Megha Dey, student of PGDM Batch 17 talks about the key to cracking the placement process

As a BBA graduate, Megha Dey could have opted for an MBA to further her career prospects. But she chose to do her PGDM because she believed that the curriculum would make her industry ready. After spending two years at KIAMS, an institute she had heard a lot about, she agrees that she made the best decision. She has now been placed in a facility management role with Quess Corp Avon, which is a subsidy of the global giant IKEA. Here she shares the journey of her transformation from a hopeful student to a confident management professional.

When asked to put her journey with KIAMS in words, Megha counts many positives. According to her things that seemed difficult and intense when doing them were also a huge learning experience in hindsight. “The rigorous presentations were definitely tough but they were totally worth it at the end of the day. I have learned so much about team effort besides gaining theoretical and practical knowledge. While the job I have bagged is the perfect entry in the corporate world for me, the knowledge I have gained during my time here will last me a lifetime,” she says.

In her new role as a professional with the company Megha will be responsible for meeting clients and discussing various facilities offered. She will also have to strive to boost the sales of the company. She is keen to prove her mettle by delivering on these tasks, just like she managed to impress during the placement interview. On what went right in the interview, she says “I had gathered fair bit of knowledge about the company, which is why I could talk about different scenarios and offer them the best solutions. I also relied on my SIP experience with Bank of Baroda (Kolkata) to come up with relevant answers during the interview.”

Megha mentions the IRP sessions at KIAMS as the main preparation for placement because not only did they improve her communication skills but they also helped her answer situational questions, which were the crux of her interview. Above all her confidence gained during the PGDM years showed clearly. That’s her advice to her juniors at the institute as well. “Be confident and everything will fall into place. Pay attention to classroom learning and projects because that will prepare you well. But also make the most of your time on the campus and with friends because it won’t come back,” she ends on an emotional note.

Abhijit Das talks about his placement with careers360 and how KIAMS has helped him develop to potential

Abhijit Das, student of PGDM Batch 17 at KIAMS believes that his placement as a Management Trainee with Pathfinder Publishing Pvt. Ltd (the company that runs careers360.com) is a big deal not only because of the reputation of the company but the fact that it is the perfect culmination of his academic tenure. The going has been tough for him as he lost his father during the first year of PGDM. But that only pushed him to excel in his studies and focus on the placement process. He admits that with the help of his faculty team and friends at the institute he has managed to get the final outcome he was hoping for.

Reflecting on his two years at KIAMS, he says “The placement with such a prestigious firm was the icing on the cake. My mother, who is a housewife, was extremely supportive during these two years. The placement has made our dream come true. But at the same time I feel the knowledge and confidence I have gained at the institute will help me in the long run. It certainly helped me crack the all important placement interview.” He goes on to add that all the assignments and activities he was a part of during his program helped him learn in the best possible way. That coupled with the confidence he had gained enabled him to impress his recruiters.

After completing his graduation in engineering, Abhijit was working in the construction field but soon enough realized that he needed to boost his competencies to build his career prospects. That’s why he chose to do his PGDM from KIAMS and believes that it’s a decision that has held him in good stead. “I would like to specifically mention the contribution of our faculty members in molding us as future professionals. They were always available to clear our doubts, point out mistakes and help us rectify them in a constructive manner. I believe this relationship goes beyond placements and will be with me for the rest of my life,” he states.

According to Abhijit, every day spent at the institute was a stepping stone towards his future career. The Summer Internship he did at Tata Steel helped him put the concepts he had learned into context and that’s how he made his mark during the placement interview. He is now at the cusp of an exciting journey ahead. “KIAMS has been a new life experience for me and it has prepared me for challenges in my career. Managing product life cycle, Project development and management, Planning, Scheduling, Co-ordination with different teams, Product testing, Market Research and analysis will be some of my job responsibilities and I feel up to the task,” he adds confidently.

Ask him about the aspects of his life at the institute that he is going to miss and Abhijit mentions different celebrations, the time spent with his friends and the campus itself. He holds those memories close to his heart and is going to cherish them for a long time to come. He also has valuable advice for his juniors at the institute. “You should follow your dreams and identify your area of interest. Whatever domain you choose; be it Product Management or Operations, you will find a lot of scope in it if you have in-depth knowledge of the subject. Try to build on your learning and the sky is the limit,” he says all ready to spread his own wings.

