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


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I believe you call a place 'home' when you have very fond memories of yourself growing up attached to that place. You have a family that you love. You would have grown in every aspect of life whilst living in that place. It is a testament to what you are today, and you would always like to revisit it. This is what Planet-I is to me.

I still remember calling my mother after my interview, happily informing her that it went well. The results came, I got selected, but my parents weren't sure of the program back then. They wanted me to pursue computer science from a reputed engineering college. I wasn't willing to spend 4 years of my life studying engineering. After a lot of deliberation and bribing attempts (a motorbike of my choice!), my parents finally relented.

I came to the campus and absolutely fell in love with it. The undergrad phase was very exciting. I quickly made some friends, who stayed with me through thick and thin. I liked the teaching pedagogy, the hostel time provided for the best memories, the seniors very helpful, juniors willing to work hard with me, fests and clubs providing a chance to bond with new people.

Soon came the post-graduation phase. The social animal within me became a somewhat reserved personality. New peers joined in the PGP program. People came from all the diversified backgrounds imaginable. With a bit of hard-work, confidence and the humility to accept what I didn't know, I made it to the club I had coveted since my IPM days. With the passage of time, I found some more friends to add to my go-to family at campus. I was often concerned if I was giving enough time to all my friends and also the other activities I wished to pursue. However, you learn to manage your time in a B-school, somehow completing everything just-in-time!
The beautiful scenery (perfect for late night walks). The delicious food. The professors who were willing to help in any endeavour I undertook. All these made Planet-I very special to me. I believe one can never have enough of this place, so enjoy it as much as you can.

~ Mukul Gahlot
IPM 2015-20


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This might not be your typical IIM Indore success story.



I’m not going to sugar coat things and say that my time at IIM Indore has been all smiles and rainbows. I don’t think that would be possible for anyone at IIM to be honest. Personally, I’ve had my fair share of downs during my time here.

Don’t believe me?

Okay, let’s see, I struggled a lot in the first year of IPM. Being a small town boy from Shillong who landed up in a highly competitive environment, I was a bit intimated by all the braniacs around me and I got a few DCPs here and there. You could say I was pretty average academically.

Second and third year onwards I got the hang of things. I had slowly created for myself a small but extremely reliable circle of friends who helped me through every step of the way. I studied when I had to, played football here and there, some music and you could say that it was going pretty well. Right?

No.

First term of PGP-1 came as a massive slap to the face. The classes, the assignments, the pre-reads, the group meets, resume iterations, pre-processes, batch meets, summer placements, quizzes, exams, mock this, mock that, more batch meets…. You get the point right?

Anyway, throughout all this chaos, I did manage to get placed somehow in a Sales & Marketing Role for a firm. Is this a happy ending to one of the most hectic periods of my Life?

No.

Turns out the firm I was placed in cancelled the internship for unknown reasons in January and I had to sit through the whole process again. Fortunately I did manage to get placed. Again.

A happy ending this time?

Not really. COVID-19 happened.

Yes, yes…I know what you might be thinking. I’m being too pessimistic and this story seems so sad. But here’s the thing:

If you were to ask me: Would you want to go through all that again?

Absolutely.

All the obstacles and failures that I have experienced have made me what I am today. Without them I would still be that small town, timid, naïve kid from Shillong. Now I can walk with my chin up knowing that I am a more well-rounded, mature and wiser version of myself as compared to who I was in 2016.

And yes, it wasn’t always doom and gloom of course. The parties were always lit, evening football matches were my escape, music jam sessions were a lot of fun, and the unforgettable memories with friends both inside as well as outside the classroom were not too bad either.

And that’s what life is about isn’t it? A mix of both the good times and the bad times. The moments of pure joy and happiness as well as moments of fear and failure. And through my experiences at IIM Indore so far, I have learned that no matter what happens, with the support of your close mates and some self-belief, you can get through anything life throws at you.

~Arwanker Pyngrope
IPM 2016-21 Batch


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When I arrived at IIM Indore I remember being as nervous as I was excited. Leaving home for the first time to a city I hardly knew anything about, joining a program that was relatively new. I was terrified of not fitting in, of not being smart enough, and that I had made a huge mistake. Since I was from kerala and grew up mostly abroad everything about college felt like a major culture shock. Almost everyone spoke Hindi and the only Hindi I knew was “mujhe hindi nahi aata”, there were so many festivals that I had never heard about, most of the food was new to me too, I definitely wasn’t a fan of poha those first few years. Also I could hardly get any references that my friends made because I didn’t watch bollywood movies. To say that I felt like a fish out of water would be an understatement and I went from doubting whether I’d fit in to being sure that I would not. I was wrong of course, and made many many friends and it wasn’t because I managed to find people similar to me, I managed to find people who clicked and that was really all that mattered. And these friendships taught me so much, how to open a bottle with my teeth, very dark gaalis I will hopefully never repeat again in my life and I in turn taught or tried to teach my friends how not everyone in Saudi owns an oil well and that the Middle east is more than just Dubai.
I don’t remember what I expected college life to be like, but it’s safe to say that my experience was everything and more than what anyone could hope for. I have enough memories to last a lifetime. 5 years on, I like to think that my Hindi is pretty good, although I still don’t have a clue about why objects have genders and how it matters if I misgender a table. And I also explained a bollywood meme to a friend a few days ago, so perhaps my life has come full circle.

