Meet IIM Kozhikode’s PGP-BL Class Of 2024

P&Q: Pretend you are an ambassador giving a tour at your business school. Name one place you would show a candidate and why was it so important to you.

Sethi: “The one place which I definitely miss and keep visiting whenever I am on the IIMK campus is the bridge area between P& Q Hostels. That area is where I’ll tell new students at IIMK to visit, explore, and spend time.

I genuinely feel that IIMK’s photographs do not justify the point that it is the most beautiful business school campus in India. It’s a feeling that you only understand when you live it. The campus is so beautiful that even after more than a year of leaving the campus, I keep missing it. The flora, fauna, clouds, the mist, the mountains, and all of this combined with the best of friends.

The bridge between the P&Q hostel leading to the mess is in the newly developed area of the IIMK campus. It had a sitting area where we all used to sit with our cups of tea, coffee, and milk and chat for hours. Watching the mountains, birds, and clouds with snacks at hand each evening used to be the highlight of the day. We all used to chatter, laugh and gossip about so many things.

IIMK has a night canteen running from 11 PM to 3 AM. I remember how I used to grab hot bournvita milk with buttered aloo paranthas and have it sitting on the outside area of mess and savor it with friends.

Early in the morning, the clouds, sunrise, birds chirping, and the mist flowing around used to make the view so lovely.

I feel there are so many places on the IIMK campus where one can enjoy the beauty of the campus, but this bridge is a place where I created a lot of unforgettable memories with my friends!”

P&Q: Why did you choose IIM Kozhikode for your MBA?

Sethi: “Choosing IIM Kozhikode was serendipity at play. I had got admissions in another premier business school in Chennaik, but COVID struck before the classes could start. The whole MBA program at the institute got delayed by a few months. I had paid the fees and was already attending ‘Term Zero’ classes by the institute which involved Industry Stalwarts notably Rahul Dravid, Dr. Bala Balachandran, Indira Nooyi, and many more giving sessions about life, science, and management in general.

Soon, I got to know about IIMK’s new 1-yr MBA program, Post Graduate Programme in Business Leadership, which was created on the lines of 1-yr MBA programs in India such as IIMA’s PGPX, IIMB’s EPGP, and ISB’s PGP. It was similar in approach, yet so different in execution. When I was applying, the first batch was in studying online from home because of covid. I had always known about the legacy of IIM Kozhikode and the world-class pedagogy they had in their curriculum. I reached out to a few of the then-current students, like Prashasti Varshney and Anur Dixit, to know about the program and their experience. And from everyone, I got a positive response.

The unique application process involved creating an alternative resume for oneself which I created – Sunmeet’s Ikigai, which was liked by both the professors. One of them was Dean Professor Anandakuttan Unnithan, who interviewed me along with a senior alumnus of IIMK who was a Vice President at JP Morgan. I loved my interaction with them and got selected for the 2nd Batch of the IIMK PGP-BL MBA program.

Now when I reflect back, I realize that my decision was backed by IIMK’s legacy, brand name, campus placements, the unique application process, student interactions, and the interview conversation with professors. And I feel applying for IIMK PGP-BL was one of the best decisions of my life!”

P&Q: What is one thing you wish that you’d done earlier as an MBA student? Why?

Sethi: “I wish as an MBA student I should have started interactions with my batchmates earlier than I did. It took me some time to gel up with everyone, open up, and break the cultural barriers to have a nice healthy conversation with my batchmates.

I come from Delhi, which is the capital city in the North of India, and all my upbringing, schooling, under-graduate studies and even work for good 3-4 years before my MBA had been in Delhi. And to go from Delhi to the south of India, Kozhikode in Kerala was a different learning experience for me. My batchmates were from almost all parts of the country especially Hyderabad, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.

I did interact and had a good laugh with them while working on projects, assignments, parties, and playing cricket/football, but I feel I should have done it earlier. The inhibitions took some time to go away, and it took me a while to come out of my comfort zone and gel with all of my batchmates, and learn from them.”

P&Q: Where were some of your classmates’ favorite hangouts? What do they do and why do they gravitate there? What are some big advantages of MBAs studying in this city?

Sethi: “At Kozhikode, we tried exploring so many food joints and hangouts in the city. From Dosa Point serving amazing dosas to The Paragon Restaurant (my favorite) offering the best Mango Fish, we savored finger-licking cuisines a lot. Sixth Avenue Cafe, Kadalas Cafe, and The Lighthouse Restaurant have some amazing dishes to explore. Veg Mantra and Punjab Di Rasoi are special restaurants to enjoy vegetarian and Punjabi food items respectively.

