365 Days @ Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon.

It took me forever on how to write this post. Should I start off like any other “typical” post about “The MBA/PGPM Life” or is there another way? In fact, that is what I learnt first here at Great Lakes. There is another way. All you need to do is stop “running” and enjoy the view because the picture you’ve wanted to paint all along is turning out to be better than expected.

I wish I could write this post on what to expect from joining the PGPM program at Great Lakes, Gurgaon but the truth is the unexpected that is only certainty, and trust me, that is a Great thing! I cannot do anything by agree with you when there were obvious apprehensions prior to the dawn of the program, leaving the professional world as we know it in hope of embarking on much challenging journeys in life through unchartered waters. Yes, I know that feeling because I was reading up on schools like you are right now. That feeling will soon put to bed once you realize that the friends you make here are going last a lifetime. Even more so because they made it in here just like you did and nobody can ever say that you have nothing in common.

The “Ice-breaker” trip we had to Rishikesh bought the mentality of all of us “being in this together” definitely made us work that way from that day on. Win or lose, we’d do it together (Especially the white water rafting). Either way we would end up indulging in multiple rounds of “bunta juices: A delicacy of the location” brought us only closer as a batch and nothing else.

Titans - Deepti Balakrishnan and me

I’m writing this post at the very end of my program here at Great Lakes. Well, almost. And looking back I really can’t understand where the time has gone. Yes, there have been a ton (quite literally) of trainings, classes, exams, late night study sessions, projects, more projects, and the always entertaining group assignments. Watch out! This is when the person you would’ve killed a thousand times over in your mind becomes a friend and you realize that you were judgmental. To anyone in any B-school past / present saying otherwise, trust me they’re trying really hard to be cool. To all the B-school grads that’re reading this, am I right? Or am I right?

Great Lakes, Gurgaon is known for two things in particular. First, we are the front runners in having in our curriculum two of the fastest growing industries in India, Energy and Big Data & Analytics. Much to my surprise, Big Data & Analytics isn’t just a mammoth sized file with a gazillion numbers but indeed is a thinking business. “Lateral thinking” methodologies are put to the test and whether we like it or not, all Great Lakers are Analytics minors at Gurgaon. And second, extraordinary faculty- Great Lakes has spared no cost in reeling in the best of teachers who not only cater to other premier schools in India but abroad as well. Having a global perspective of learning has only strengthened the meaning of our motto “Global mindset. Indian roots”.

While I could give a run-down of the academic portion, projects and lecturers of the program it’s also important to describe another critical aspect of the program and that is the out of class experiences that are critical to our development as business leaders in a culturally diverse world. Great Lakes, Gurgaon has a lot (And I mean “A LOT”) of Industrial speakers who take the time out from their busy schedules and meet with the student. “Wait a minute! Why?” you might probably wonder but I believe them to be the links between what we do in class and what the world out there really runs on. While our “live-projects” and Empirical research projects also gives us such insights, the sheer quantum of knowledge that is shared in these sessions can be compared to none. Uncle Bala calls it “Experiential Learning and insights”. We couldn’t agree more.

L-R : Yogesh and Srinivas @ Great Lakes, Chennai Campus

I was among the lucky three to visit the Chennai campus for three days. Although both campuses are identical in academics and most events are replicated across locations, the student life is completely different. To put it in a nutshell: “In Chennai, I know more people. In Gurgaon, I know more people”.

Let me shed some light on the activities. While some enjoy swimming or working out when we find the time to, there are some who diligently play every day. Yes, every day. You learn how to manage your time better. I would be lying if I told you I was them though but hey! I like to eat the sheek kebab rolls sold next door. That’s some exercise too. Haha!

“Be an opportunist” Uncle Bala’s words were taken a little too seriously. Be it indulge in going that extra mile to make things happen in college or quite literally “the extra mile” might just end up in Jaipur for a weekend at a classmates house. Either way, the fact that we’re a culturally diverse group and know very little about other cultures than our own, we’d have a blast. Yes, I am from Bangalore and the “sarso ka saag” is better than it sounds.

