All you ever wanted to know about what really happens on the IIM Bangalore Campus. A sneak peek into what goes on beyond the mighty stone walls :)
Vikasana Unites IIM-B for Kashmir
Kashmir has been hit by the worst floods in the last 100 years. The calamity in Jammu and Kasmir have left lakhs of people stranded. Official figures estimate that at least 203 people have died in the Jammu region while the waters have claimed the lives of 77 in the Kashmir Valley. More than 77000 people have been evacuated by the joint effort of the Indian Army and the Air Force. The loss to land and property is huge with an estimated loss of Rs 1000 Cr in apple orchard wastage, which supports the livelihood of the farmers there.
Vikasana, the social service club of IIM Bangalore initiated a clothes collection drive to help those in need. It partnered with Goonj, a partner NGO working towards providing relief material to those affected by floods in the region of Jammu and Kashmir and other states such as Orissa, West Bengal and Assam through its ‘Rahat Floods’ initiative. The clothes collection drive commenced with the setting up of collection boxes all around the IIM Bangalore campus. There were a total of 5 boxes at different locations spanning the hostel blocks and the faculty blocks. Material was also collected from the official residence of faculty members by Vikasana volunteers.
The week long initiative was met with an overwhelming response from the students and faculty of IIMB, who made sure that the boxes always filled up with clothes, sweaters, blankets and other warm material. The collected material was then sorted and deposited at Goonj’s regional centre for further processing. A total amount of 400kgs of relief material was collected in this drive.
We, on behalf of Vikasana, would like to thank Goonj for giving us the opportunity to serve the flood victims. We would also like to thank the students and the staff for their generosity and support in contributing towards the relief efforts. We sincerely hope that the material alleviates the conditions of those affected by this tragedy and pray for their well being.
“The campus is like a flowing river…”, BV Doshi
Prof. BV Doshi, renowned architect who designed IIM Bangalore – its classrooms, ethereal courtyards gave a talk on the architecture of IIMB. The Student Media Cell got an opportunity to interact with the maestro, here are his thoughts…
Initial sketches of IIMB by BV Doshi
- Hi sir, we at the Student Media Cell would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak to you. Please tell us how does it feel to be back on campus?
I have come back after almost 30 years and I feel 30 years younger. The sight of the campus takes me back to the old days when we were choosing all the elements of the design and laying out the stones. A lot of time has passed by but nothing much has changed since.
- Sir, one thing which strikes the students particularly is the elemental design of the building and immense amount of greenery that surrounds us. Was there a reason for that?
When you do simple things they last very long. When you design for the sake of design, then you may want to change the design. If you design what is obvious then you don’t mind it, but in fact you start loving it as the time goes by. What is applied is changed, what is inherent is not. So one has to search for the inherent, the basic, and the fundamental.
Greenery forms an integral part of the institute’s character. In the beginning we just started off with 1000 saplings. Over time, we added more trees and it was Mr. Moorthy, the director at that time who made the pergolas green. Now when I see the interspersing of stone and greenery, the way this has grown is partly random, but this in fact adds a direction.
3. Sir, Please tell us more about the campus design and its motivation.
The original plan was to not give the campus an organic or a classic design. We wanted the plan to have a certain flow. Imagine a meandering river’s flow. Similarly, the campus plan is also moving in and out. The openings are not regularly spaced. There are sudden vistas, some big, some small and some rhythmic. For example, columns in the pergola go at the same place but the walls don’t. There are a lot of musical rhythms in the campus, organized and random at the same time.
The entire block was designed as one whole part so that students can move around in it without feeling sudden changes. It was designed to give students time to think and reflect continuously. The campus is like a flowing river and one must go deep inside his or her roots to understand him or herself.
4. Sir, over time, there has been some changes in the campus, such as the addition of the new hostels, which have a more contemporary design. How do you see feel about this manner of evolution of the campus?
