Our students go on to do much more than just earn money – they change world. So, here we present the success story of one of those alumni Mr. Sumesh Khatua. Mr. Sumesh earned his MBA in HR & Marketing from IBS in 2005 and presently doing Post Graduate Certificate in “Human Capital Leadership” from XLRI, Jamshedpur. L&D Strategy Architect with 16 years of experience in the implementation of measurable learning and development solutions to optimise business operations and take advantage of opportunities for organisational growth; responsible for the management of learning and development for about 10,000 professionals.
Sumesh Khatua IBS Gurgaon (2003-05) DirectorKPMG Global Services (KGS)
He presently serves as a Director for KPMG Global Services’ Learning and Development team, where he oversees a group of 10 accomplished individuals that build specialised learning journeys to meet the wide range of learning and development needs. He is the winner of the prestigious “Brandon Hall” award in 2021 for “Best Unique/Innovative Leadership Development Program,” 2020 for “Best Advancement in Competencies and Skill Development,” and 2018 for “Best Use of Mobile Learning,” people development solutions have received recognition around the world (Best use of Performance support). In order to influence executives’ demonstrable behavioural change, he is a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centred Coaching credentialed “Executive Coach.”
He has gained knowledge from all of his experiences, and each assignment has improved him as a professional in learning and development. He sees Infosys as the place where he has gained knowledge of the effects “L&D” as a function may have on the business and honed his designing skills. Also Mr. Sumesh has spent almost ten years at Deloitte, which was also where he made his entry into the “Professional Services” industry and had the chance to collaborate with experts from other nations and gain an appreciation for the value of flawless execution and participant experience. One of his proudest professional achievements was managing a team that received recognition both inside and externally. He had a chance to be at the forefront of the decision-making process, all because of his recent excursion into “KPMG Global Services.”
Alumni are the best brand ambassadors for any educational institution. One of the measures of the success of an educational institution is the success of its alumni and IBS has one of the largest and strongest alumni networks. So, here is the success story of one of those Alumni. Ms. Priyanka Sarkar Deb is a highly knowledgeable, hands-on, and very hardworking person. She Knows her way around the challenges. She is an expert in handling people matters in strategic situations as well as in core HR subjects. As an HR generalist, she has managed varied employee groups for a span of 2000 employees across locations within India associated with the field of Information, Communication and Technology – the new ICT industry, BPO, and Financial industry.
Ms. Priyanka Sarkar Deb IBS Gurgaon (2003-05) Head of Operations and People Transformation, Service DeliveryEricsson Digital services
Ms. Priyanka has done her PGPM from ICFAI Business School in 2003-2005, She is currently working in Ericsson and leading transformation projects for a 7000+ digital services unit that spans across India, China, and European countries. The role she performs demands a unique mix of covering the dual dimensions of Operations as well as People transformation. The operations area includes a focus on areas of operational hygiene, cost leadership, and workforce management edging it further with digitalization and automation.
In addition to her professional responsibilities, she is mentoring 3 professionals from the industry and is an active social contributor with a registered NGO. She has also worked with IBM, and Indiabulls and has ventured into many dimensions of HR, operations, strategy development, and transformation.
Nothing makes us prouder than being able to talk about the success of our alumni who has made significant contributions in their fields, ICFAI students have a history of achieving their dreams and pushing their limit. So, here we present the success story of one of those alumni Mr. Ayush Bansal. He is a new-age entrepreneur who is proactive, intelligent, enthusiastic, and full of energy passion he has done his PGPM from ICFAI Business School in 2009-2011, He is currently the Founder and CEO of iDreamCareer. At the age of 17, he helped a student of facing the challenge for choosing the right career path and guided a domestic helper too to get back to education.
Ayush Bansal IBS Gurgaon (2009-11) Founder and CEO iDreamCareer.com
. Later at the age of 22, he made the decision to leave his well-paying position in investment banking and launch iDreamCareer, along with that, he was also a part of many social organizations like Aasman Organisation, Medhavi organization. The US state government chose Ayush as one of India’s top ten entrepreneurs, and he was also invited to the GES 2016, which was hosted by US President Barack Obama. iDreamCareer was recently selected as World’s top 200 EdTech companies by Arizona State University & GSV Venture for the GSV Cup 2020 & also as South Asia’s top 100 EdTech companies by Holon IQ. Ayush often contributes to media outlets and speaks at international conferences. As one of India’s top 40 leaders in the education sector, he was recently named to the Business World Education 40 under 40 2020 list.
He has worked as a full-time entrepreneur for the last 10 years and has spent the last 11 years in the field of career counselling. He has successfully guided iDream Career to become India’s most well-known social company for career guidance, inspiring around 2.5 Crore+ students each year.