“The best year of your life” has long been associated with GLIM’s PGPM program. Having experienced it myself, calling it “the best year of my life” is merely an understatement for the lack of a better word. Never have I been exposed to such miscellany, where differences are celebrated and they blend perfectly to form a different kind of culture beyond religion, and other social nuances. A culture filled with humility, respect, and at the same time, courage and tenacity to take on the world.

It has been an honor and I hope my this post has been helpful. From the corner table of the classroom, Yogesh Babu, signing out.

Weekend! What weekend?!?! @ Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon.

A not so typical week that went by in the first semester @ Great Lakes, Gurgaon. "Yendhuku?" ("Why" in Telugu), you might ask.

That's because there were a few students who thought it would be a good thing to have a mid term test on a Sunday instead of a weekday. This is one such moment when my hand wanted to slap somebody really hard. A few minutes later, I took that back. 

We had the test scheduled on the day after out Marketing Assignment 1 presentation. Speaking of my Marketing Presentation, it did not just go as planned.. but better. Way better. Mr. Easwar Krishna Iyer, a faculty from the Chennai campus as well as a very important member in the Great Lakes family said "This is one of the best Marketing Management - I presentations I have seen in my career". Unbelievable but I shit you not, its true. I was flying for obvious reasons. "YOU KILLED IT YOGESH. You were born for Marketing", I said to myself like a third person. One of my many defects.

Now coming back to my modest side, the Marketing Presentation Day lasted till 11:30PM making it a record 14 hours in college. I was super glad that the test was rescheduled. I did not complain about the test being held on Sunday until Sunday. All I remember was studying, studying, and more studying. I think I did not give enough emphasis on how much I studied. 

Just like that, the weekend that didn't exist was over. All I did different was have a mango milkshake.

And about my test in Quantitative Ability. *keeping my fingers crossed*
 

-Yogesh Babu

(www.fb.com/yogesh87)

22 hour day at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon

Time, you tend to realize the value of it as days pass by at Great lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon.

We want to do everything, everyday in the least possible time. Fact is, we are wrong. Time management, a self taught subject, is something we will develop here. And that is pretty evident.

Individual assignments, group assignments and more need to managed well during your course here. Wait a minute! Did I tell you about the assignments already? No?

The weekend was close, not because we could do nothing in the holiday but do a lot. "Man of Steel" in the theaters and I vowed to see the movie when the trailer for the trailer had come out. So there wasn't a shadow of a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't be missing it even if Superman himself asked me not to.

After a standing ovation* (Notice the star sign) for my motivational "Go after your dream!" speech in the Business Communication session, Ritvik (Also an ardent Superman fan) and I forced the Delhi boys to book tickets somewhere, anywhere that one of their cars can take us.

Considering that my day started at 5 in the morning for reasons I am unable to recall (lets assume I was studying), it was incredibly difficult to go for a movie after 8PM but NO! Abhinav Mayaram had plans that could've probably changed his life (or so he claims) and we went on to book the 11:40 PM show. Yes, read that again.

So there we were, with a lot more time in our hands and what did we do? "Beer!", we said. Zaidi and Richa took us to this place called Underdog in Ambiance Mall. The place was OFF THE HOOK!! One of the best sports bars I've ever seen. Moreover, India - Pakistan match was on. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I don't even like cricket. A tonne of photographs later, we realised that that the movie was about to start and we left. Happy, high and more!!

L-R - Zaidi, Richa, Tower, Rithvik & Yogesh - PGPM 14

We barely survived the movie. We struggled to keep our eyes open. Infact, I think I dozed off a couple of times during the movie not knowing what I have missed. It was 2:30 in the morning. By the time the movie ended, I was half asleep. I did not care if Superman was going to die or not. Overall, I liked the movie. It did not live upto my expectation but there were certain scenes that blew my mind. Thanks to the awesome beer at Underdog.

We reached back at 3 AM. Yes, I crashed with my jeans on.


-Yogesh Babu
(www.fb.com/yogesh87)
 
*Did not happen. They probably yawned.