~ Nadha Neelambra
IPM 2015-20



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*Your passion and your goals can coexist* :
If there’s one thing I have lived and witnessed all my life, it is that seemingly different things can coexist. And both can be equally loved, followed and nurtured. I grew up in a modest family who introduced me to music as well as academics and encouraged me to follow both of them.

I managed to balance both academics and music equally well . Infact I eventually completed my bachelors in music the same year I completed my 10th (and topped my school).

I was lucky to have come across something like IPM which valued my extra curricular achievements and saw it as a good match to the interesting bunch all of us first batch students were. Fun fact: I was also asked to sing a song during my PI. Imagine being asked to sing when you enter a room wearing a suit wondering what could be asked from you. It’s safe to say it all went well. We talked about music, academics, physics, books and so much more.

In college, I continued following my passion for music along with my studies. I was a part of Harmon-I (music society of IIM-I) for all 5 years that I was there and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It’s been around 4 years since we graduated from college and it still feels all the same to me. I have a job that I love, and have a life that I wanted: work during the day, make music at night. Coming to Mumbai helped even more. In the last couple of years I have managed to write a bunch of songs and even release two of them, one of them last month.

I just wanted to share this story because I wanted to say that sometimes it’s fine to be jack of several trades. I haven’t ‘made it’ in life but I am sure of the fact that none of us need to let go of something we love (be it dance, music or painting. Anything you love for the heck of it) to reach our life goals. Following your passion doesn’t need to come at a cost. Sometimes there’s a room for things you enjoy doing. And which can, in fact end up helping you more than you realise instead of coming in your way. Music did that to me. Your passion can do that for you too :)

~Rahul Bhardwaj
IPM 11-16

“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


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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


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Following days of agonizing uncertainty and excruciating ambiguity, I felt an exceeding elation as I opened my student portal to the news that my waitlist has been cleared and that I will be going to India’s premium B-School. Driving through the campus gate for the first time, I instinctively knew that this was the place where I truly belong. I knew that this was the community that could cultivate me into a person that I wanted to become. The experiences during my three years at the institute have never failed to deliver on my expectations. Whether it be academics, sports, debating, music or anything else, IIMI has always had something for me.

Somewhere between an uncompromising academic rigour and a myriad of exquisite student-activities, I found a bunch of maniacs I call my friends. If there’s one thing that IIM Indore does better (at least at an undergrad level) than any other institute, is that it gives you the opportunity to meet people dedicated towards growth. I was lucky enough to meet similar people and they have always pushed me to become the best version of myself. Every aspect of my life today can be traced back to one or the other conversation I have had with someone from my IIMI family.

From a first-year student who slept for just eight hours in Atharv 2017 to a third-year graduate who, following countless hours of devout hard-work, is now looking forward to the next chapter in his life, IIMI has been nothing but kind to me. It has helped me grow from a reticent and reserved person to an exuberant, bold and confident individual who is not fazed by any challenge.

The only message I wish to give out to anyone (especially any IPMer) reading this is to be unequivocally proud of their fraternity and the opportunities that Planet-I brings to you. Work not just for yourself, but also for your friends, your batch, your program and your institute.

This has been a story that I will never forget and always tell.

- Deepanshu (IPM2017-22)

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Taking a walk down the memory lane, I remember how I almost didn’t make it to Planet-I. In the exhaustion from the daily schedule of monitoring results from different B-schools, I did not notice the mail sitting in my inbox informing me of the much-awaited news which would change my life. With less than 3 hours left to deposit the token money to accept the admission, I stumbled upon the ignored e-mail and frantically confirmed my admission. A convert this late in the season, the next one week at home prior to leaving for Planet-I is something that I can’t really recollect.
It’s surprising how vivid my memories are of a time that passed by at a blurring pace. The amount of activity that occurs in your life during the first 4-5 months is hard to fathom. From making your place in the PGP-1 classrooms during the day and the parties at night, and at the same time still coping with the pressure of academics and placements. Among my most memorable times, was when I went from classes to partying to back to classes to partying again non-stop without sleeping for 6 days in a row. And yet, there was magic in the chaos – the late-night assignments done over coffee, the maddening rush in the mess, the anxiety of summer placements, the beautiful festival celebrations, the crazy parties. Maybe all of the chaos just makes you “grow” like the way you do at Planet-I, makes you better at “managing” not just your academics, but everything else as well that goes on in that wonderland. Maybe it’s actually the journey that makes the destination worthwhile.
Being from the first batch of PGP-HRM, my learning from the still-evolving nature of academics and program structure is unparalleled. In contrast to other domains, Human Resources is a craft function, and you really cannot understand the dynamics of human interaction at work unless you actually experience it. The HRM programme really enabled that practical understanding through endless workshops, guest lectures, fieldworks and contemporary certifications. The Himalayan Outbound Program was a life-altering event. Standing at one of the highest peaks in the world, where I did not even anticipate I would reach, was by far among the best experiences I have had while at Planet-I.
Lastly, my two cents for the people looking to be a part of the family of Planet-I: there are going to be situations where you will start to feel it’s all a lost cause, that it really isn’t worth it. But trust me, what you will go through is not really a moment of self-doubt, you’re actually acclimatizing to the life that’s in store for you. You’ll always be surrounded by chaos, with too much to do and too little time. Just be alive in the moment, and embrace the chaos – you should do just fine.

Harshdeep Singh Hora
PGP-HRM, Class of 2020


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