There is a bigger issue here. For example, in other campuses, there is a tendency to follow the west like setting up air conditioners, artificial lighting etc when they are not needed. By aping we sometimes feel that we are getting modern when in fact we are not. Similarly, management education right now believes in only western models. However, there are scholars that believe in the Indian model as well. Over time people change, models change. When you design a building, it must have absorbing capacity so that it eventually comes back to its original form.
Another architect designed the new blocks and their design reflects his beliefs. In India, we have constant diverse positions. The diversity is our strength.
5. One last question Sir. What advice would you give to the students of IIM Bangalore?
Be simple, innovative and feel free to do what you heart says. Once you step out into the world, carry the message of informality, sustainability and always have a sense of wonder, have unexpected visions and vistas,
A month gone by and how!!
I still remember the sleepless night I spent before boarding the flight to Bangalore. When I think of it, I am yet to establish it if were anxiety or excitement or apprehension or just seeing the Oranje dismantle the sorry Spanish Armada. Whatever it may be – that one sleepless night has come to be the “way of life” now.
After the mid-term dust settled (or so I thought) I realized that I have been amidst greenery, awesomeness and whacky people for more than a month. Yes! More than a month. It has whizzed past me like a flash of blinding light, hardly giving me a chance to blink. But who wants to blink an eye here? Who wants to miss a part of the action? Who wants to miss out on the adrenaline? Who wants to miss out on the fun? On the partying? On the fests? On the events? If you want a slice of the pie, you might as well dare not blink.
As I made my way through the well-trimmed lawns, dense trees, pothole-free roads and stone buildings on the morning of June 14, 2014 – I noticed (despite my acute dyslexia in art, colors and whatever is associated with it) the seamlessness with which the stone buildings merged into the greenery of this 100 acre oasis. And maybe that symbolism and metaphor had a lot to tell me over the past one month.
Yes I have had my bouts of homesickness and that is only because I crave mom’s fried fish! (agreed that the mess does serve it once ever so rarely – but that’s no match to “mummy ke haath ka khana”). Yes I have had a lot of folks back in Bombay calling me a “snooty b-school grad” already. But that’s on the back-burner for now. Explanations can wait until I get back to Irish House or The Big Nasty on September 8 evening.
Aarambh rocked and maybe that was the watershed moment which made people take notice of their talented batch mates. I was warned before I came here – do not discount a single person here! Aarambh taught me what it really meant. Saw some crazy talent and ideas!
And then the club selections! Yes I may have not got into any club and maybe there are people better than I am – which is a major positive in more than one way! But the process was fun, stimulating and something you can reflect upon with a smile. Seeing people run around, make PPTs, discuss ideas and stand for interviews at 4:30 am was a little unnerving back then since I hadn’t seen anything like that. Now I can vouch that the process was worth the sleepless two nights!!
Hostel life – I don’t think I have ever folded by bed-sheet at home in 24 years! More importantly, before going for a bath (if, as and when I do), I need to check my logistics. After having gotten into embarrassing situations (I shall provide no further picturesque details), I have learnt it the hard way. Most importantly, I can use the broom with near perfection. I also know the difference between a plastic bristled broom and the other one (whatever it’s called).
Most importantly – the wardrobe. Being the pseudo-perfectionist, I distinctly remember arranging all my neckties on a hanger. Just yesterday, I found them mixed with my briefs and vests and socks! You need to give me the credit for at least trying! Besides that, my wardrobe is perfectly arranged. I always get what I need – I wear those same few clothes every 4 days before they go back into the wardrobe. It is a simple process. Wear – wash – dry – wear! Keep things simple!
The only complaint I have is that my hostel block is in a different pin code than the rest of the campus. It takes 6 minutes and 24 seconds to reach the classroom from my room, if I don’t slow down to say hi to people around me. I remember the one day I woke up at 9:53 am for a 10:00 am lecture. Thank god for Listerine! What a wonder product. And also the bad habit of sleeping in my jeans – that saved precious 45 seconds I say.
Besides all these specific instances and some of my self-inflicted histrionics, it’s been quite an awesome time this far. Until I have more stuff to share, adios!
