From Cat To KIAMS: A Journey Across A Stream - Says, Debashish Sarkar 2012-14 Batch

Online, August 18, 2012 (Newswire.com) - My plunge from the Common Admission Test (CAT) to admission to the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS) was a sure-footed journey, much like a walk along a stream. Circa November 2011: I was in my hometown Lucknow gearing up for the mother of all MBA exams - the CAT. The tense November had been replaced by a chilling December, bringing with it a queue of B-school entrance exams; 'The Dirty Picture' was the only island of respite for the lakhs of CAT aspirants. With the XAT exam behind us on the 8th of January, there hardly was a B-school aspirant who did not party for the next 2 days. 11th January 2012 was the day when CAT results would be announced. A new world would open for those who had cleared the exam, while for the rest it would mean another round of painful soul-searching.

The following week, however, turned out to be a collage of jubilant celebrations, befuddling thoughts and crestfallen faces. There was always the hope of getting a call from a top college, the GD-PI preparations, call conversations and so on.. GD-PI preparations and filling forms for various colleges took up what was left of January, and most of February as well. The tail-end of February offered a last opportunity for a shot at top colleges, via the CMAT.

The month of March ushered in a series of GD-PI events of various colleges. I had my KIAMS GD-PI on the 16th of March. I still remember the 19th of March, my day of relief and utter joy! I had triumphed in KIAMS. Subsequently, the numerous GD-PIs in April and May no longer seemed threatening. I had been granted KIAMS and this is what I had wished for. Towards the end of May, everyone who had made it to KIAMS started gearing up for departures. Shopping and packing became a daily routine.

June seemed to stretch interminably. Every one of those 20 days before the joining date seemed to be competing with the summer solstice. Favourite jeans, shirts and T-shirts had been packed, unpacked, and then packed again for the umpteenth time, and yet the days refused to pass. Finally, when D-day drew near, there were rushed meetings with bosom buddies and victory rounds at relatives' places, till we all left our hometowns with moist eyes. But we found our smiles firmly back in place at the first sighting of the sprawling campus of KIAMS, lazily stretching out in the benign Harihar sun. The excitement of meeting my room partner, the eagerness to hit it off with new buddies, and the desire to live my dreams to the full over the next 2 years engulfed me in a bouquet of joy. Today, I miss my hometown, I miss my parents and I miss my childhood friends, but I would never want to miss even a single moment at KIAMS...because now, I have a home away from home.
The month of June saw the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS) flooded with words of advice and inspiration: the class of 2012-2014 was being welcomed through various orientation-induction ceremonies.

Words of advice and inspiration welcomed the class of 2012 -2014 when Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS) held its orientation-induction ceremonies in June.

"It is not just education that teachers impart to their students in KIAMS - wisdom and responsibility are equally emphasised" said Director Dr. Gopal Iyenger.

He told the assembly that instructors at KIAMS are dedicated to instilling "a positive attitude and sense of self-worth" in students.

"These two attributes are the cornerstones of success in every aspect of life," said Dr. Iyenger. "Through years of experience one can achieve enlightenment and become a torch-bearer for future generations to follow."
He also had a word of advice for the newcomers: "Respect what you have, and listen to every piece of advice. Keep it at the back of your mind, but do what your instincts tell you to do."

Wing Commander A. Raghunath, a member of the KIAMS governing council and adviser with the Kirloskar Group, Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd., briefed students and parents about KIAMS. He said, "At Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS) quality education comes first and values are never compromised. This is the fundamental reason why our institute will always grow."

S. Shivaram of Delloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Chief Guest, spoke about the expectations industry has of management graduates and the skills they require. He told students to strive for expertise by specialising in a particular subject or area and stressed the need for adaptability. He said that people should change their attitude and way of working when their organisations change.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mohan Nair, Managing Director, Esquire Health Care, painted a broad picture of the current state of industry and the economy for the entrants to KIAMS.

"You must attempt to contextualise your learning at KIAMS and be industry-ready when you come out. Always remember that you will be the ambassadors of not just KIAMS, but the Kirloskar Group - which is held in very high esteem in the industry," was his sage advice to the inductees.

Shilpa Arora, an alumnus of KIAMS' second batch, outlined how 'Brand KIAMS' was created and strengthened by its alumni and faculty. She detailed her own career for reference, starting with BPL mobile, where she was placed as a management trainee after graduating. She then shifted to Idea Cellular Ltd. as the corporate product manager before becoming an entrepreneur with a training and development company based out of Pune.

Having recently moved to the Netherlands as a global marketing communications specialist with Honeywell, she advised students to conduct themselves as representatives of KIAMS at all times.

Other dignitaries at the ceremonies included: Prof. Akash Mathapati, Vikas Sethia (Associate partner, IKYA Search Partners), N. Luthra (Vice-President, Governing Council, KIAMS) and Dr. Janaki Naik (Director, KIAMS Pune).