To some extent, women have been deprived of opportunities once in a lifetime because of their gender. India’s history of women struggling for equality is not a novel concept. Basic rights like education and freedom to choose a specific life for themselves were big things to ask back then. Due to inequalities in income, most families always ended up being middle class or in the lower middle-class bands.
Later, people realized the inequality and conservatism created in the name of values and started questioning. Social standards and traditions never worked in a women’s favor anyway. Gradually, this belief changed, and women asking for equal rights in society. We are already halfway, but a long journey is yet to be covered. The families were hesitant to accept a ‘working woman’ because, you know, she ‘may not look after the family’. What an anomaly it was at that time. With the increased awareness, I feel most of the current generation is lucky enough, as they are free to obtain any degree of their choice, and choose any field to work as well. We are independent and even ventured out on our own, in different fields.
But then again, the challenges never end now more than ever, it has become so easy to compare ourselves to people on entirely different paths. We compare ourselves to people who have been building their careers and finances much longer than we have. We compare ourselves to people who had financial support from their families when we didn’t. We compare ourselves to people whose lives seem alluring when they may be in debt trying to afford their lifestyle.
Nowadays, women are gradually making their leadership presence felt in entrepreneurship, administration, education, engineering, health, etc. at regional, national, and global levels. Women are now breaking the traditional glass ceiling that barred them from entering leadership positions even if they possessed the requisite skills and talent to occupy them. Women are constantly evolving and reaching new milestones across a wide spectrum of human activities in modern times. They function as a role model for their subordinates. They inspire their team and spend a lot of time coaching their team. They care a lot about their personal development. Women leaders emphasize teamwork, collaborate well, and are multi-taskers who are thriving to balance the home and work efficiently. Their authentic communication act as a key to success. For most women leaders, leadership is not meant only for accomplishing organizational goals but for transforming their people into better and improved individuals. Any institution, whether it is society or organization, in the present century cannot function effectively without women’s equal participation in leadership activities. Women bring a whole new perspective emphasizing overall growth.
In today’s world, organizations that are led by leadership teams make effective decisions that deliver better results. In the twenty-first century, the essential qualities required to lead include the ability to collaborate, connect, empathize and communicate. Many statistics show that companies led by women have better financial results. Leadership by women is vital to increase the pace of societal transformation at home and in the workplace. Women leaders are likely to provide an integrated view of work and family, resulting in an engaged and promising personal and professional future. Gender parity in leadership is important because true progress cannot happen without a diversity of perspectives in leadership roles.
However, to bring equality environmental support and guidance are extremely vital. I am fortunate enough to find the required push in IBS Gurgaon, everyone here believes in equivalent opportunities irrespective of their gender. Professors here, give equal opportunities to all and educate them to grow. As even today too many women continue to experience environments where their achievements and voices are not recognized or heard. Proudly, IBS pays special attention to how women learn while placing that learning within the overall co-educational context on the campus. They offer a stimulating, active, and academic environment and a home to all students. The environment here is warm, friendly, and inclusive. The College has shaped outstanding, independent-minded women across different careers. Our alumni also support each other and the young women just starting in their careers. IBS has female workers, receptionists, and staff which certainly shows they not only preach but also aim to give equal career and educational opportunities to all. Most importantly, it is essential to give safe working space to women. All measures are carefully taken to make the environment friendly, safe, and secure. This way, no woman will ever feel unheard or unappreciated in any field, and will continue to grow. A woman has always been capable to lead and excel in the desired field and with appropriate provision, the sky will always be the limit. IBS not only strengthens the core foundation of the individual but also makes them believe in the power of raising their voice against inequality.
A master’s degree is the final step into academics for most individuals, and for those who want to enter the corporate ladder, a master’s degree plays a pivotal role. So, choosing the institution for the same is critical in one’s life. And if you are planning to do an MBA, then the decision to select a B-School involves the student network, too, as you will be around them during your MBA journey, and they would be playing an essential role in your journey from campus to corporate.
The question that may arise is why diversity is important as students are happy in their comfort zone and are making groups according to their interests or similarities. But if someone wants to stand out, diversity plays an essential role.
As it brings critical thinkers
Students from different backgrounds in the classroom help in building social awareness, which allows them to gain different perspectives, draw more vital conclusions, and equip them with skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives.
2. It helps the students feel involved among the peers A study from the University of California, Los Angeles, looked at diverse classrooms to assess the emotional gains of students and found uplifting results. According to the study, students in
the most varied classrooms were likelier to feel safer, less lonely, and less bullied.
What does diversity look like at IBS?
Professional Diversity
IBS admits approximately 500 students to its PGPM program every year. IBS each year adds students from different fields holding degrees in commerce, humanities, science, economics, and engineering. What is even fascinating is that some students have work experience in a good company, which results in a better understanding of corporate norms for the students who are freshers.
