He is enrolled for IIM C's flagship 2 year PGDM course for the 2008-10 session. These are early signs that elite Indian B-schools are emerging as global B-schools.
Orr has had an interesting journey so far. He studied Economics and Accounting from The Tel Aviv University in Israel. After his graduation he served as a paratrooper in the Army for 3 years. "Stint at the army instilled the basic tenets of discipline in me," he remarked. Later Orr operated his own mutual fund for 30 months which further strengthened his fundamentals of Finance. Orr next travelled all over India and South-east Asia for 3 years and while in India, he developed an emotional attachment with the country. "The world economy of the 21st century will have its epicenter in Asia – and I want to be a part of this growth story", he says when asked about choosing India over other countries.
When asked why he preferred IIM Calcutta over other top B-schools in the world, he explained, "Right from the Interview call, IIM Calcutta assigned a mentor for me and I got a lot of key insights about IIM Calcutta which made my decision easier." IIM Calcutta runs a mentorship program for those candidates who have got their GP and PI calls.
"The eminence of IIM Calcutta as a top B-school, especially for the investment banking positions, made the course at IIM Calcutta even more attractive for me. Considering the tuition fees and cost of living, Indian B-schools offer an excellent return on investment as compared to the premier B-schools in the west such as Harvard, Wharton and INSEAD," says Orr.
When asked about adjusting to the life at IIM Calcutta, Orr says that he is delighted to have found friendly and helpful batch mates. On a lighter note he says, "Since I am unique here and am yet to get acclimatized to the Indian culture, everyone talks to me very nicely and helps me."
Confident of its growing reputation, IIM-C says, "Orr is indeed just a case in point. The fact is that IIM Calcutta today attracts the best talent from all over the world- including students from USA, Asia, Europe and Australia. Clearly, it is a reflection of the brand that IIM Calcutta, the oldest IIM in the country, has built for itself over the past 5 decades."
