IMT Ghaziabad students are learning as much outside the Class room as much as they are learning from the structured classes. The Learning and Living Experience of a full time residential program is one of the biggest strengths of an MBA Program. To offer tangible insights from the student’s perspective, MBAUniverse.com interviewed IMT Ghaziabad graduates who passed out in last few years, and are currently working in leading companies. With great joy and enthusiasm, they recount their IMT Days and emphatically put their campus experience as the key reason of their career growth and success. Read this a bit long but evocative article for a trip down the memory lane.
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However, before we talk about the campus experience, let us learn a bit about IMT Ghaziabad and its campus. Established in 1980, IMT Ghaziabad is India’s premier AACSB accredited management school with a distinct focus on grooming leadership through Innovation, Execution and Social Responsibility. IMT Ghaziabad has a lush green campus spread over 14 acres. IMT Ghaziabad, having smart campus with ultra-modern academic facilities, deep corporate engagement, intensive international connect, faculty with very rich experience in industry and academics, ensures a holistic approach in grooming the students for the challenging career.
Now, with this backdrop, let’s introduce the heroes and heroines of this story – the young IMT Ghaziabad Alumni who are making it big in the corporate world. We present names in alphabetic order with their brief profiles.
Arijeet Tarafdar, Associate Vice President, Darashaw | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM DCP Batch 2015-17
Arijeet is an Associate Vice President at Darashaw and is an Investment Management professional with about five years of work experience which includes stints and JP Morgan Asset Management and Darashaw. Arijeet focuses on investment and portfolio management for Institutional clients within equity, debt and alternate asset classes.
Arpit Nikhra, Vice President, Goldman Sachs| IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2014-2016
Currently, the Vice-President of Goldman Sachs, Arpit has extensive work experience of six years with renowned organizations such as Credit Suisse and Moody's. His knowledge areas include Financial Reporting & Analysis, Risk and Compliance, Managerial Accounting, Derivatives, Portfolio Management, Treasury Analytics, and Project Management.
Kirti Shankar, Associate Manager, Accenture | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2013-15
Kirti Shankar is an Associate Manager at Accenture, and has 7 years of experience in project management and leading cross-functional teams across various locations. Before his MBA, he worked as a Technology Analyst at Infosys for 4 years.
Nikhil Mooteri Umesh, Account Manager, Mindtree | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2012-14
Nikhil has more than 11 years of experience in the IT Solutions and Consulting domain. An electrical engineer with a keen interest in IoT, Nikhil has worked in Business Development in several top organizations and is currently an Account Manager at Mindtree.
Nishant Rathi, Manager, Deloitte | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Finance Batch 2015-17
Nishant is an experienced project manager with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and healthcare industry. An IT (Information Technology) engineer by trade, he has worked in marquee organizations such as Cognizant, MAQ Software, and Oracle. He is currently working in Deloitte as a Cloud Operations Consultant.
Prateek Kumar, Head of Merchandising, H&M | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Marketing Batch 2012-14
Prateek has a cross-functional experience in the fields of Sales and Retailing, wherein he has worked in organizations such as VIP Industries, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, and H&M. He is a robust sales professional skilled in Sales, Business Development, Merchandising, Team Management and Marketing.
Pritha Saha, Business Intelligence Analyst, CIPLA | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Marketing Batch 2014-16
Pritha Saha is currently working as a Business Intelligence Analyst at Cipla. With a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry, she is skilled in analytics, oracle database, customer relationship management (CRM), and market research. She is a strong sales professional, having previously worked with Mindshare, Ask Me Bazaar, Bizongo, and mCaffeine.
Ratula H, Assistant Vice President, Credit Suisse | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2015-17
Ratula is a skilled Finance and Business Management professional with close to 7 years of work experience and leadership across Credit Suisse, Standard Chartered Bank and KPMG. In her current role with Credit Suisse in Mumbai, she is managing a team as the India Lead for Business Management - Wealth Management APAC COO.
Rik Rakshit, Assistant Vice President - Business Analysis, Barclays | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Finance Batch 2012-14
Rik Rakshit has over 12 years of experience as a Business Analyst in Banking & Financial Services (BFS) and Information, Media & Entertainment (IME) industries. He holds an expert understanding of retail banking, designing systems, Anti Money Laundering (AML) and various financial products. During his career, he has worked with marquee organisations such as Cognizant, ITC, Maveric Systems, Bankbazaar.com & NatWest. Currently, he is working at Barclays as an Assistant Vice President and is operating as a Product Manager in the Business Analytics domain.
Rishabh Agarwal, Senior Analyst, Bank of America |IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2014-2016
Mr. Rishabh Agarwal is an experienced Senior Analyst with a demonstrated history of working on Pre-deal Origination and Strategic Consulting projects. Rishabh has worked with renowned organizations such as Shapoorji Pallonji & Co., HSBC, Kaamdhenu Machine Tools & Company & EY. An electrical engineer with a passion for finance, Rishabh is currently working with the Bank of America in the Global Investment Banking department.
Saquib Ali, Senior Associate, CRG - Middle Market Banking, JPMorgan Chase & Co. | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2014-16
Saquib Ali is a Senior Associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co. He has a work experience of over 6 years, post-MBA, including working as Senior Vice President – Private Equity at TresVista. He has also completed CFA Level 2 from the CFA Institute. Before his MBA, he worked as a Software Engineering Analyst at Accenture Services Pvt Ltd.
Sharat Menon, Director, Gartner | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2012-14
Sharat has over a decade of experience in the Information Technology domain and has worked with reputed organizations like Infosys, EXL and Gartner. He is deeply passionate about Data and Analytics, has authored several well-read research and is always keen to create a lasting and positive impact through any projects that he has been involved in.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan, Senior Consultant, Ernst & Young | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2016-18
Shreyes is currently working as a Senior Consultant at EY. A mechanical engineer with more than five years of experience in the technology space and a knack for problem solving, Shreyes has worked with numerous organizations, including Capgemini, Pharmalink, Zinnov, and EY.