Dylan Fernandes
PGP 2014-16
Jenny & Robert go India!
During the exchange semester offered by our home university in Jönköping/Sweden we had Asia in mind from the start. It differs a lot from our home countries and has a great variety of cultural aspects to offer – and so, India here we come!
And here we are: Jenny – German, 26 years old, studies International Management, most prejudice thought about India: That there would be cows everywhere! (And it is true!) – and Robert – Swedish, 31 years old and studies Logistics & Supply Chain Management, most prejudice thought about India: That all food would be made with Curry! (Not so true.J)
As a Western European citizen one may have a certain, prejudiced picture of India and to be honest, so did we before we came here. We imagined India as a country characterized by an unconceivable mass of people, unbearable noises and smells, poverty, the people´s strong commitment to religion, yoga, guru’s and, not to forget, the omnipresence of cows.
Since early June we are enjoying our time at IIM Bangalore, but of course we flee the scene as often as we can to explore the country itself with its many different facets, with one clear lesson: Many things are similar, but also oh so different. For instance, the amount of people – you are never alone!; queues – there are none!; traffic rules – there are none except one: hoooonk!; food – spicy three times per day!; noise level – deafening!; waste attitude – throw it wherever!; cows – they are everywhere and you better move!; religion – shrines, temples, mosques and churches in every corner!; and rickshaw drivers – let’s call them opportunists, but other words come to mind J. Many of our expectations regarding India were true but we have also learned that the country consists of so much more. For instance, what we really like is the vibrant explosion of all colours one can imagine be it clothes, houses or on the markets.
Unfortunately, time is passing by so quickly and our semester abroad is almost over. We will remember India for all the great and helpful people we have met, especially in school (At that point: thanks guys for everything!), for all the breath-taking places and nature we have seen as well as for the very diverse and good food. But, we will also remember the grievances we have seen outside campus and we truly hope that India can step up towards a brighter future for its people and the country. India is truly and absolutely incredible. There is a saying that goes: “There’s the world, and then there is India”. Our stay in India was definitely an experience we do not want to give away.
Record turnout at Vikasana’s Blood Donation drive
Vikasana, the Social Service Club of the students of IIM Bangalore has been taking on initiatives to provide service to the needy and underprivileged sections of society. One such step was the blood donation camp which was held at EB Dining Hall on the 19th of July, 2014 at IIM Bangalore. The camp, held in association with Prayaas, the social service initiative of EPGP and Red Cross Society, saw a total turnout of 223 people willing to donate blood. It recorded a total of 173 successful blood donations, the highest ever in the history of Vikasana’s bi-annual blood donation camps.
The camp started at 10:00 AM and extended till 5.00 PM. Professor Sourav Mukherji, the PGP Chairperson, was the first to arrive at the camp. This was followed by a stream of students, faculty and staff members. The camp also witnessed active participation from the EPGP, PGSEM and FPM programmes. After a basic checkup the donors were taken to a room where they each donated 450 ml of blood to save someone’s life. Refreshments consisting of juice, fruits and biscuits were provided to the donors. Huge diversity was noticed among the donors. Some, who had been donating on a regular basis; while others who were first timers, got rid of their apprehensions. One commonality was the smile on everyone’s face after giving blood.
This year, Vikasana also associated with the Student Alumni Committee by inviting Datri, an organization which works to create a database of Blood Stem Cell donor profiles, to be a part of the Blood Donation Camp. Prof. Janaki Anant, a PGSM alumnus from IIMB and associated with Datri helped facilitate this event. More than 70 people registered as donors with Datri and we hope the number of registration increases as the awareness spreads.
The camp was a success thanks to the tireless efforts of Vikasana coordinators, Prayaas Coordinators, Red Cross Society, Datri and the Hostel Staff. The enthusiasm of donors was a key ingredient in enabling a smooth progress throughout the day. As the years go by, the turnout of donors and awareness of the camp increases. The next Blood Donation Camp will again be held in February where an even greater turnout is expected.
