01 chairperson’s address A message from Dr. Rajendra Nargundkar
02 senior HR meet
q & alumnus
The Senior HR Alumni Meet was recently held in Delhi
Mr. Harmeet Singh Chandok an alumnus from 2007 batch
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alumnus in news Ms. Nishu Tripathi, an alumnus from IMT Ghaziabad from the batch of 2000 recently launched Anaira’s Jewels in the capital
07 alum hour Summer placement guidance sessions for the first year students
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08 entrepreneur’s street
A travel and tourism venture by Mr. Sandeep Sandhar
mentorship program A student-alumni interaction platform
10 campus buzz A sneak peek into the latest events at IMT Ghaziabad
chairperson’s address Dear Alumni, It was great meeting and chatting with some of you at the promotional events for our DBA program recently in Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune. We are now planning a series of bigger events exclusively for you across the country, most likely in Januarymaybe one for Dubai and Singapore alumni too. Please look out for mails from our enthusiastic student reps at Alcom regarding the same as they will be the organisers. Hope to bring a couple of faculty members to each city where we have these to interact with you. Wishing you all a great holiday season ahead, starting with Dashehra, and moving on to Diwali and Christmas. Regards, Rajendra Nargundkar Sr. Dean Academeics and Chairperson, Alumni Aairs
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senior HR meet As a part of its continuous efforts to keep alive the relationship with the Alumni, the Alumni Relationship committee organized its first official event of this academic year, The Senior HR Alumni meet. The meet was held on 22nd September at Hotel Ashok in Delhi. The agenda of the meet was to discuss the prospective growth avenues for IMT, the possible improvements in the academic structure, teaching methodologies as well as the placement process at the institute. Our director, Dr. Bibek Banerjee stressed on the importance of Alumni engagement, and the need for the Alumni to get inducted into the ‘Think Tank’ or ‘Action Tank’ of IMT. Our Chairperson Dr. Rajendra Nargundkar, and faculty Dr. Jayanti Ranjan, also introduced the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme that IMT now offers jointly with Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM), France. HR Alumni from batches ranging from 1988 to 2007 attended the meet, sharing their valuable insights on how important it has become, for students to develop the right kind of attitude in order to help them achieve professional success. The meet saw Alumni fondly reminiscing their days at IMT. They were eager to contribute to their alma mater, and ready to get on board, to facilitate the branding of IMT as one of the top B-schools in the country.
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alumnus in news Ms. Nishu Tripathi, an alumnus from IMT Ghaziabad from the batch of 2000, is the director of Anaira’s Jewels India Pvt. Limited. Ms. Tripathi is a first generation entrepreneur and was previously working as Brand Manager for Swatch Group India Pvt Ltd. She was also associated with Swarovski for about eight years as the Area Sales Manager for the brand. The first and exclusive outlet for Anaira’s Jewels was opened in New Delhi. Ms. Tripathi quoted in an interview to Times of India - “ Anaira's is a one-stop-shop jewelry destination offering a wide range of exclusive diamond jewellery. We have introduced some of the finest Ms. Nishu Tripathi collection appealing to buyers with a contemporary as well as traditional mindset.” She has named the brand after her two daughters- Anahita and Samaira. Anaira’s is in talks with retail players such as Shoppers Stop to showcase its diamond jewellery and plans to tie up with a minimum of 500 retailers across India in the next five years. Ms. Tripathi has also invested in an exclusive website for the brand in order to cater to online shoppers and to promote online sales. The targeted customers of the brand include kids, teenagers, and working women. Ms. Tripathi also stated in the interview that Anaira's is expecting a 70 to 80 percent growth over the last one year and the aim of the brand is to reach out to a larger audience with affordable jewellery for all occasions.