Srikanth Varma P, Strategy Leader, Danfoss Group | IMT Ghaziabad PGDM Batch 2013-15
Srikanth is a Strategy Leader at Danfoss India. He is responsible to drive the strategy for the region, market intelligence and implementation. He has experience in the industry of almost 8 years, including working as a Program Manager - Category and Strategy Planning Management at Myntra. He was also the recipient of the Best Business Plan Award at IMT.
Varun Sudhindra, National Sales Manager, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals| IMT Ghaziabad Batch 2012-14
Varun Sudhindra has 4 years’ experience of working in modern retail & key account management. He is currently working at Glenmark Consumer Care as a Regional Key Account Manager - Modern Trade.
Moving forward after the introductions of IMT Young Alumni, MBAUniverse.com asked all the leaders to share their IMT Ghaziabad Experiences. So, get ready for an enviable gusto of emotions and proud memories still fresh in the minds about their alma mater
Remembering IMT Campus Life: Trajectory Altering; Fostering and Open Campus
The first question MBAUniverse.com asked was what do the alumni remember about IMT Ghaziabad, how was the experience? Here are their responses…
Arijeet Tarafdar: The campus experience for me was trajectory-altering. I joined IMT right after my graduation without any work experience. A large percentage of my batchmates had a substantial amount of work experience and by virtue of that more life experience in general and the interaction with them was always insightful. The faculty and the ecosystem at IMT was focused towards developing expertise and fortitude. I have taken a lot from my time at IMT, and it was a rich experience
Arpit Nikhra: The broad student profiles in my cohort, which included everyone from doctors to lawyers, was an additional benefit for someone like me who was from an IT background. It was interesting to learn other people's viewpoints. I have some incredible learning experiences and memories from IMT.
Kirti Shankar: The experience of MBA life at IMT Ghaziabad was quite memorable, personally. As a part of IMT’s Dual Country Program, I got to experience both IMT – Ghaziabad and Dubai campuses. This provided me with a lot of exposure and opportunities for networking. Additionally, the curriculum at IMT Ghaziabad is very flexible – it enabled me to freely choose electives without being bound by my specialization. This helped me gain a more well-rounded education.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: It was great. It gave us all the much-needed exposure to the corporate world.
Prateek Kumar: We had one of the best campus experiences across the board; I say this after talking to my colleagues who have passed out from other B-schools. We were fortunate enough to have a fostering and open campus where there was always some other activity that kept us engaged.
Pritha Saha: I entered IMT at a juncture till which I had less exposure, having lived in my hometown Kolkata till my engineering days. Then I had to move to Ghaziabad suddenly. Until then, I had lived in a closeted environment, but at IMT, I experienced vast exposure, and a broad peer group was there.
Rishabh Agrawal: It was a wonderful experience. After working for two years, joining IMT was like going back to my undergraduate days. IMT had a broad group of people from all over the world and from various backgrounds. The clubs and committees enabled me to enhance my network. I had a wonderful time there and made friends with whom I still stay connected.
Ratula Halder: Ratula is a skilled Finance and Business Management professional with close to 7 years of work experience and leadership across Credit Suisse, Standard Chartered Bank and KPMG. In her current role with Credit Suisse in Mumbai, she is managing a team as the India Lead for Business Management - Wealth Management APAC COO.
Rathi Nishant Harish: What stood out for me at IMT was how open and sprawling the campus was. We were the first batch to study in the newly constructed academic block. I believe IMT's batch strength is its strong point, as the students on campus are exposed to individuals with a variety of experiences and perspectives. There are always some enlightening conversations, whether in the classroom, at lunch, or at dinner.
Rik Rakshit: Two years at IMT were fantastic. Though they were hectic, I had to find the time to sleep and eat. We had both highs and lows during that time. From the structured curriculum and how we learnt the subjects from the professors and the friends we made, looking back, it was a fantastic experience.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: It was a wholesome and enriching experience. I think the complete freedom to network with people created an environment where you could meet new people. IMT, being a student-community-led college also gives you a sense of autonomy to take up responsibilities and make decisions for the betterment of the college.
Sharat Menon: Coming from an engineering background, I think MBA at IMT Ghaziabad was an exceptionally valuable experience for me. Unlike my undergraduate experience, this was a very practical and collaborative learning process for me. More than strictly spending time with our noses in books, I think it was the peer connections we made during our time at IMT; the interactions over case studies and group assignments proved far more valuable. Also, the way the curriculum was structured around case studies and experiential learning rather than theoretical knowledge was great.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: Coming back to college life from the corporate world and returning to the industry seemed quite challenging, but IMT ensured a smooth and seamless transition for all of us. The institute truly prepared us for the corporate life that lay ahead. One of the biggest takeaways from my time at IMT would be the connections and networks I formed during my time here.
Srikant Varma: IMT transformed me from a youngster to a corporate professional. Alongside academics- organizing events, managing fests, and international internships in Dubai were a part of the experience. Friends were a big part of my MBA life, and meeting new people from varied backgrounds helped look at new perspectives.
Varun Sudhindra: It was a wonderful and new experience for me. I felt a warmth in the connection with colleagues, teachers, and the campus. It felt good experiencing how MBA. The Amphitheatre and the library were my favorite spots.
What Made Your IMT Days Memorable..