Karen Saldanha, Class Representative PGDM Batch 17 talks about her experience at KIAMS and how the institute helped with her HDFC Bank placement

After completing her graduation in Oman, where her parents both work as corporate professionals, Karen Saldanha decided to come to India to pursue higher education. She was keen to pursue a career in management and believes that KIAMS has helped her in a big way, borne out by her placement with HDFC Bank.

Karen admits that it took her a while to get over the initial shock of being chosen as a Relationship Manager by HDFC Bank because there were several other right candidates for the job. She also thought her interview wasn’t going too well but managed to turn things around for herself. “Initially it was going all wrong and I think I gave some wrong answers. At one point they even gave me a chance to learn the correct answer for one of the questions. I came back having prepared for more than that, which might have impressed them,” she says with a smile.

She also talks about the efforts taken by her institute to prepare her for the placement process. According to Karen the courses in GD, interviews and business communications groomed students and instilled confidence in them. “Besides that the modules where we were taught what the industry expects of us were very helpful. They had included courses on Customer Insight, Digital Marketing, Strategic Management, International Business, Brand Management, Consumer Behaviour etc and they helped us tremendously,” she adds.

Karen also points out that though she had got placed in her very first attempt she chose to not accept the offer as she wanted to make a bright start to her corporate career. She expects it to happen with a big name like HDFC where her job responsibilities will include, “Meeting clients and addressing their problems, ensuring cross selling of banking products and overall maintaining good relationships with them. I did my internship with Reliance Retail, Chennai and believe that experience will come handy in my job,” she asserts.

While Karen is on cloud nine at the moment, she also feels a hint of sadness knowing that she won’t be spending time on campus with friends. She states that one major advantage of a residential PGDM program is that you make friends for life. Ask her if she has any advice for juniors and she says, “Take efforts to match industry’s needs of skills and knowledge, pay attention to classes and do your assignments diligently. The secret to my good grades is 100% attendance. You might also want to create a LinkedIn profile because networking is the key.” Speaking like a true professional, she already is.

‘Diversity At KIAMS Brought Us Together, Helped Us Evolve’

Divya Kanoudia 
PGDM General

I joined KIAMS after completing graduation in Chemistry Hons. from Jamshedpur, my home town. KIAMS has been a valuable addition to my educational profile. It is here that I have learnt to think rationally and to analyse situations from different perspectives. The campus and the faculty more than made up for the otherwise dull city though initially I was scared to join the college. My first ever class at KIAMS was of Marketing with Ananth Ram Sir. I have majored in finance. My roommates were from the Southern and Western parts of the country. Our diverse eating habits, accents, etc. was something that brought all of us even closer. Most of the students in my batch were from Gujarat.

A particular Haryanvi friend of mine has been a great source of inspiration to me at KIAMS. His pleasing talking style and even the way he walks is something I admire. Also, it was great fun to teach the many South Indian, Marathi and Gujarati friends of ours Hindi. Funnily, I found it difficult to learn any of their languages.

One major benefit of being at KIAMS was the cultural and educational diversity it had. This diversity helped me in acquiring different perspectives to every problem I faced. The diversity at KIAMS has helped us evolve as individuals. KIAMS has been instrumental in shaping my personality from an immature, childish and confusedfresher into a mature, responsible and patient individual. I have gained a lot during my years at KIAMS.

“It has given me the flexibility to adjust to every situation I might ever face.”

Divya Kanoudia

PGDM General

KIAMS Taught Me To Give My 100%

My years at KIAMS were the first ever away from home. Though it was initially difficult to adjust to a life of independence and responsibility, the years at KIAMS are amongst the most memorable ones in my life.

KIAMS was where a shy and diffident graduate like me transformed into a confident, charming and ready-to-take-the road belle. The numerous interviews, presentations, exhibitions, etc. helped me gain the much-needed confidence. The spirit of excellence that was constantly and consistently focused upon by our professors was aided through the research works entrusted upon us. Along the way, I learnt how to work in a group, in coordination with others. My peer group at KIAMS was like an extended family. We celebrated birthdays, had fun and pulled each other through. When  I fell ill, they took care of me. When I was homesick, they extended support. When I was down, they helped me get out of it. The campus was also an integral part of my life at KIAMS. Its greenery and serenity always calmed me down.

