Think different

I first blamed it on his flowing tresses. A fundoo Hrithik's hairstyle shouldn't wander beyond Hrithik's own head. Then, it seemed to be the eager handshakes. Why was he so enthusiastic about the whole thing ? Truthfully, we PGP1 students should have been the ones frolicking. After all, a leading newspaper of the country (screw the censorship, it was Hindustan Times) was under the impression that the PGP22 batch had something different to offer. PGP20 batch had a guy who opted out of placements, and opened up his football training school. This batch had an exceptional number of singing dancing imbeciles. Some of us would have definitely committed a career blunder and landed up at IIML. We were great potential for the 'Think Different' story.

The interview(s) lasted for almost an hour. Our man was really digging hard for creativity. One of us could surely be a maverick. Have a bleak passion ? Blow it up ! Think you are different ? Of course you are. You are a normal guy ? Then fake it ! Picture a typical journalist with the above mentioned hairdo, a notepad, a fluffy semi-formal white shirt and a concocted look of amazement and a smirk.

The farce began with our quintessential Dilli waala, Deep.
"So Deep, tell me...dance...how did this all happen ?"
"I have always been interested in dance. I have yada-yada-yada and blah-blah-blah."
"So, do you plan to pursue a career in dance ?"
The journalist was mutely screaming - give me masaaala ! give me crap about your dreams.
He relented.
"Yes...I plan to gain corporate experience and eventually make my passion my career."
awwww....how lovely...

New Babe. New hot-word.
"So Meera, what are you interested in ?"
"I love playing baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, TT. I am also passionate about helping the blind and the poor. And yes, I was runner up in Miss Mangalore. I unfortunately did not choose World Peace as my true goal."
"Yes...So you what are you future plans ?"
Cmon...be my baby...say it...SAY IT !
"I think I am going to be.......an entrepreneur."
applause....applause...applause

The journalist had a content smile on his face. He had devoured two delicious farce victims. The next one turned out to be a bit chewy.

"Saawan, what are your real passions ?"
"Well, I like dramatics. I enjoy acting. I've been doing it for a few years. I like it."
Some morons just don't take a hint...
"So, are you planning to pursue dramatics as a career ?"
"Not really. I like doing creative things. Acting is one of them."
"Oh...so you are planning to get into films and become a star ?"
Some morons just don't take a hint...
"No. I do it for fun. I won't pursue it as a career."
BORING !!

I was the next interviewee.
But I'd rather not talk about it :D I said some things which I guess I shouldn't have and used vocabulary that didn't look pretty on paper. Today, quite a few friends gasped - "What ? He wrote that !! awww...." The photo looks pretty...The article...well... You judge it yourself :


MOHINI CHAWLA has been a national-level base ball player, has represented Andhra Pradesh in Table Tennis, besides being a district level basketball and chess player. That’s not all. For she is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer too!

Mohini is talented. So is Divya Khatri. The latter is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer, prolific writer and budding poetess besides. Prerna Bhutani is an expert in glass painting besides being a trained dancer.

So, don’t be surprised if a “Choreography club” comes up at IIM-L very soon.
For the new batch of students who joined IIM-L campus about a month back are immensely gifted. Photographers, painters, dancers—classical, salsa, cha cha cha, musicians, sketch artists, actors, writers, poets ….

You name it and you have it on the campus. Of the roughly 270-odd students in the new batch, about 80 have some expertise in a given field. Some are multi-faceted like Sudeep Gupta who danced his way to the “best dancers trophy” from none other than dancing master, Shiamak Dawar with whom he did a show in Delhi and has some “off beat plans” after completing his two year post graduate diploma in management from IIM-L.

Arvind Iyer who wants to write “cheap fiction” took training in ‘Bharatnatyam’ (you heard it right!), besides being trained in Indian classical and carnatic music is a performer who is just ‘confused’ about what he wants to do with multi-talented personality.

And how can one not mention the ‘actors’ in the talented crowd of management students. Meet Subodh Diwan, Rritu Saurabha and Abhishek Raghuvanshi. While Subodh, besides having acted in several plays, also has the experience of organizing cultural events and wants to do something to improve the ‘theatre scene’ in the country, Rritu, an employee of Indian Railways (on two years’ leave for pursuing his management studies), too knows a thing or two about ‘acting’.

And so does Abhishek, who worked with the Railways for four years, is into theatre and wishes to act in television serials. Two years later when multinational companies come on the campus to recruit them at dream salaries during the placement week, they might join the corporate jungle. But, what makes them different is that they do not intend staying there like there predecessors.

“I would work just as long as I have enough money to start a talent school of my own. The idea of imparting my creativity to others and being my own boss inspires me,” says Divya. Like her others too have similar ‘out-of-the-box’ plans.

The corporate world would be temporary. The creative, permanent is what they seem to believe in. The talented pool of students this year has inspired IIM faculty members as well. Says Prof Dharmendra Sengar, Chairman, Students Affairs, “It’s very encouraging to have this bunch of creative youths. They would serve as cultural ambassadors not just of the institute but also of the country when they go abroad as part of the students exchange programme.” His advice to the talented bunch: “Enjoy with discipline”!