The next question from MBAUniverse.com was what made IMT Ghaziabad Campus Experience Memorable. Alumni remember their day ended at 4AM and restarted at 7AM
Arijeet Tarafdar: That is quite difficult to summarize. I mean, the pressures around the B-School pedagogy and the steepness of the learning curve allowed one to develop relevant skills which are critical to growth. The peer ecosystem at IMT was an exceptional one. The relationships I developed at IMT helped me create long-lasting friendships with my batchmates, juniors, and seniors. Memories at the campus are associated with places where I spent most of my time, be it in the library for meeting submission deadlines late at night, or in the small Nescafe stall for some respite. Some of the most memorable times were when we had downtimes at the famous IMT parties that really added zest to the hectic schedule.
Arpit Nikhra: We celebrated our professional milestones at IMT: summer placements, final placements, and case studies. It was fun competing with peers on the career front. We discovered joy in the little things. The conversations and the night out at Arcus and the Amphitheater stand out as unforgettable memories that will remain with us.
Kirti Shankar: While in Dubai, I got a chance to work on a short-term project which involved a market survey. This helped me understand the country's culture through interactions with locals and made me more confident by navigating a whole new place. I still remember how strict yet supportive the professors were at the IMT Ghaziabad campus.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: We always had a packed schedule at IMT Ghaziabad. Our academic calendar was full of events, making networking with people easy. Being a part of many different things at once gave me a well-rounded learning experience, which was a memorable part of my MBA journey.
Prateek Kumar: My association with the Sports Committee made my days at IMT memorable. We used to organize & host several events throughout the year with Chakravyuh, the most splendid sporting event in the North Indian B-school circle. I loved to engage myself in playing sports, and hence being involved with the Sports Committee bore fruits.
Pritha Saha: Many friendships and connections are still active years after graduating, and many others are still available if I reach out to them. This specific bonding that has lived beyond the campus is something I cherish the most from my days there.
Rik Rakshit: We have made lots of different memories. Starting from academics, we had a marketing professor, Dr Singhvi, whose classes had a lot of prep work and pre-reads that had to be done. It was scary, and If not prepared enough, we would be kicked out of the class. From studying till 3 in the morning, going out for snacks in the DLP canteen to the foggy winters and waking up early in the morning to prepare for the classes, it was all an exciting time. These are all the accumulation of memories that makes IMT Ghaziabad what it is.
Rishabh Agrawal: I would say the parties at amphitheater, the leadership talks and hanging out with friends. Those were the things that made my days at IMT most memorable.
Ratula Halder: One of my favorite memories is playing Holi with the foreign exchange students on campus. It was a terrific experience for them because it was their first time experiencing the festival. We took photos and had a fantastic time. Another memorable experience was when we gave the international exchange students a tour of Delhi, including the monuments and other attractive spots.
Rathi Nishant Harish: One core memory I have is being involved in the Fin-Niche, the finance club at IMT. I was the club coordinator, and I vividly remember the recruitment process we conducted for our juniors. After recruitment, when we onboarded and oriented the juniors, we held an induction party for them, and in the end, they gave us a send-off party... there were some great times. The bonds which we formed when we worked on various events, went on to bring sponsorships, and created a case study together were unbreakable. Suffice it to say that the bond is still being fostered.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: The all-nighters that we pulled for assignments, discussions about case competitions, and the general environment of continuous hustle made it a very memorable experience. Not to mention all the parties we had that added to the fun.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: As I said, the connections and friends I made here formed a significant part of my life at IMT. There are tons of memories we made during our hostel days. The institute taught me many lessons, in and outside the class. Not only that, all the guest lectures and leadership talks were immensely helpful in getting a glimpse of the corporate world and preparing for it.
Sharat Menon: Surprisingly, my most memorable experience does not revolve around anything related to my career or job. I was part of the IT (Information Technology) club of IMT, named Summit, and we organized various events and activities like Hackathons, LAN gaming competitions, and digital treasure hunts. My most memorable days would have to be the time spent ideating and working on these events with my fellow club members and interacting with all the participants during the time of the events. I am sure the club activities system is still very robust at IMT.
Srikant Varma: Events like Charkravyuh, which is a 3-day long event that has the campus buzzing, farewells, and events at the amphitheatre brought the phrase ‘IMT never sleeps’ into reality.
Varun Sudhindra: This was my first time experiencing classes as early as 7 in the morning. We were always packed with various activities like academics, projects, case studies, and club/committee work. The days used to end at 4am and start again anywhere between 7-9am, depending on that day’s schedule. Being out of my comfort zone and adapting to new things every day felt great. My batchmates also made the experience very enjoyable and full of learning.
So, how was IMT Ghaziabad Campus Learning Experience?
IMT Ghaziabad campus learning experience outside class room is as rich as in the class room. Responses from the alumni share all about this experience and also talk about great learning from Dr Singhvi and other faculty at IMTG
Arijeet Tarafdar: I think focused. What struck me the most was that the faculty put emphasis on effective transference of knowledge – it was not a one way conversation. Their constant effort and input helped tremendously in my understanding. Internships were the first point of contact with the corporate world for me and the constant feedback and handholding from my mentor faculty were very helpful.
Arpit Nikhra: I had a great learning experience at IMT. The courses that IMT incorporates in the curriculum are aligned with the industry perspective and will distinguish you from your colleagues. I remember when in 2016, IMT introduced data science and business analytics when many other B schools were in a dilemma whether to introduce these new courses in their curricula.
Kirti Shankar: I felt a gap in the understanding of my batchmates who were freshers, as opposed to those who had 2-3 years of work experience like me. Those who had prior work experience could relate more to some of the courses, such as HR Management, because of having experienced it before.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: The Institute helped me learn about practical concepts I could apply in the corporate world. It also pushed me to understand any organization's financial workings, which has proved to be extremely useful in my career.
Prateek Kumar: The kind of pedagogy IMT employs makes us study more in groups, be actively involved in case study discussions, and work on academic projects in groups, leading to excellent learning experiences, owing to different perspectives. Theoretical concepts help, but this community studying helps more in the long run when you enter the corporate world.