I did my summer internship at Indilox. My job profile was of encashing fund management, analyzing balance sheets, computing ratios, etc. This was my first individual interaction with the corporate world. The interactions at KIAMS were integral in preparing me for such a job since even though I had mentors guiding me, each thing I did was for myself. Here I learnt that self-dependence is the key to success. You cannot depend on others; you must believe in yourself.

What I would like to advise you is to give your 100% to anything you do. It is important for you to realise that these are the years that will guide you towards a successful life. When you study, focus. When you play, have fun. These are the years that will change your outlook towards life. These are the years you will miss in future. These are the years that I wish to never let go off.

Dr. Pai from KIAMS Lifts Runner Up Trophy In An International Case Writing Competition.

To be a runner up in an international competition, where faculty members of major business schools presented best of their unpublished work, speaks volumes about the excellent analytical work of Dr. V S Pai. 

Students at KIAMS are painting the town red on their professor’s Chak De Phatte kind of success. “We are really not surprised because he has an uncanny ability to explain the most difficult of problems in the easiest possible way,” says PGDM student Drishya.

“What we like the most is that he goes beyond the text books and connects everything with the present scenario and developments. This really kind of hooks students to his class,” says PGDM student Rohit, another die-hard fan of Dr. V S Pai.

Although, with more than two decades of experience under his belt, Dr. V S Pai never took the competition lightly and always knew his work needed to be elaborate and analytical in order to come in the first three. His writing work explained how Tata Teleservices entered into a joint venture with NPC DoCoMo of Japan to improve the performance of their telecom venture.

Management theories and practices are fast evolving in the present business scenario where mergers and acquisitions have long become a norm. Challenges faced by business are myriad and new, requiring managers to think on the feet and develop a truly international perspective. Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies has a reputation to groom future business leaders in the art of not only surviving but also outshining in the competitive world of business.

“We at KIAMS are fortunate to have an experienced and talented faculty member like Dr. Pai, whose international exposure will help students develop international perspective and transform into world class business leaders,” says Dr. Gopal Iyengar, Director of KIAMS.

Dr. Pai has some advice for the students. “There is no short cut to excellence and this holds true for everyone. I keep updating my knowledge and skills, and writing papers is a kind of passion for me” says Dr. V. S. Pai. “Awards and recognition always follow tenacity, so keep your goal in mind and toil hard to achieve it,” advises Dr. Pai to his students. But he warns against being workaholic as it saps one of energy and life. “Work hard and party harder has been my mantra and it has worked very well for me till today,” laughs Dr. Pai.

The ‘Yes We Can’ Man! : Rahul Pugalia (2006 -07) Relationship Leader, Yes Bank, Hyderabad

A short chat with Rahul Pugalia – a product of the 7th Batch of Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies – and you know the kind of people who were instrumental in catapulting Yes Bank to unprecedented success, in a very short span of time. Rahul is one of those guys, who constantly seek to innovate… to improve things around them. Rahul was picked up by Yes Bank in 2006 directly from Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management, and has ever since been a part of the phenomenal growth story of Yes Bank. As a Relationship Leader, he currently handles Yes Bank’s relationship with SME’s with annual turnover upto 200 crores, taking care of their short-term and long-term requirement.

Out of his BCA and – Post CAT – straight into Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, Rahul more than covered up for his lack of experience with his tenacity and thirst for knowledge.

“I was blessed with an inspiring set of batch-mates at KIAMS. We had a great mix of people in our batch, coming from different cultures. From each culture and domain I would gain new organizational knowledge. Infact, it was during project discussions between students, that I learnt the most, especially when we disagreed strongly from one another. I realized that we disagreed because we had experienced different solutions to the same problem. These disagreements were a source of new ideas… new ways of doing things.”

“My best teachers, for all practical purpose, were the activities and Projects held in KIAMS. It was here that I imbibed a competitive spirit. Activities like ‘Pragati’ – the rural mela, an annual event – honed our sales pitch. It more than covered up for our real life lack of experience. We actually had to go around selling the concept of Pragati. It was the first time most of us actually got to do real selling, and it wasn’t easy.”

With MCA being the usual route after BCA, Rahul innovated. He knew that Finance and Programming, both involve analysis. If he’d gone into MCA, he’d end up at the programmer-level. That’s when a chat with a few of his cousins helped him zero-in on MBA in Finance. Marketing as a minor did not crop up till he got to KIAMS.

