Day 1: 2nd June, time:12:30am; Finally my train had reached Pune railway station after a 36hr long journey. I was greeted by an army of coolies, I ignored them and started walking, but the coolies were not ready to reciprocate my gesture and kept following me. I somehow ran up the ramp with my luggage and reached the station gate where I was pitted against a new problem; the OLA cab guy called me to inform that he cannot come to Lavale this late. I didn’t even blink before offering him extra money, but the response was the same. The autowalas were circling me like vultures around a wounded animal, but being an engineer I have been taught to think on my feet, so i roamed around and found the number of Wingscab and boarded a taxi. I prayed to god like Kareena Kapoor in “Jab we Met”, “Wahe Guru aaj ki raat aur koi suspense mat dena !”. But Gods do seldom listen, we had travelled around 10kms when the cab’s tyre got busted. It was already 2:30am and I was no where near the campus, but a voice inside me said this was part and parcel of life so just embark on the new journey or was it my hungry stomach rumbling, I don’t remember. Some how I reached the campus, the driver helped me to unload my stuff, I knew I was in A wing but , when I got to know that my room no. was 203 my eyes watered, and when I understood that it was in 2nd floor, they started to pour. The hostel watchman, kept smiling at me when my lean body was pulling bags comparable to my size up the stairs,but once I laid eyes on the room, I was elated, I jumped with joy. The room was awesome, it was comparable to my room when I my mother used to clean it everyday, I thanked the SIBM authorities and gods of luck for putting me in this room.
Day 2: 3rd June, It was a bright morning for sure, but, what was brighter; the smiling faces or their neatly pressed white dresses was difficult for me to discern. All of us assembled in the auditorium, the function was about to begin, my mind kept telling me(even though I always ask him to shut up) what new will they have to tell me?. But after the director’s inauguration speech, I realised why SIBM is one of the best Business Schools in India and why I was lucky to an integral part of this Institute. Following the address was a series of awe-inspiring renditions which shook the very foundation of my thought process, fortunately the end result was shear enlightenment(not to the level of Buddha, but, in my own way it was).
Days following were filled with excitement and Information as well. 4th June, It was pleasant day, but was overcast, as if it was an omen for something. The Omen was interpreted by me once I reached the Auditorium. It was time to understand the academic dynamics and the scary parts about TNG& CNG. 5th & 6th June,Now it was turn of Ice Breaking(personally there was very less ice to be broken) and talent round. People whom I felt were reserved , reserved a place in everyone’s heart with their majestic performance, the audience were laughing and cheering all at the same time, all in all was a scintillating experience considering we were given less than a day to prepare and perform, as rightly pointed out by the judge for the function.
When I thought I had enough, there came the “purple squirrel”, it was refreshing experience to visit an Industry and learning from the experienced crew. Meetings with a Founder, a marketeer and a manager put light on various aspects of business which were unknown to most of us. For the first time learning was more than bookish knowledge, the speakers were showering their wisdom and experience on us. But , like all good things, it too come to an end. It was the end of Induction and it was time giddy up and pack the bags for the school; not any school but a B school. I cannot thank SIU enough for bestowing such an opportunity on me, and seriously hope SIBM continue to amaze me.