Pritha Saha: The classroom learning was designed to be highly collaborative. There was nothing theoretical about it; it was very practical. It was designed in a way where you would have to interact, discuss, collaborate, and display teamwork to achieve the best results and experiences. That way, the experience was vibrant. I enjoyed my marketing subjects the most, which made me express myself a lot.
Ratula Halder: Dr. Singhvi from the Marketing department is one of those people who have left a mark on me. His teachings and teaching style were exceptional, and so were his expectations from his students, that is one wonderful memory and experience. Another class I really enjoyed was by Dr. Mrinalini Shah, she taught us about supply chain and operations. I enjoyed the industry visits that were a part of this course and remember them being very hands-on. Dr. Jayanti Ranjan, my summer internship mentor, and IRC head have also been instrumental in my progress.
Rathi Nishant Harish: We were an excellent batch to learn under Singhvi, sir. He was the ultimate marketing professor who emphasized hands-on learning. He asked us to travel to the market, take up any product we liked and develop a case study around it. This made us talk to super stockists and retailers, and in the end, we were the highest scorers in our batch, with a score of 4/10. Many students failed under Singhvi, sir, but the learning curve was exponential.
Rik Rakshit: I had a great learning experience. During engineering, you have to deal with all the technical aspects of various domains such as mechanical, electrical, computer science etc. And then, transitioning into a B-School and studying Marketing, Operations, and HR helps you understand the world and business a lot better. IMT made that transition smoother. If at that time someone feels they are not good at a particular subject, eventually, looking back ten years, you will realise that it has developed you with a perspective for the future and it’s something that you will carry for the rest of your life. Before coming to IMT, I didn’t understand accounting that well, and I felt I was not good at marketing, but at IMT, the learning I had was immense, and that scare went off quickly.
Rishabh Agrawal: Time at IMT was a tremendous learning experience for me. Coming from an engineering background, I had minimal knowledge of finance and marketing. Finance was a novel subject for me which provided a fantastic learning opportunity. Since I am into something that I had never done before; everything was brand-new and fascinating. Professor Singhvi provided us with some excellent marketing lessons. My summer internship at HSBC also added great depth to the subject knowledge creating a holistic learning experience.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: IMT Ghaziabad has a great infrastructure that contributes to an engaging learning experience. That includes knowledgeable teachers, a comprehensive library, and motivating peers. All of this helped me to enhance my communication skills and my peers motivated me to work hard to keep improving myself by spending time and effort on my goals. Being a part of IMT Ghaziabad’s Dual Country Program, I also spent a year at the IMT-Dubai campus, which provided a lot of exposure to me through interactions with international students.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: I was a part of the Dual Country Program at IMT Ghaziabad. The curriculum were aligned with the corporate world and it became straightforward for me to apply all the lessons and learnings to the industry once I started working. This helped me when I went back to work after the 2 years at IMT.
Varun Sudhindra: Learning was always interactive at IMT Ghaziabad. Classroom education included engaging lectures with practical experience. It was always about learning from peers just as much as we did from our instructors.
How was Peer Learning Experience at IMT Ghaziabad?
IMT Ghaziabad alumni fondly remember their peer learning experience. Let’s see the responses from them
Arijeet Tarafdar: There was a lot of peer learning as our batch had a mix of fresh graduates and students with work experience. Working with them in teams for case studies, assignments, etc., helped me gauge my strengths and weaknesses. What I learned from the latter was the clarity of thought in terms of their understanding of real-world challenges. Even the faculty encouraged non-traditional learning. There were no stupid questions.
Arpit Nikhra: IMT has a very structured curriculum, project presentations for each elective, and a methodical approach to teaching. The study groups were designed by the academic program office in such a way that they would strengthen the students' ability for critical thought and teamwork.
Kirti Shankar: The peer-learning experience was good. I got a chance to interact with people from diverse backgrounds.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: First, the high quality of my peers led to a very competitive landscape which I thoroughly enjoyed. The diverse pool of students here helped me to experience all facets of the business world and enabled interaction with a mix of personalities. This has helped me immensely in my professional experience as I need to interact and deal with various individuals at my workplace. My time at IMT Ghaziabad has given me the confidence to do this effectively.
Prateek Kumar: At IMT, we focused a lot more on group studying and working in teams; due to the peer group's high quality, we were all exposed to varying degrees of experiences which led to tackling the problems through a multitude of lenses.
Pritha Saha: As the classroom learning was highly collaborative and practical, it led to several interactions and discussions with peers across academic groups and specializations. This was a wonderful experience as it gave us exposure to multitudes of experiences, and given that the course was not theoretical, it felt more like applying our knowledge in real life scenarios.
Ratula Halder: Peer learning at IMT Ghaziabad was good since the batch had students with a wide range of expertise and backgrounds, including various industries such as manufacturing, IT, consulting, etcetera. So, the batch mix was ideal for peer learning and included many different perspectives. Additionally, I participated in numerous case study contests with my peers, which added to my learning experience. I still fondly remember my stay at IMT Ghaziabad campus with my classmates.
Rathi Nishant Harish: At IMT, I could grasp business knowledge basics, which significantly helped me in my corporate career. The foundation is the most important thing, and even though there might be a difference between what you learn in college and what work you undertake in the industry, concept learning helps you bridge that gap. My peers helped me a lot by bringing in their perspectives over discussions. Once when we were having a conversation over a drink, a stranger approached us and told us, I do not understand what you are talking about, but all of you would do extraordinary things in life; such was the quality of discussions.
Rik Rakshit: It was a very competitive environment. Most of the understanding of the subjects was outside of the classroom, which included discussing with friends and groups, and helping each other understand the concepts. We used to talk and ask each other questions like; hey, did you know this part? What’s your understanding about that etc.? This all actually helps you to prepare for your corporate culture. When you start working, that is what you do; you will decide and strategise how you will shape a particular product or a project while working in teams. That is something you learn from peer learning at IMT Ghaziabad.