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q and alumnus Mr. Harmeet Singh Chandok is an alumnus of IMT Ghaziabad from the batch of 2007. He is currently working as Senior Manager - Corporate Finance at Tata Teleservices. Here is an excerpt from the interaction: Q. What were your most cherishing moments at IMT? The thing which I miss the most about IMT the most is the amount of time which you had to just learn. When you start working a lot of time is spent in execution and very little time is left for reflection. I really miss the time we had to learn so much theory as well as from other’s experiences and discuss it with friends and people who had different opinions. That freedom to learn is something which I really cherished. We had teachers with expertise in specific fields and we could go up to them with whenever we needed any help. You never really get the same chance again. Q. How has MBA helped your career ? MBA helps you because it familiarises you with a situations and management experiments. During MBA if you really go through your basic theories properly then you won’t come across many unfamiliar situations. It gives you an upper hand when compared to graduates who go to work without any such exposure. It helps you broaden your own perspective. It moulds you in a way that you become objective while at the same time you also appreciate various different people, management styles, situations etc. It also teaches you to tackle them. Q. Any change in IMT that you have observed? The first thing which I observed was the increase in the number of students which is alarming. I hope the placements that the students get do justice to such large numbers. Another difference was that the students had a lot of experience. The average experience was higher than what it used to be in my time. This is a big positive because the students have had a feel the corporate world and they are aware of what they want when they come for MBA. In the end there has to be a balance and I hope that it ends up being positive.
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q and alumnus Q. Is there any advice you would like to give to the current batch? DO you what you think is right but do not end up running behind predefined fixed goals. They should learn to be a little more flexible with where life takes us. We should give life a free hand and be a little flexible with where life takes us. The time is not favourable for people who are very rigid. It always helps to explore opportunities and this is the time when you can try. Don’t be afraid of experimenting. Just because you have done MBA in a certain field does not make it necessary for you to look for a job in that vertical. The important thing is to find out what is best for you. Be ready to explore. Q. What is it about IMT that makes you feel nostalgic? The things which make me nostalgic about IMT are mostly personal. I had a group of friends. During weekends whenever possible we used to go to Delhi to have some god time. We used to miss classes to have lunch at Nirulas. I am really happy that I am in touch with all of them right now. Some of my best friends have been made at IMT and the time I have spent with them is very memorable and I miss that.
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mentorship program "A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you." This thought forms the very essence of the Mentorship program initiated by the Alumni Relationship Committee in the year 2005. It aims to provide a platform for healthy interaction between an interested alumnus mentor and an eager protégé. The mentors would advice the protégé on any sort of problems faced by them and would be able to provide information related to professional and career development. Issues related to career path, resumes, course selection, international perspectives and work could be discussed with the mentors. The students have the opportunity to remain in contact with the mentors even after graduating. It is a two way process wherein the student would benefit from his mentor’s experience and advice whereas the mentor would be able to share his learning and knowledge with his mentee. This year, we saw an overwhelming number of applicants for the mentorship programme indicating the level of enthusiasm and eagerness amongst the students to be guided by their own alumni in their journey through the corporate world. We also take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt thanks to all the alumni who agreed to be a part of this initiative and devote their precious time to the mentees. It is through such participation and cooperation that we endeavour to strengthen the bonds of our IMT family.
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alumni hour Summer placement can be a stressful time. Roll back the years and you know what we are talking about right? In order to allay the fears and apprehension of the students, the Alumni Relationship Committee organised the “Alum Hour”, an informal interactive session between the students and our prestigious alumni. The occasion was graced by the presence of Mr. Ankur Jain (Batch of 2010 , National Product Manager – Emerging Business at Bharti Airtel Ltd), Mr. Harmeet Singh Chandhok (Batch of 2007, Senior Manager- Corporate Finance at Tata Teleservices) and Mr. Vaibhav Sabhlok (Batch of 2010, Assistant Manager at Moser Baer India Ltd). The sessions , held on 15th an 16th of September received an overwhelming response from the students. The alumni answered a multitude of questions put forth by the students - right from how to frame their resume, the kind of preparation required for the multiple selection rounds and the typical interview questions to be expected. The alumni provided valuable insight into the kind of profiles and projects offered by a few companies and also on the characteristic qualities that potential employers look for in a summer intern. The attendees also enjoyed the candid way in which the alumni narrated their own experiences of the summer placement processes. The students benefitted immensely from the candid discussion with the alumni, who shared their own experience and provided valuable insight into the entire process of the summer placement. The alumni were also upbeat upon returning to the alma mater. The sessions succeeded in taking the edge off the hype surrounding the placement week and helped students got into the placement week with a relaxed frame of mind.
