM (part time doctoral program) and encouraged a few colleagues to join it. They just might. Giving back in some way seemed on the minds of many people.
Naturally, I went back to see my room, and a few other things in campus. Many things have changed for the better, and the water tank from the film '3 Idiots' was now hidden from view by trees that have grown up tall around it. But we did go around and click it.
Outside the campus, we met former students- mine from KIAMS, who now works for Ogilvy New York, and my wife's, one who works in Bangalore, and another studying at Clemson, where I got my PhD in 1989. All in all, a full and fulfilling week!
One was a good stand-up comedy act from a student who is a budding stand-up, and a big surprise, a sports tournament in various games with us versus current students. I played a bit of Badminton partnering Venky, our batchmate who is actually nicknamed Baddy after his love for the game, and won a game against the youngsters, most born in 1982 or later! I was never in any kind of doubt about the talent we have in our batch, and it manifested itself in myriad ways in these two days.
You name any kind of achievement, interest or talent, and we seem to have someone in our group who is very good at it. Music, sports, NGO type activity, teaching, entrepreneurship, corporate achievement, and so on..but more than all of that, a certain goodness of the heart, or a generous sharing of laughter, and an ability to switch careers and take risks, like retiring from regular work when it felt like a burden.
We interacted with faculty and tried to provide our perspectives on getting IIMB more global, diverse and socially relevant. One suggestion we made was that an IIMB manager must stand up for what is right and not buckle down under wrong kinds of pressure. Another was to improve the EQ through interventions in the two-year program. Challenging, but doable.
Since I also teach, I got a few questions about IIM Indore's Industry FPM (part time doctoral program) and encouraged a few colleagues to join it. They just might. Giving back in some way seemed on the minds of many people.
Naturally, I went back to see my room, and a few other things in campus. Many things have changed for the better, and the water tank from the film '3 Idiots' was now hidden from view by trees that have grown up tall around it. But we did go around and click it.
Outside the campus, we met former students- mine from KIAMS, who now works for Ogilvy New York, and my wife's, one who works in Bangalore, and another studying at Clemson, where I got my PhD in 1989. All in all, a full and fulfilling week!
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