Rishabh Agrawal: Peer learning was excellent at IMT. We may have believed there was only one way to look at a specific topic, but hundreds of ways exist. The diversity of the batch truly helped us learn about the various facets and viewpoints on the same subject.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: IMT Ghaziabad’s MBA program is designed in such a way that it opens the minds of students by providing industry exposure through Leadership Talks, which lend a practical perspective to students, while also keeping up with current changes in the industry, knowing more about companies, businesses, etc.
Sharat Menon: The way the courses were structured and the curriculum was designed to encourage a lot of peer learning. We had a lot of collaborative work in terms of group assignments where we had to interact with each other rather than study by ourselves in silos. s. In fact, in the second year of my course, we had to choose electives and being from an IT background, I elected for subjects in the domain of finance and HR to broaden my horizons, and I saw many of my peers doing the same. This helped us interact with others from different disciplines and gather remarkably interesting perspectives, which have helped me a lot, even to this day.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: Peer learning is one of the best parts of being at IMT. All the projects, assignments, presentations, etc., happen in groups, and these groups were designed keeping in mind the diversity. This allowed me to work with various kinds of people with varied academic backgrounds, verticals, and mindsets. It gave me a holistic view and understanding of the subjects.
Srikant Varma: IMT gave me the opportunity of understanding varied and unique perspectives. Having done my bachelor's in Pharmaceutical Sciences, I never had the chance to interact with people with such diverse backgrounds. Having them share their stories and experiences was a pool of knowledge.
Varun Sudhindra: MBA is all about peer learning and networking well with people. My batch had students from diverse backgrounds, including freshers, people having work experience of 1-4 years, and people from different industries. Everyone studying together in a common room, sharing their knowledge, and getting exposure to things that interested us helped build a collaborative mentality.
How did IMTG clubs and committees contribute in campus experience enhancement?
One of the highlights of IMT Ghaziabad is that much of the campus is student led, with number of clubs and committees supporting student expectations. So how did participation in these clubs and activities help IMT alumni…Lets check responses from some of them…
Arijeet Tarafdar: First, it is essential to understand what different clubs and committees do and what is crucial for you. It helps identify niche areas where the clubs/committees would help you excel. The support and engagement we received from the placement committee helped me a lot in the job interviews. The finance club helped me understand finance and make an informed decision about my career path. Even the smaller committees helped me understand the structure of teams and how they work out.
Arpit Nikhra: I was not a member of any club or committee. We used to call ourselves NCC: No club or committee. Each club has its process for recruitment. If you have the opportunity, you better be part of the Club and committee because they aid in developing organizational skills and help in the holistic development of your personality.
Prateek Kumar: During my time, being a part of a few select committees felt like being a part of something significant and contributing to the institute. These included the Placement committee, Student Council, Sports Committee, and Alumni Relationship Committee. There were other committees, too, but it felt like they needed to contribute more. This skewness should be balanced, leading to a more enriching experience.
Pritha Saha: I was a part of Enactus during my time at IMT. It was a fantastic experience, enjoying activities and events from different student bodies, who used to conduct and coordinate on behalf and for the entire campus. It was a great learning experience to participate in such activities, and it would have been even greater for those conducting it and contributing to campus life.
Ratula Halder: The whole thing is quite fun; you can choose whatever committee you want to be a part of. From induction until the committee selection, students are encouraged to participate, get to know one another, and bond as part of the whole experience. Most of my friends agreed to join the same committee since we believed we shared the same values as the committee and each other. The committee's experience was also quite beneficial because it is like a family and helps you develop a vast network. It also gives you a lot of exposure and opportunities in your areas of interest.
Rathi Nishant Harish: The clubs and committees prepare you for real industry life. Academics make you study concepts, but it is the clubs and committees where you apply those concepts. They also teach how to talk to a particular individual, build teams, and bond with the club members. Working in Fin-Niche, we called in experts from RBI (Reserve Bank of India) for discussions, conducted a case study competition, and published a magazine, 'Fin Express.' All of these contributed significantly towards personality development and effective network building.
Rik Rakshit: I was part of Vishit Ventures; it was like the entrepreneurship cell of IMT but a little different. E-cell at that time was mainly focused on developing an idea, whereas our club aimed to implement those. We were committed to creating a business while on campus. Dohful, founded by Arushi Sachdev and Chaman Raj, a chain of restaurants in Delhi-NCR now, was initially started by our club; we worked on it by investing our money and saw it grow.
The club was less established than others then, and it got dissolved as it required a lot of commitment. But today, it still holds importance when I talk about it. If I go for an interview, I talk about the kind of work we did and the learnings we gained. Then we were unaware of how businesses work but learnt about the operational overhead for running a business and the importance of sufficient stock and forecasting. This kind of learning can never be gained inside a classroom. It was a fantastic experience.
Rishabh Agrawal: I see a stark difference in clubs & committees today. Back in my time, I joined Finniche, the finance club which aligned with my interests. It was a new experience for us to pitch our event concepts to corporates, create teasers, and secure sponsorships for the events we used to organize. This experience helped me gain confidence in areas where I believed I lacked the skills.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: Clubs and Committees are a great way to socialize outside of classrooms. Working there helps in developing skills apart from knowledge such as teamwork and collaboration, task delegation, and leadership skills.
Srikant Varma: Committees play an essential role in a student's overall growth. I learned a lot by being part of the Placement Committee in my first year here. Each Committee plays a vital role on campus, from AlCom and Placement Committee bringing in placements to Mess Committee and Student Council, helping in the smooth functioning of day-to-day activities.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: During my first year at IMT, I was a part of the Corporate Relation committee, and I was actively involved in its operations. This added to my experience and allowed me to talk to some influential leaders in Dubai, an experience unlike any other.
