Humans Of IIM-Indore

*Your passion and your goals can coexist* :
If there’s one thing I have lived and witnessed all my life, it is that seemingly different things can coexist. And both can be equally loved, followed and nurtured. I grew up in a modest family who introduced me to music as well as academics and encouraged me to follow both of them.

I managed to balance both academics and music equally well . Infact I eventually completed my bachelors in music the same year I completed my 10th (and topped my school).

I was lucky to have come across something like IPM which valued my extra curricular achievements and saw it as a good match to the interesting bunch all of us first batch students were. Fun fact: I was also asked to sing a song during my PI. Imagine being asked to sing when you enter a room wearing a suit wondering what could be asked from you. It’s safe to say it all went well. We talked about music, academics, physics, books and so much more.

In college, I continued following my passion for music along with my studies. I was a part of Harmon-I (music society of IIM-I) for all 5 years that I was there and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It’s been around 4 years since we graduated from college and it still feels all the same to me. I have a job that I love, and have a life that I wanted: work during the day, make music at night. Coming to Mumbai helped even more. In the last couple of years I have managed to write a bunch of songs and even release two of them, one of them last month.

I just wanted to share this story because I wanted to say that sometimes it’s fine to be jack of several trades. I haven’t ‘made it’ in life but I am sure of the fact that none of us need to let go of something we love (be it dance, music or painting. Anything you love for the heck of it) to reach our life goals. Following your passion doesn’t need to come at a cost. Sometimes there’s a room for things you enjoy doing. And which can, in fact end up helping you more than you realise instead of coming in your way. Music did that to me. Your passion can do that for you too :)

~Rahul Bhardwaj
IPM 11-16

Taking a walk down the memory lane, I remember how I almost didn’t make it to Planet-I. In the exhaustion from the daily schedule of monitoring results from different B-schools, I did not notice the mail sitting in my inbox informing me of the much-awaited news which would change my life. With less than 3 hours left to deposit the token money to accept the admission, I stumbled upon the ignored e-mail and frantically confirmed my admission. A convert this late in the season, the next one week at home prior to leaving for Planet-I is something that I can’t really recollect.
It’s surprising how vivid my memories are of a time that passed by at a blurring pace. The amount of activity that occurs in your life during the first 4-5 months is hard to fathom. From making your place in the PGP-1 classrooms during the day and the parties at night, and at the same time still coping with the pressure of academics and placements. Among my most memorable times, was when I went from classes to partying to back to classes to partying again non-stop without sleeping for 6 days in a row. And yet, there was magic in the chaos – the late-night assignments done over coffee, the maddening rush in the mess, the anxiety of summer placements, the beautiful festival celebrations, the crazy parties. Maybe all of the chaos just makes you “grow” like the way you do at Planet-I, makes you better at “managing” not just your academics, but everything else as well that goes on in that wonderland. Maybe it’s actually the journey that makes the destination worthwhile.
Being from the first batch of PGP-HRM, my learning from the still-evolving nature of academics and program structure is unparalleled. In contrast to other domains, Human Resources is a craft function, and you really cannot understand the dynamics of human interaction at work unless you actually experience it. The HRM programme really enabled that practical understanding through endless workshops, guest lectures, fieldworks and contemporary certifications. The Himalayan Outbound Program was a life-altering event. Standing at one of the highest peaks in the world, where I did not even anticipate I would reach, was by far among the best experiences I have had while at Planet-I.
Lastly, my two cents for the people looking to be a part of the family of Planet-I: there are going to be situations where you will start to feel it’s all a lost cause, that it really isn’t worth it. But trust me, what you will go through is not really a moment of self-doubt, you’re actually acclimatizing to the life that’s in store for you. You’ll always be surrounded by chaos, with too much to do and too little time. Just be alive in the moment, and embrace the chaos – you should do just fine.

Harshdeep Singh Hora
PGP-HRM, Class of 2020


www.fiveowlfilms.com