“I start my day by identifying clients I have to meet, sifting through pending requests and prioritize them, ensuring that all the client-calls are properly timed – so that none of the clients are missed or kept waiting – and generating leads for my future cases. This happens till about 3 o’clock. Post 3 o’clock, I work on the best looking prospects.”

“It was at KIAMS that I realized that in the corporate world, all are competitors. At KIAMS, it was not just about academics but also about extra-curricular activities. You were required to work with teams, work on ideas, finalize, and implement. Pragati was one such activity at KIAMS. We spent a lot of time in

conceptualizing, designing and organizing the entire thing… stuff I’ll remember my entire life.” Always on the look-out for improving things, he thinks it would be a good idea for the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies to think ‘local and SME’ when it comes to the Finance program at KIAMS.

“We were expected to do a lot of feasibility Reports on different projects, and do ratio analysis at KIAMS. It would be far more beneficial if we picked up local companies from Davangere to check on their financials, interpret their data. You see if we do a TATA or a GAIL or an Infosys, chances are, we will not be able to get their financial guys to come down to KIAMS and allow us to pick their brains on what is the reason of improvement in the ratio… or what is the comparison with the industry. Chances of interacting with the management of smaller and local companies are far higher and far more beneficial in KIAMS.”

‘At Kiams Work-ex Is Not Always Aa Advantage: Saurav Ghosh, Dy Manager, JSW Steel, Mumbai

Saurav Ghosh is a testament to the fact that at Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, they don’t try and fit square pegs in round holes. Saurav was – and still is – a hard-core Operations man… and is loving it!

“As a Textile Engineer from Bengal, I worked for 3 years for the Bhilwara group, at their Indore Plant before getting through KIAMS. Infact it was in my second attempt that I got through.”

A B-5 passout, Saurav received an on-campus placement at the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, with Jindal Steel Works (JSW), in the year 2004. Believe it or not, in this age of fly-by-night operators, he has never shifted 0rganisations for the last 8 years, and has chosen to grow with JSW.

“It’s been an excellent journey. I’ve been with JSW since I passed out of KIAMS in 2004. Despite many opportunities, I haven’t shifted… simply because I love my job. Any MBA aspirant should choose their Business school not just of its placement profile, but also on how well it prepares you for life. That is very important. A B-school like KIAMS equips you with skills for life. KIAMS might not be ranked among the top 10 B-schools in the country because nobody measures a B-school on this parameter. The process, through which the students at KIAMS are grinded, is far better than the most of the Top B- schools.”

In Mumbai with JSW, Saurav’s job is a typical 9-6 business – Procurement, interaction with the suppliers, PPT’s to the Directors, tying up with Finance – not the ideal one for an adrenaline junkie, but perfect for Saurav.

“You see, KIAMS was the turnaround point in my life. As an Engineer, I was working on the Shop Floor, but after an MBA from KIAMS, my profile changed completely and my salary went up manifolds. My MBA was more of general management. My core subjects were Project Management, Supply Chain Management… but there was a bit of Finance as well, while Marketing was bare minimum.”

For Saurav, there were ample clubbing and sporting opportunities at Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies. But he spent most of his time in the KIAMS library. He squarely blames the faculty for getting him ‘hooked’ onto academics!

“Right at the beginning of the first year, the first subject that was taught was ‘Principles of Management’. GI (Professor G. Iyengar) himself took that Class. It was the first of many classes that GI would conduct. He had this ability to make us think at different levels. GI’s Classes were more about Industry Practices rather than theoretical.”

Saurav points out that in the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, ‘work ex’ might not always be advantageous. “In a job, you pick up wrong practices, and you unknowingly carry this baggage to your B-school.

Secondly, the freshers at KIAMS do much better in terms of marks because we had, kind of, lost the habit of studying, while for the freshers it was just an extension of their education… the mugging- up business! However, the flip-side to it was that, freshers had limited understanding due to lack of experience. A work-ex helps you correlate and appreciate your subjects far better. It matters in the long run.”

 Saurav  feels, unless you are through-and-through an Operations man, you must stick to Marketing or Finance at the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies, because of the plethora of opportunities existing in these fields.

“At the end of the day, what matters is knowledge. Not just knowledge as a part of the academics in KIAMS – that is very important – but a 360-degree perspective of your business, be it Marketing, Finance or Operations. That helps during interviews. I was involved in acquiring a lot of business knowledge, which helped me immensely during campus placement at KIAMS.”