Varun Sudhindra: I was part of the Cultural Committee. We used to conduct inter-college events. Conducting these events helped me learn about the committee's operational aspects.
Night life at IMT Ghaziabad: IMT Never Sleeps
The sleepless nights can be a problem for others but IMT students enjoyed the night life at the campus which continued till early morning and added to their learning. IMT Alumni share their experience
Arijeet Tarafdar: It was great! I mean, the learning is non-stop. I think it is essential we highlight the importance of the need for some downtime in a high pressure environment such as that in a B-School. Parties, get togethers, birthday bashes and the like help in bonding with classmates and seniors. Those were some of the best memories of my college days at IMT.
Arpit Nikhra: Nothing comes close to IMT's nightlife. When we get together with our batchmates and seniors, we strive to relive those college days. The best part was the endless amphitheatre conversations that would begin after dinner and go on till 2-3 am. When we once organized the Sunburn Campus music festival, the campus was bustling, even at night. To put it briefly, we frequently don't recognize this in college but later regret not having memories. So, my advice to the current batch of students is to make the best memories that will be with you forever.
Kirti Shankar: The nightlife was quite fun at IMT Ghaziabad. I remember that there was always music playing at one or the other part of campus, even during exams. This helped us relax during stressful times, and since we had complete freedom to access the campus even at night, we could meet up and have discussions for submissions at any time.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: IMT Ghaziabad had a happening nightlife. The college being in Delhi-NCR definitely helped. Especially since I was a teetotaller so I would always look forward to the dinner outings to the dhabas around the area.
Prateek Kumar: The nightlife at IMT is the one I remember the most. The Amphi nights and parties are a big part of the IMT journey and contribute significantly to the campus experience. I remember working throughout the nights to organize events, and those times made my life at IMT quite a bit more enjoyable.
Pritha Saha: The thrill of strolling across the campus is terrific: the late-night walks around the campus, across the amphitheatre, green grounds on cold wintery nights, and the open campus. Not to forget, parties in different people’s rooms were integral to the experience.
Ratula Halder: IMT Ghaziabad’s nightlife is remarkable; I recall having many college parties. One of the most memorable aspects of life at IMT was the bonfires; IMT Ghaziabad was a large campus, and the winters were bitterly cold, so the bonfires helped us stay awake, motivated, and united during that time.
Rathi Nishant Harish: The nightlife is the best thing at any B-school. There used to be club parties, section parties, hostel parties, and many more. It was a never-ending cycle of partying. We had such a large batch that some or the other person used to have their birthday, which led to a party. The dual country program students hosted many parties in their hostel block. I remember sleeping for at most 5 hours during my two years at IMT.
Rik Rakshit: IMT Ghaziabad used to have a sweatshirt with the print: IMT Ghaziabad-Partying since 1980. That quote itself capitulates the culture we have at IMT. The nightlife was partying, studying, group activities, group discussions, going out and walking through campus, talking with friends and having a badminton match at night; Chakravyuh going on for 48-72 hours at a stretch is all that we recollect of the nightlife at IMT.
Rishabh Agrawal: IMT has the best nightlife. We often used to hang out near Nescafe and the canteen. I enjoy eating masala Maggie late at night while sitting at ARCUS, it was like a routine to me. Even if parties were not frequent, they were always fulfilling and enjoyable!
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: IMT Ghaziabad is reputed to have a vibrant nightlife. As it is famously known that IMT never sleeps, there are always parties happening somewhere or the other on campus. The campus environment motivates you to hustle and let loose occasionally through parties.
Sharat Menon: The nightlife at IMT was always enjoyable. Staying up well past midnight having discussions around case studies, enjoying the food at the night mess with my group of friends was a regular occurrence. We would never really bother sleeping before 1-2 AM at night.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: The college goes by the tagline #IMTneversleeps, which is the best way to describe the nightlife at the institute. You work hard, but then party hard too.
Srikant Varma: Nightlife at IMT was extraordinary. We partied all night in corridors with personal DJ lights to create an ambiance. It was an extraordinary experience that was unique to IMT’s pedagogy.
Varun Sudhindra: IMT never sleeps! We were all sleep-deprived and still partying hard. I already knew how to handle multiple activities, as I had that experience from my previous job, so it was easier for me to take up several things at a time.
How the IMT Campus experience helped in Career Shaping and Growth
A key expectation of every MBA student is to get the dream job from the campus. MBAUniverse.com asked IMT Alumni if and how IMT Campus experience helped shape their career.. here are some responses
Arijeet Tarafdar: I think, primarily the pedagogy is designed to create skills and traits which are used day in and day out. These learnings have held me in good stead through my career. Additionally, visiting faculties from industries helped a lot in preparing for the interviews and in understanding what the industry’s expectations are from an MBA graduate.
Kirti Shankar: Apart from gaining course knowledge, one of the most important lessons that IMT has taught me is the importance of effective presentation of thoughts. Therefore, learning PowerPoint and Excel skills can help you to deliver ideas in a concise and engaging manner, which enables you to make a mark in your career and gives you an edge over other candidates.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: One of the best things about IMT was that even outside classes, there were exceptional learning experiences through socializing with my peers. I made a bunch of friends, and we're all still in touch. All of us had experiences in varied backgrounds, which introduced many different perspectives in our conversations and helped our individual and professional growth. I always make it a point to meet up with them whenever I am in Delhi.
Prateek Kumar: The campus experience shaped my personality a lot. I was generally an introvert, but I turned more extroverted with the exposure and peered learning that IMT offered. I relate more to peer learning and group studying than theoretical concepts learning, which ultimately developed my personality. This led me to take bigger leaps in my professional journey and stand up for what I thought was correct.