Gender Diversity
With around 50-50% ratio of students, IBS left no stone unturned to respond to the market demand for diversity by working on the gender ratio and successfully managing to improve on it. And through B-School, women are getting an opportunity to work at the top level and expand the economy through their contribution to the corporate world.
According to a study published by global accounting and consulting firm Grant Thornton, the percentage of women in senior management for India stood at 39 percent as against the global average of 31 percent, which signals the changing outlook of Indian businesses towards working women.
Academic Diversity
The class is refreshingly diverse as students come from various entrance tests. Students get the option of multiple entrance tests like IBSAT, CAT, XAT, NMAT, and GMAT, from where they can apply for IBS; the college experience a diverse group of people who brings several points with them, their outlook towards problems, their insights towards topics in detail, etc. Apart from scores, students often fetch resume spikes to their credit, like but not limited to higher-than-average work experience, non-traditional backgrounds or entrepreneurial profiles, and a propensity to add tremendous value to the class through their varied experiences.
Cultural Diversity
IBS witnessed its students from various states representing their own unique cultures. The students of colleges are comprised of different states and union territories like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, and Bihar, etc. they bring new perspectives to the classroom.
How does diversity elevate the IBS experience?
Attending lectures with such a diverse group of students lends rich perspectives to the subject being taught, as students share their own experiences and viewpoints, which are different among students, that bring fresh insights about the topic, resulting in healthy discussion among students. Through this, students also generate synergy among each other. For example, an analytic class may be more insightful if someone with experience in the same industry can share their viewpoint. This scenario generally takes place in the class; work ex-students share their perception of the specific topic and link it with the work they had done in their job.
How does IBS celebrate and encourage diversity?
Study Group Pairing
With countless presentations, group discussions, panel discussions, and assignments, a student experience different sights from a diverse group of people as they work with distinct people bringing other dishes to the platter. These groups of students remain flexible most of the time as the students are tied up with different groups which emphasize that students can learn from distinct people’s mindset.
You must be thinking about what it would result in as if people are working in a diverse group, it can bring problems within the group members, but if we look at the positive aspect, it can get a vibrant outlook among the students. And while working in a diversified group, one can be assured of the optimal solution as all members put their best forward. That outcome eventually results efficiently.
Buddy session
IBS narrows the gap between juniors and seniors by organizing buddy sessions where seniors come into class and share their insights on respective topics; seniors carry distinct backgrounds and have diverse knowledge, which helps students gain more awareness of particular issues. Seeing that your seniors have also excelled from a diverse group brings confidence and a sense of belongingness that you can also shine.
Numerous Cells and Clubs
There are 11 Cells in the college: Placement Cell, Students Council, Internship Cell, Digital Marketing Cell, Alumni Cell, Samvaad Cell, Entrepreneurship Cell, Local Immersion Cell, Social Responsibility Cell, Class Representatives Cell, and Institutional Building Activity Cell.
There are also around 20-25 clubs that promise to enhance student’s skills in different fields like as Marketing (Research & Analytics, E-Marketing, Brand Communication, Marketing Research), Finance (Financial Market, Stock Market, Accounting & taxation club), International club, People Managers Club, Spartans (Sports Club), etc. which emphasis that IBS has multiples opportunity for its students to excel on. Students need to work with diverse people and not limit themselves to their section only.
IBS’s continuous focus on and enforcement of diversity on campus has produced magnificent outcomes. Not only are IBS graduates better prepared and more aware, but many start-ups have been incorporated from enthralling students of IBS, and the college on a continuous basis is providing many opportunities for its students.
If at any point in time the question “NOW WHAT?” hits, that’s the point where a pause is needed to take a breath and THINK and THINK until you get the best answer to your question.
Manvi, is a student with a medical background.
After four years of rigorous hard work in the medical stream, the future still seemed blurred to her, bestowing confusing questions. Later after self-acknowledgment, she realized that medical is very practical and a lot of hard work and dedication is required in this stream, which she is capable of but not so passionate about from a professional sight. She always believed in that no path is easy to gain success but with passion, discipline, and dedication, you can achieve great heights.
Thorough learnings and rigorous hard work are the two main components based on which she analyzed that one career path for which she is equally passionate and dedicated. For her professional growth, the managerial ladder is the path she chose, and decided to change her career path and opted for MBA for her post-graduation.
The Right Place?
After deciding her path, now the biggest question in front of her was “Which College?”. She researched, talked to people, and discovered about ICFAI Business School and its chain of 9 campuses. The IBS Gurgaon became the best choice for her.
With more than 62000+ alumni base, IBS Gurgaon has achieved excellence in the last 25 years of its journey. Since the start of its journey, IBS Gurgaon had a remarkable multifarious environment in all terms. With a tremendous diversity, be it in terms of students or courses provided, IBS has never failed to provide any chance to students who are capable enough of being the best version of themselves.
