Meet The Indian Institute Of Management Ahmedabad MBA Class Of 2024

A STUDENT AND A FAMILY MAN

Not only did Gopi Ethamukkalam have to contend with formidable academic workloads, but he also had to meet the needs of his family during business school.

“I’m a father of two boys aged 7 and 5 years. My family stays with me on the IIMA campus – managing the rigour of the course while trying to balance my family’s expectations is not easy. I have been able to adjust to the new norm comfortably. I’m a dedicated student – never missed a lecture so far, have participated in student committee elections, case competitions, and sporting events. But on the other hand, I also ensure to devote sufficient time to my family. Playing with my kids is the best way for me to unwind after a hectic day of academic work.”

Outside class, Ketan Pandey unwinds through woodworking and parasailing. Shuchita Thapar spends her spare time as an Australian Rules Football umpire. And Md Irshadullah Gharbi keeps himself busy in a variety of ways.

“I am a certified Basic Mountaineer, in which I learnt rock climbing, camping and snow crafts in subzero temperatures at an altitude of more than 10,000 feet in North Sikkim, despite being cold-averse. I am also a motorcycle enthusiast and take my motorcycle wherever I go because I love doing long motorcycle rides. And lastly, I am an occasional satirical cartoonist.”

MOVIES AND MUSIC UNITE THE CLASS

When the class is around campus, you’ll probably find them at certain hangouts. For example, Pankhuri Mishra touts Kamla’s Café for its “delectable” Gujrati food that reminds her of home cooking. As a whole, the class gravitates to Bhavesh Bhai’s, BBs for short. Open 20 hours a day, BBs is the spot where classmates gather for drinks.

“It is the go-to place for our class on every occasion, be it cursing the high assignment load, discussing opportunities in startups, or consuming cups of coffee the night before exams,” explains Kartik Bhatia (NITI Aayog). “It’s an excellent place to bond with batchmates and foster friendships over tea and coffee.”

The class is also fond of organizing sports activities, such as cricket, badminton, squash, and volleyball, says Gopi Ethamukkalam. In fact, the new campus includes a sports campus that includes a “well-equipped” gym and a swimming pool, says Sylvester Dias. Near campus, you’ll find the Ahmedabad One Mall for shopping and movies too.

“There are a bunch of movie enthusiasts in the cohort – we flock to the theaters to catch our favourite stars in action,” Ethamukkalam adds. “While staying on campus, I have seen a movie on average every month; I must say reasonably good theaters conveniently near the campus are a boon. Outside of sports and movies, food provides another avenue for us to come together. Food streets, fine-dine restaurants, specialty hotels – we are surrounded by multiple options allowing us to choose one that suits the situation and our palate. Finally, Sabarmati Riverfront is one of the best spots for nature lovers like me to relax and reflect during the evenings.”

Maybe the most fun is found in the school’s music room. Boasting a variety of instruments, the music room is where students come together to beat stress by jamming out.

“Having music lovers around has helped me keep in touch with my hobbies of performing music and even writing songs,” says Sylvester Dias. “The jam sessions are a welcome escape from the routine and rigour of academics and keeps me sane. Additionally, I enjoy interacting with my batchmates during our weekly Soul Curry meet-ups. Soul Curry is a PGPX Student Club where students can interact with each other on a personal level, have philosophical discussions and really connect with each other. The meet-ups are indeed the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’.”

THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE

Overall, the PGPX Class of 2024 features 148 students, who bring a 693 average GMAT and 323 average GRE to class. As a whole, women account for 22% of the class. Academically, 81% of the class hold undergraduate degrees in Engineering-related fields, with the remainder majoring in Commerce. In terms of professional backgrounds, the largest segment of students – 22 – last worked in Manufacturing or Engineering. 16 students held Consulting positions, followed by IT Products (13), Government Enterprises (12), Banking and Financial Services (11), Energy (9), Infrastructure and Construction (8). The remainder of the class can be found n Retail and eCommerce, Defense and Security, Consumer Products, Aerospace, NGOs, Advertising, and Healthcare.

If you asked the Class of 2024 to share what they love most about IIM Ahmedabad, many would cite the faculty. Gopi Ethamukkalam calls them, “some of the best in the industry”, thanks to their “deep industry and research experience.” It isn’t just the faculty who make the learning atmosphere so rich, adds Kartik Bhatia (NITI Aayog).

“[The faculty doesn’t] just teach business courses, but provide a unique learning experience in every class through case-based methods. The cohort at IIMA is very diverse regarding work experiences, which makes the class discussions comprehensive and adds to peer learning. The alumni consist of industry stalwarts ready to visit campus and help the batch enhance their MBA journey. The support provided by various learning centers at IIMA is beneficial, be it the Entrepreneurship Center or the Public Policy Center.”

The Strategic Management course reflects the quality of teaching and programing at IIM Ahmedabad. According to Md Irshadullah Gharbi, the course – taught by Professor Sunil Sharma and Professor Amit Karna – grabbed students’ attention with a mix of engaging content and entertaining interplay.