Pritha Saha: It brought a lot of confidence into me; who I was before coming there and whom I emerged as after two years were two vastly different versions of me. Taking my career trajectory as an example, I started in a business-facing role, like sales and category management, and then switched to analytics. It began with self-learning and skills embedded into me during my IMT days. People are usually surprised and say that it is not easy making such shifts so quickly, but I was able to because of whom I had developed as a person during my MBA at IMT; it bought confidence and fearlessness into me. I believe in this, and it can happen.
Ratula Halder: It contributed significantly to my overall growth by giving me ample opportunities in all aspects, be it academic or extracurricular activities. The rigorous curriculum prepared me for a corporate career, and the holistic learning experience made me a true professional.
Rathi Nishant Harish: My internship experience helped me a lot in getting exposed to the corporate environment. Today when I am working as a consultant, I go back to my learnings at IMT to solve problems as they help me devise solutions to the root causes of issues.
Rik Rakshit: Your corporate life is much more vast than compared to IMT, which is an educational learning platform in the end. You implement what you learn at IMT in your corporate roles, where you focus on a particular thing. IMT taught me how to handle pressure, how to plan well and strategise. It helped me learn how to “work in a team and work with a team”, and most importantly, it taught me how to lead a team. It is something that is very close to me, and I carry that forward in my career.
Rishabh Agrawal: This one is challenging! I would say that when you engage in a group project, you work as a team. Consciously or unconsciously, you live as a team, grow, and make lasting bonds. That has helped me cultivate the skills required to work as a team which I believe has aided me in my career.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: IMT Ghaziabad has helped me immensely with my career growth. I was an engineering student with no knowledge of finance and was introduced to finance during the MBA program at IMT. Multiple avenues of learning were made available to me which made learning easy and flexible through interactive classes and supportive professors due to which I was able to clear CFA Level 1 in term 2 of the MBA.
Sharat Menon: It has helped me immensely. The network of peers that I formed at IMT has been invaluable, especially in our career growth. Also, the case studies that we would solve during MBA were remarkably like a lot of the research that I have done as part of my job, especially here at Gartner. The learning and experiences came in very handy in my professional experience. Although, at the time I would never have expected it to be so impactful for my career.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: IMT had an extensive curriculum, and the learnings I gained here are priceless. We were exposed to numerous lectures by industry leaders, which gave us valuable insights into the real world and helped us understand the application of subjects in real time.
Srikant Varma: I call the learnings I received from IMT the "Diverse Learnings of IMT." The number of opportunities and the diversity of those opportunities I got to experience, from interning at Citibank in Dubai to working on a live project at Emami to getting placed in Groupon, an e-commerce company. These experiences were the building blocks for my career at places like Myntra, Honeywell, and presently Danfoss Group.
Varun Sudhindra: It helped me to deal with my high-pressure job and enabled me to perform better by meeting deadlines and thinking of diverse ways to approach a problem.
What were the key contributors of IMT Ghaziabad Campus in improving your leadership skills and other personality traits?
MBAUniverse.com asked further to understand the impact of IMTG campus experience on grooming Leadership skills and personality development. The responses from alumni are
Arijeet Tarafdar: A lot of skill development happened through team presentations and submissions. It helped me learn the nuances of team setup, people management skills, and situation management. The ability to speak effectively and articulate points of a large group, which a lot of people find difficult, was also something I was able to improve upon. Also, the capacity to work under timelines and deliver quality under pressure is also a key skill set that one learns.
Kirti Shankar: Since group presentations are an essential part of the MBA course curriculum, teamwork becomes a crucial aspect of your education. Being a group leader instils a sense of responsibility in knowing the strengths of your teammates. Group projects made me more collaborative and responsible and taught me how to take accountability for the entire team's work. This is crucial for success in the corporate world, and IMT effectively taught me how to do that.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: One of the key contributors was the project (APO) groups which were formed for group submissions of projects during my time at IMT. I am still able to apply the essential skills that I've picked from the APO workgroup in my professional life. It taught me how to navigate and work in a team in a professional setting, with a diverse and sometimes unacquainted set of people and skill sets.
Prateek Kumar: Being a part of the Sports Committee, we had to do many things on our own, find solutions to many challenges and organize and manage Chakravyuh, the annual sports fest, which helped develop leadership skills. Also, interpersonal interaction with your batchmates, seniors, and juniors helped nurture these skills. The camaraderie and the community feeling the place gives contribute to developing interpersonal and leadership skills, and it is not just for me but also for my batchmates who are doing great things in the industry and leading a very successful corporate career.
Pritha Saha: The exposure to campus and peer groups moulded me into a person who would fearlessly make decisions later in life. And as I have stated before, that helped me in making the switch to analytics, a switch that most people around me told me is not easy at all. This was possible because of the person I had developed into during my IMT journey.
Ratula Halder: Looking back, there were a couple of courses and committees that really helped me develop these skills. I believe they have made me the leader I am today.
Rathi Nishant Harish: As a coordinator for the Fin-Niche club, I got to get up on a stage and address 650 juniors. Availing of this opportunity, I became fearless and talked my heart out, and something clicked with the students as our club had the highest number of registrations that year. Be it clubs or even academic projects, taking the initiative nurtured my leadership quality which I use, to this day.
Rik Rakshit: One of the things that IMT very well teaches you is networking. Networking is one of the critical things that you are required to learn. You can lead a team, but that doesn’t make you a leader. It takes a lot of things to lead; it takes responsibility and having the back of your team members. Events like Mahindra Rise used to happen then, where we developed ideas and presentations. So, IMT prepares you for such qualities with multiple big and small projects; through presenting ideas and demonstrations in classrooms. You don’t realise it, but you start developing those core skills. At a later point in time, you acknowledge that is when you started, and this is what you have been following to become a leader.