Kerala is full of so many beaches. Each weekend, we used to explore different beaches and the cafes near them. Kappad Beach, Kozhikode Beach, and Beypore Beach were our go-to hangout places to sit, snack, and chat with our friends. HiLite Mall was our place to go shopping, play bowling, and have an entertainment-filled day. We even watched a Hindi blockbuster film, ’83 in the Crown Theatre which was on the story of the Indian Cricket Team winning its first world cup.

I think the big advantage of studying in Kozhikode, Kerala is the beauty of the state. Kerala is known as God’s Own Country and hence, IIMK is called God’s Own Campus. The monsoon in Kerala is one of the most beautiful events of the year. The campus and the city just turn up a blanket of green everywhere. The beauty, nature, greenery, weather, and food make it a place to surrender yourself to nature and embrace the learnings of MBA while making memories with your friends.”

5 REASONS TO CONSIDER IIM KOZHIKODE

1) Core Values: “In choosing a business school, it’s essential to find a place where you can not only grow academically but also personally. For me, the unique culture of IIM Kozhikode, embodied in its core values of Satyam, Nityam, and Purnam, which translate to Truth, Sustainability, and Wholeness, resonated deeply with my goal of developing an impactful leadership style that harmonizes profit with purpose.”
Ameya Agrawal

2) Campus Beauty: “Undoubtedly, the campus is one of the main reasons I choose IIMK. Hands down, it is one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. Having a long stretch of Kerala monsoons makes this campus more beautiful. This environment serves as a great break from concrete jungles and helps us reflect on our thoughts.”
Dheemanth Reddy

3) Wholistic: “Incorporating reflection and Eastern values into the MBA degree of IIM-K set it apart from the rest of the MBA programmes. Electives offered to us, such as Narratives of Wisdom’ and ‘Workplace Wellbeing through Karma Yoga, indicate this holistic learning experience. These are essential to our development as future leaders in an ever-changing society. The constant focus on delivering value additions, chasing timelines, and upskilling ignores the value of being happy, resilient, and satisfied in the workplace. The programme’s diverse focus allows us to align our thoughts to become empathetic, multidimensional leaders.”
Apoorva Chaturvedi

4) Experienced Classmates: “The second aspect, the average work experience of the cohort in the program is 5.5 years, ranging from 3 to 18 years. The diversity makes the classroom sessions so rich and diverse; we get to learn from the point of view of an expert in the domain as well as someone who is learning about the domain for the first time. There’s a drastic difference in both points of view, hence the learning is immense.”
Drishti Sharma

5) Experiential Learning: “The PGP BL program uniquely combines knowledge and experiential learning to provide a holistic understanding of business concepts in a span of just 1 year. The program encourages a practical approach through a variety of case studies and simulations enables reflective thinking and fosters new perspectives to solving business problems.”
Naina Nedungadi

Student	Hometown	Undergrad Alma Mater	Last Employer
Vrushali Agrawal	Sangli, Maharashtra	MIT College of Engineering	BirlaSoft
Ameya Agrawal	Pune, Maharashtra	MIT College of Engineering	Mahatma Gandhi Seva Sangh
Rewati Bulusu	Nagpur, Maharashtra	Nagpur University	Digicorp Pvt.
Dharan Chakravarthi	Coonoor, TamilNadu	NA	Cognizant Technology Solutions
Apoorva Chaturvedi	Mumbai, Maharashtra	Institute of Chartered Accountants of India	LTIMindtree Limited
Pushkal Chinta	Hyderabad, Telangana	NA	Beatitude Foods LLP
Naina Nedungadi	Bangalore, Karnataka	Christ University	Showtime Events India Pvt Ltd
Ashutosh Ranjan	New Delhi, India	Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology	Cognex Corporation
Kaustubh Rath	Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh	VSSUT, Sambalpur, Odisha	Hyundai Motor India
Dheemanth Reddy	Hyderabad, Telangana	SRM Institute of technology -KTR	Unschool Learning
Drishti Sharma	Delhi, India	Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women	Saint-Gobain India Private Limited
SHIVANGI SINGH	Gurgaon, Haryana	Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women	Maruti Suzuki India Ltd