Meet IIM Bangalore’s EPGP Class Of 2024

Hostel for IIMB Students

FAVORITE HANGOUTS

If you want to know how far the class has come in 12 months, look no further than Preetam Rai Saxena.

“My coursework at IIM Bangalore started on the same day as the day my daughter joined her first school. We had a joint shopping expedition for our school supplies, including backpacks and water bottles, and both of us were equally thrilled as we set out on our academic journeys.”

Where did the class go and what did they do when they weren’t in class? Prashant Bhatewara, an engineer-turned-entrepreneur, notes that one of the class’s favorite campus hangouts was Haneenas Canteen, which stayed open until 4:00 a.m. for study sessions. Another hotspot was the teashop by the south gate, says Abir Banerjee, where students gathered to prep for class or just chat. To celebrate birthdays, class members would often gather at midnight in Q Square, their hostel’s common area. For the most part, says Shubham Sharma, the class stuck around campus.

“Our IIM Bangalore campus is like a big, green backyard. We all love taking long walks, chatting, and just soaking in the nature around us. But when the weekend rolls in, our hostel common areas become the go-to spots.”

IIMB Students

AN EXPERIENCED CLASS

By the numbers, the 75-member EPGP features 88% men and average 29 years of age. 57% of the class graduated from a Tier I undergraduate program and 20% possess business experience overseas. In terms of professional experience, IT Products (17%), Energy (16%), Banking and Financial Services (12%) and Automotive (11%) represent the largest industry segments. When it comes to functional expertise, 17% of the class last worked in General Management, followed by Operations (16%), Project Management (15%), Research and Development (9%), Product Management (8%), and Design and Engineering (8%).

Coming off of its 50-year anniversary celebration, IIM Bangalore entered 2024 on positive footing. In this year’s Financial Times MBA Ranking, the larger business program ranked 47th overall. This includes Top 10 finishes in the Career Progress and International Course Experience dimensions, as well as placing among the Top 40 for Alumni Engagement and Value for Money. One advantage the school enjoys is location. Bangalore – or Bengaluru as it is often called – has sometimes been called the “Silicon Valley of India” – ad it’s not hard to see why.

In a 2021 study by KPMG, Bangalore was home to the world’s 8th-largest tech cluster. A year later, a Cushman & Wakefield report pegging the cluster behind just Beijing. In fact, the area’s $110 billion dollar GDP would actually rank 66th in the world. Long known as India’s startup hub, ‘the Garden City also boasts 25,000 IT companies and 2 million tech workers. That doesn’t count over 1,050 higher education institutions that have supported Bangalore’s explosive growth. In fact, nearly 80% of Fortune 500 companies maintain a presence in Bangalore. That includes large offices for firms like Microsoft, Infosys, Wipro, and IBM – not to mention the presence of over 8,000 millionaires and nearly three dozen billionaires.

IIMB students taking a break

THE BEST OF BANGALORE

For EPGP grads, this growth means opportunities to network with top leaders, land impactful jobs, and launch lucrative businesses. The Class of 2024 is more than happy to sing the region’s praises.

“Bengaluru, has a vibrant and thriving business ecosystem,” explains Preetam Rai Saxena. “It hosts multitude of multinationals, tech giants and a thriving MSME sector. With a bustling young dynamic population of professionals, Bengaluru has emerged as the startup capital of India. These attributes offer an excellent opportunity for networking and learning via industry-academia connections.”

That said, Bangalore isn’t just where business in India is done. “When it’s time to unwind, this city has it all,” adds Prashant Bhatewara. “From quirky cafes in Koramangala to the bustling nightlife in Indiranagar, you’ll find plenty of fun hangouts. Plus, the pleasant weather, green spaces like Cubbon Park, and the city’s love for music and arts add to the high quality of life.”

IIMB Students

AN EXPERIENCE SECOND-TO-NONE

In the EPGP program, coursework is a marquee attraction. When it comes to learning, the Class of 2024 got what it wanted – and more! One of the most popular courses was Competition & Strategy, a case-driven deep dive into the nuances of decision-making.

“Competition & Strategy provided an in-depth exploration of strategic decision-making in real-world business scenarios,” writes Prashant Bhatewara. “Each case presented a unique puzzle, requiring us to navigate through a maze of data, industry dynamics, and internal capabilities to devise optimal strategies. What made this course truly exceptional was not just dissecting existing strategies, but also crafting our own. Our class projects involved conducting comprehensive analyses of a firm’s competitive strategy, overall industry attractiveness, and growth potential. This hands-on approach to strategy development was an invaluable experience.”

For Shubham Sharma, the Entrepreneurial Management course resonated with him. “We got to dream up our own business idea and see how it might come to life. It wasn’t just about reading and tests; we were creating something. Through this, I learned that starting something new has its ups-and-downs, but it’s all about sticking with it and adapting. That class, with all its hands-on work, has been a highlight for me.”

Along with IIM Bangalore’s location and programming, the Class of 2024 also relished the school culture. Raviroop Singh Kohli describes the EPGP dynamic as “healthy competition” – a place where the focus comes down to outcomes over grades. Even more, he adds, the program exposed him to people who enriched – if not changed – his outlook.

“Events that happen most frequently on the campus are the guest lectures and panel discussions with industry and subject experts. It has been a wonderful experience listening to the who’s who of the different sections of society – academicians, business executives, civil servants, judicial officers, journalists, and writers – here on the campus. The most important lesson I drew from these conversations is that management theory works, but management theory alone does not work; every manager works it in his unique way.”

Click on the links below to access in-depth profiles from the Class of 2024.