Rishabh Agrawal: Apart from the knowledge I gained from classrooms, the experience I gained from clubs and committees and case study competitions majorly influenced my personality. My leadership abilities strengthened with my involvement in organizing events, meetings, and lectures as part of the clubs and committees. Case studies enhanced my thinking capabilities and pushed me to work harder.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: The environment at IMT Ghaziabad is such that it motivated me to interact with people through project groups, club/committee work and parties which enabled better networking. It also helped me to gain more knowledge and different perspectives. The entire experience of living in the hostel also gave me a sense of freedom and autonomy and made me more responsible eventually.
Sharat Menon: Again, the way the courses are designed at IMT encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and interact and collaborate with various people in my cohort. This really helped me hone my interpersonal skills and my soft skills. This was a big shift from the kind of professional networking I had done prior to this as a software engineer. Not to mention the stress during our summer internship and final placements really helped me learn how to deal with stress and adversity. Lastly, the most important contributor was the opportunity and exposure to presentations and seminars. This was again something I never had the chance to do in my undergraduate studies or during my previous professional experience, but it is something that has helped me a lot in my career since then.
Srikant Varma: Skills like time management, people management, self-discipline, and maintaining the perfect work-life balance that I learned at IMT have helped me tremendously in my professional life
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: I come from a technical background, so I needed to enhance my knowledge of the management aspects. Working in diverse groups where everyone had different experiences helped me learn the importance of team building, inculcate team spirit, and learn the basics of management and leadership while also allowing me to share my technical knowledge with my teammates.
Varun Sudhindra: The professors at IMT Ghaziabad were extremely helpful in shaping the students' thinking; they instilled in us the importance of logical, data-driven arguments and taught us to avoid using generic expressions in answers. Events and academics also helped develop leadership skills; they taught students how to manage teams, work in groups, lead by example, and take the initiative in challenging situations.
How do you stay connected and remain in touch with your batchmates and what activities do you take up?
Despite the fact that these IMTG young alumni are spread across the globe, they never forget their alma mater and remain connected to one another. Responding to the MBAUniverse.com query, they remember their bonding
Arijeet Tarafdar: The relationships with batchmates still endure. I mean, social media has made it much easier as we have common WhatsApp groups and LinkedIn where we stay in touch. We catch up once in a while with some of our close friends. Alumni meets also have been of tremendous help to connect with the IMT network.
Kirti Shankar: I am in touch with a few of my batchmates. We maintain a social network where we focus on building personal connections instead of connecting merely for work-related favors.
Mooteri Nikhil Umesh: Before the pandemic, I'd make it a point to travel to Delhi often to meet my friends, and then we'd visit our usual college hangout places to reminisce about our time at IMT. One of my closest friends from IMT happens to be my super senior, whom I never actually met on campus, but because of the pervasive alumni network of IMT, we met and connected at a professional level and have remained friends ever since.
Prateek Kumar: As time passes, the contact does diminish, but with the closed group, it is simple as you converse through calls, WhatsApp, Facebook, and whatnot. Initially, during the first few years of passing out, we made it a point to attend alumni nights, but now the interaction is more through social media.
Pritha Saha: We have social media groups with friends I have stayed connected with since college. One advantage of IMT Ghaziabad is that we have IMTians everywhere, and I have been fortunate enough to come across them in many companies I have worked in, not necessarily my batch. There is a certain camaraderie that exists when one IMTian meets another. That way, I have built up a network of people who have also become good friends. With other batchmates, a connection is still not as active, but people are there for each other if we reach out.
Ratula Halder: One of the things I do is meet people at the yearly reunion to keep in touch with my batchmates, as well as whenever we are in the same city. I would not say I stay connected with many individuals, but we try to catch up in between our hectic schedules.
Rathi Nishant Harish: Even though, as time progresses, we lose a bit of contact, we make sure that whenever someone is in town, we take time and meet and reminisce about the time we spent at IMT. Apart from that, whenever we come across an update about someone on LinkedIn or any other social platform, we talk to each other on phone calls.
Rik Rakshit: Unfortunately, in the past years, I have lost contact with many of my batchmates and friends, but we are still a core group of close friends who are still in touch with each other. We make it a point that at least a few of us will get together at least once a year and catch up on the old days and chat. We also discuss how things are going on and reflect on how we have grown. It’s a small group of incredible 8-10 people I know from IMT.
Rishabh Agrawal: I am in touch with many of my friends. I am based out of Bombay, so as many are in the vicinity, we generally catch up on the weekends.
Saquib Yaqoob Ali: I am a part of the alumni WhatsApp group and that helps me keep in touch with my batchmates at IMT Ghaziabad. Whenever I visit any country for work, I try to connect and meet up with my college friends and maintain a connection with my time at IMT Ghaziabad.
Sharat Menon: I mainly keep in touch with my batchmates virtually over social media or LinkedIn. Now that everything is virtual and remote, it is definitely not easy to keep in touch, but our shared interests definitely help. We often end up discussing any developments in our respective domains and I think that is a great means to stay connected also.
Srikant Varma: Being busy with corporate life and meetings, events organized by the Alumni relationship Committee have been immensely helpful in keeping in touch with my classmates, juniors, and seniors. It helps network and discuss opportunities and markets, further aiding referrals and job opportunities.
Shreyes Geetakrishnan: We all stay connected on social media, which is great as many of us are now based out of various places. And then we make it a point to organize meetups whenever most of us are in the same city.
Varun Sudhindra: Corporate life has changed since the 2000s; we now have a Naukri group where we chat rather than just discuss jobs. Our section groups from the time at IMT are still active, and my core group of friends is still present. LinkedIn is my primary source of keeping in touch with my batchmates. People at IMT are always helpful whenever you reach out to them.
Those were genuine gratitude for alma mater! Hope this article helps underscore that indeed Campus Learning and Living Experience of a full time residential program are the biggest strengths of an MBA Program.
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