Taking The Unbeaten Track From Kiams :Sujith Sugathan, Art Director, ‘The Circle’

Sujith Sugathanis one of those alumni of Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies who actually prove that KIAMS lives by its credo ‘Teach to Think’.

“What I did at KIAMS has nothing to do with what I’m doing now. I did start out with Client Servicing at McCann Erickson. For that part KIAMS certainly helped me, because it was a management job. But two years down the line, I shifted into their creative team, and a year down the line, I joined a smaller agency called ‘The Circle’.

An Electronics and Communication Engineer Sujith came to Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies with no formal work experience.

“What was particularly great about KIAMS was the in-campus interaction with the students and professors… as well as the experience gained through the rural marketing festival, Summer projects, capstone exercise . Infact, summer projects, where we really gain hands-on experience needs to be looked at very seriously. It probably the first chance that one gets to experience the functioning of an organisation. Moreover, the project is definitely something that gives you a lot to talk about during interviews. The edge in an interview, is how much you try to communicate about yourself in a given time, because the interviewer may also be looking beyond the marks card. So the more you try to learn and experience during the Summer project and Capstone, the better”.

Despite being an Art Director- a seemingly non-management profile – B-school learning has definitely helped .

“What most of thecreative people fail to understand is the business side of things – the ‘moneyscience,’ and what happens behind the scenes. Having an MBA from KIAMS comes very handy… it definitely gives you an edge. At the end of the day what matters is what you are happy doing. I wouldn’t have been very happy making Power-point presentations and looking at sales figures. When I shifted, after 4 years of
Engineering, 2 years of MBA and then 2 years of pursuing the beaten path… it was a bit of a risk. But I’m appy about it.”

As an Art Director, his job is to take care of the visual composition – be it for an advertisement, or in any piece of communication. “We don’t work on obvious 9-6 timings… it can spill over. But you’ve got to be smart enough to manage time. Delegation and prioritisation of jobs is required… so that you don’t take too much of the work, home and burn out on the long run. It is when office pressure kicks in that you thank every professor at KIAMS for all those back-to-back project deadlines. We cribbed then, but now I’m really glad it happened. In my line of work, even the things that you do outside of work help. Anything can be of inspiration. So the work-life balance is really important. ”

Despite the fact that he has not been able to visit the Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies since passing out, Sujith feels a very strong kinship with KIAMS and has kept in touch with almost all of his batch-mates.

“KIAMS is pretty good. It shapes you up quite nicely,much because of the kind of faculty you have out there. They treat you like professionals and give you the kind of freedom that you require. It is definitely one of those institutes that shape you even beyond academics. It imbibes the right kind of work attitude in you, and trust me that does take you a long way. One should definitely try and participate in inter college festivals and event. After all an MBA is more about inter-personal skills and people management than about A’s and A+s .

There is enough and more opportunity for you to learn and experience. KIAMS is a very, very mature institute.”

Presenting KIAMS to The Public is Brand Club’s Goal

Spreading the word about Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS) is the aim of the Brand Club. Their goal, said co-ordinators, is “to bring to the world news, events and happenings of KIAMS that have a positive effect on our lives, every day.” There are seven members who co-ordinate the various activities of the Brand Club, which include making sure various events like quizzes, seminars and B-plan competitions are always on the agenda for the benefit of the batch. KIAMS organizes various events throughout the year and the co-ordinators said: “Our club’s work is to publicize these events through various social media networks.” Being involved in the Brand Club serves to enhance the educational experience they are receiving at KIAMS.

“Organizing the various events of KIAMS gives us hands-on experience and gives an opportunity to learn things not taught in books. It makes us street smart,” said the co-ordinators. It also allows them to put textbook theories into practice at the events. “Various theories like the Gantt Chart have been used by us to keep the events running smoothly,” they said. Their work, however, is not without challenges which have to be overcome.

“A common challenge we face every day is the language barrier and we keep good contact with the locals, who help us in the various events like some research work and Pragati-type events.” Choosing to have co-ordinators rather than a leader or president tends to make the task of running the club less demanding. “Having co-ordinators is in fact easier,” they said, “because all of us are equally adept at handling the various activities of the club. The team functions as a whole and things are divided as and when they arise.” While it is a student-run club, faculty member are always on hand to help whenever they are needed.

“Ours is a student club which highlights the various student activities organized by the batch,” said the co-ordinators. “The faculty plays a supervisory role whenever necessary.”