“Prof. Amit Karna’s light-hearted approach and ability to transform complex problems into easily digestible concepts helped me develop an immense interest in the subject. Prof. Sunil Sharma’s calm and confident demeanour and story-telling approach would blow my mind as he navigates through a case. I still remember Prof. Amit Karna praising his colleague Prof. Sunil Sharma: “Whenever Prof. Sunil Sharma enters a classroom, its temperature drops by ten degrees.” This course gave me insight into how a CXO thinks, and I will never forget the concepts of strategic tradeoffs, the importance of synergy and strategic fit, and the 4Cs of Strategy.”

MAKING YOUR CASE

The school’s case-based methodology is equally popular among students. Call it a management simulation, where students read in-depth stories relating to issues faced by real companies. Here, students act as general managers, wrestling with incomplete information, contradictory data, painful tradeoffs, and uncertain outcomes – always aware that there are no right-or-wrong answers. After analyzing situations and formulating solutions, students must communicate and defend their positions in class. In the process, they learn to listen and gain humility, finding that their classmates’ experiences enable them to find better or more holistic alternatives. In essence, the case method is much like exercise, where repetition produces muscle memory that make students faster, stronger, and more fluid in solving problems.

“The program immerses the students in the case situations, allows them to discuss the approaches adopted by them first in their Syndis (small student groups from varied backgrounds), and then in classroom with the professors,” explains Kartik Bhatia (McKinsey). “Learning by defending and modifying decisions that have been taken, the students develop their analytical and critical thinking skills. In one session, you become the CFO of an Airline organization, while the other session makes you analyze the case as a CMO of a FMCG giant. They groom you to become able leaders in the future.”

Beyond the classroom, the IIMA PGPX program is blessed by its location, which places students in the middle of the action, says Md Irshadullah Gharbi.

“Business is there in the air of Gujarat. Many companies, such as Adani Group, Reliance Jio, Zydus Life Sciences and Gujarat Gas Limited, have headquarters or big offices in Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad, being the largest city of Gujarat, is not only one of the business hubs in Western India itself, but also physically closer to a large number of factory sites and industry townships. It is also closer to other business cities such as Surat and Vadodara. Last but not least, it is just 500 km away from Mumbai, the financial capital of India. I still remember the protagonist of one of the cases by Prof. Debojit Roy – Vasant Farm Fresh – who came to our campus to discuss his business and operations because he is running his business around Ahmedabad. It was mind-blowing as you saw things working which were discussed in class.”

Of course, commerce is just one half of the city’s appeal, adds Kartik Bhatia (McKinsey). “Ahmedabad is a true reflection of Vibrant Gujarat & Growing India. An enterprising and business-oriented society with cultural richness (electrifying atmosphere during Dandiya festival) and mouth-watering local cuisines (Khaman Dhokla & Fafda Jalebi), you will fall in love with the city at once. The city has a natural business acumen and sense and is a perfect blend of modern and traditional thinking.”

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PGPX PROGRAM CHAIR

Last fall, P&Q reached out to Professor Amit Karna, PGPX Program Chair. Here are some additional details about the program.

P&Q: What have been the two most important developments in your MBA program over the past year? What type of impact will they have on current and future MBAs?

Karna: “The PGPX Batch size has been increased from 140 to 148 which shall give the opportunity to more students to be a part of the PGPX journey. In order to enhance the diversity of the cohort, IIMA – PGPX in the last year has introduced entry Scholarships (25% of the fees) for unique profiles and backgrounds of incoming candidates. To encourage academic rigour the IIMA PGPX has also introduced Scholarships at Graduation (15%). These actions shall have a lasting impact on the cohort mix and academic excellence as well.”

P&Q: Give us your one-minute pitch for your business school. What makes you unique?

Karna: “IIMA PGPX is the global benchmark for Career Transformation as per FT Ranking. This has been a conscious effort of the institute and the program to ensure that the right fit between corporate and PGPX is matched for the roles. This is the most unique aspect of the program.”

P&Q: What are some key elements in your teaching of leadership? What types of options does your school offer that deepens student experience with leadership and makes them more competitive in the marketplace?

Karna: “We have a mix of Core & Elective Courses focusing on Leadership Skills and Strategy. The following courses are offered in the PGPX program for Leadership.

Leadership Skills

Transformational Leadership

Strategic Management

Negotiation Strategy for Managers

The Case-based pedagogical framework is unique to the IIMA methodology of incorporating CXO-level thinking & perspectives under the expert guidance of the IIMA faculty members. This is also backed with CXO level talks from Industry at IIMA Campus to ensure students get a feel of real-world problems and solutions.”

P&Q: Two years ago, P&Q asked you to share how you’ve integrated AI, STEM, analytics, and digital disruption into your programming. Since then, what types of enhancements have you made in these areas?

Karna: “The Following courses have been integrated in the IIMA PGPX Program with regards to this point.

Data Science in Business

Learning through automation & analytics

Seminar on Market Data Analytics

Leadership & Digital Transformation

Strategic Management for Technology & Innovation

Digital Products, Platforms, Disruption & Transformation

P&Q: What is your biggest student-run event of the year and what does it reflect about your school?

Karna: “The Red Bricks Summit is the largest student-run event at IIMA which also involves PGPX. This is a major corporate and Industry interfacing event wherein CXO level speakers are invited to debate on various aspects of the current corporate issues which give a unique insight to the students of various industries.”

Next Page: Profiles of 12 PGPX students

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