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entrepreneur’s street ROADS LESS TRAVELLED ‘Roads Less Travelled’ is an entrepreneurial venture by Mr. Sandeep Sandhar, an alumnus of IMT Ghaziabad from the 2001 batch. Taking off to new lands, experiencing new cultures and in the end finding a new you, is the essence of "Roads Less Travelled" (RLT). The experiential tours involving home, farm, heritage & eco stays and activities that engage all senses help discover a new self in each traveller. Following is an excerpt of an interaction with Mr. Sandeep Sandhar. Q. When did the idea first strike you ? Any particular reason for choosing this sector ? I have been an avid traveller, trekker and a mountaineer too. I have travelled to 25 states in India and climbed 5000 meter plus peaks. I have been exploring the culture around India and abroad also. The idea struck me when I was in Ladakh during one of the winters at -30 degree Celsius. I was stranded there for 3 days because there were no flights and I was doing a home stay which indeed was a road less travelled. That is when the idea struck me to start a travel venture which takes people to unique and offbeat places. I had time so I devised a small business plan right there. The obvious reason behind choosing this area is that I have passion for travelling and exploring. Q. What challenges did you face? There are numerous challenges which you face when you start your own venture. The first challenge is to let go off the corporate sector and a well-paying job. This is an internal challenge which you face. The second challenge is to understand the sector. My functional area has always been sales and marketing. Before starting this venture I never had any exposure in the travel and the tourism sector. Recruiting people is another tough task. Financial planning is also very crucial because you need to understand the financial implication of every decision before you jump into it and especially when you are not from the sector, your projections can be totally haywire. Q. How do you see your business progressing in the future ? We have huge expansion plans and we see ourselves as top off beat travel company, not just in India but abroad as well. We see ourselves as a one stop shop for all the travel
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entrepreneur’s street needs. We rely upon building a very good clientele. Recently we planned a 11 day cycling trip from Manali to Leh and we had very senior people with us for instance Business Head of Jack and Jones. We had also recently organized a Jeep Safari where a director from UN and an editor from FEMINA had joined us. In the near future we are planning two more events, a photography trip of Pushkar Mela and a sky dive from the Everest. Q. Would you like to give any advice to the budding entrepreneurs of IMT ? There are only 3 reasons why people start a venture. One is that they have extreme passion for something, the second is that they have extreme love for money and the last is that they are tired of the corporate world. The ďŹ rst reason, according to me is the most long lasting one. But it is very important to understand that once you start something you really have to be patient. It takes time sometimes even years for the venture to start giving proďŹ ts.
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campus buzz SECTION- ए – JUNG The evening of September 5th, saw all the sections of PGDM I year assemble at the amphitheatre to battle it out amongst each other to decide one winner - the star section of the I year. This was “ Section- ए –Jung” , also marking the launch of IMT’s annual management and cultural f e s ti v a l Passion 2012. There was palpable excitement in the air and the decibel levels soared as the evening and the events progressed. There were quizzes, games wittingly named beer pong( though it involved drinking vegetable juice) and arm wrestling matches. At the end of it, Junior Section D was declared the champion whereas Junior Section A won the award for maximum cheering. At last, the evening sky magnificently lit up with sky lanterns floating in the air with the word “ Passion” engraved on them.
GANESH CHATURTHI The month of August ushered a season of festivals – beginning with the very auspicious celebration of the Ganesh Chaturthi. The basket ball court made way for the ‘pandal’ to be set up and Lord Ganesha was welcomed into the campus to be amongst its residents for the next three days. The beautiful flower rangolis , the fragrance of the incense and the evening aartis brought in a festive cheer amongst the students staying away from their homes. It was truly a joyous occasion.
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campus buzz ONAM CELEBRATIONS Onam- the festival from God’s Own Country was celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm and fervour at IMT on 8th September. Adding color to the celebrations were all the students dressed in the
traditional attire – the O n a m mundu and O n a m saree. The day started with the ‘chendalam’ – the drummers lead by the anchor explaining the story behind the festival. Then, there was tug- of- war played amongst the guys which received a tremendous amount of cheer. This was followed by the ‘thiruvadira’ – a group dance and a skit performance by the students .The day concluded with the onam sadya – a lavish spread of 28 dishes served on a banana leaf. It was a delight to watch some of the exchange students also taking part in the festivities.
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compiled by:
The Sampark Team Alumni Relationship Comittee IMT Ghaziabad For any Queries or Suggestions Please feel free to mail us at alumni@imt.edu