I believe that being provided with equal opportunity, gives students great confidence to grow in whichever field they want to move into.
IBS has fruitful cultural togetherness from all over the country and has never failed to acknowledge the importance of the fresher students who constitute around 79% of its composition and students with work experience who constitute around 21%. Students from different regions choose IBS because of the amicable environment it provides to enhance oneself. The students from diverse backgrounds like engineering, medical and humanities.
Diversity- Not just in education but in extra dimensions as well
Diversity in education is not just about students from different regions of the country but also includes diversity adding to the equality of students present there. It’s a proud moment to note how greatly ICFAI Business School has balanced out the multifarious environment.
IBS has always tried to give equal opportunities to girls as well as boys. It has never differentiated students based on any grounds. Rather has always provided a platform to those capable enough to be there on that stage.
With an equal ratio of students, IBS has focused on nurturing the students.
A diverse number of companies that visit IBS Gurgaon for placements have the greatest stand among the all.
At IBS Gurgaon, from Start-ups to Big-4, various companies visit the campus at the time of placement for recruitment. And a great student base is being recruited by these companies every year from the campus according to their requirements.
Not just placements, but with great diversity IBS Gurgaon invites a lot of companies starting from Start-ups to well-established companies for SIP (Summer Internship Program) as well.
Various guest lectures are also conducted for guiding the students with immense knowledge about the corporate world before officially entering into it.
How IBS is so capable in the corporate building in such a diverse culture? The answer to the question lies again in diversity. Students are given various platforms through various cells and clubs to groom their personalities.
Personality Development
All MBA institutes prepare their students with strong personalities so that they can create a strong base for themselves in the corporate world. But with strong personality development, IBS believes in creating a magnificent future self in a student’s mind by brushing up the student from the first day he/she steps into the IBS campus.
With a strong faculty base, IBS ensures proper mentoring of its students so that they don’t lack anywhere around.
Accent building
Students with different accents are not an issue but a thing to be concerned about. At IBS, students are provided with proper soft skills training to improvise themselves accordingly for the corporate world.
Understanding the student’s perspective
With a great supportive team of faculty members, ICFAI Business School has always given its best shot in inculcating the required skill set in a student. Building a strong mindset is way more important than getting indulged in any theoretical practices.
Student’s strengths and weaknesses
Coming from a specific background, restricts a student’s thinking in a particular way. MBA provides an opportunity of widening their thoughts and helps in adapting the flexibility the course provides one with, which IBS has always won over on.
Coming back to Manvi’s story……….
After knowing all the components that IBS Gurgaon is capable of inbuilding into its students. With a calm mind, Manvi decided to take a step closer to IBS Gurgaon. And what next, after clearing the IBSAT exam she’s now a happy-satisfied student of the IBS family.
Thus, after staying here in an excellent environment, every IBS student steps out as a ready-to-go corporate human being.
With this great saying, students always try to look up to their professors and seniors- their second guide after books.
Our seniors and professors with their ample wisdom, try to implement the seeds of knowledge into the students to help them grow into fruit-laden trees.
After the completion of the initial step of domain selection -the next most crucial step is the upgradation required by oneself for a particular domain. Students pursuing a PGPM program are always advised to opt for various certification courses for their chosen domain.
At IBS, through mentoring and buddy sessions organized by the Alumni Relation Cell, seniors guide students about the important certifications for any specific domain based on the current scenario and are required for their Summer Internship Program as well.
Why certifications are important?
Let’s understand this with a story….
Aakash is a Business Analyst student pursuing MBA from ICFAI Business School,. He always believed in upscaling himself with all the knowledge regarding the latest technology invented in the present scenario. Being flexible in accepting innovations, he never felt the importance of any certification courses required to upgrade his skills.
One day, he met one of his friends who enrolled himself in one of the certification courses provided by the college itself. It was a 16 hours short course. Aakash asked his friend about the learnings he got from a 16-hour course and was enlightened with the fact that flexibility to innovations is appreciable but learning through these courses not only builds confidence but also helps in imparting ample knowledge regarding a particular subject.
After learning the importance of certifications, during his Summer Internship Program, he realized that personal upgradation is important along with professional upgradation. He learned certifications not only teach you but also cope oneself with the external knowledge required to excel.
After a proper analysis of what type of certifications is the best suited for him, he opted for the IT & SYSTEM certifications provided by the institute.
IT & SYSTEMS
– Data Visualization with Tableau specialization ( an online course of 1 month, available on coursera.org)
– SQL for Data Analysis: Beginners MySQL Business Intelligence ( an online course of 4 hours 31 minutes, available on Udemy)
– Microsoft Power BI- The Complete Masterclass [2021 Edition] ( an online self-paced course, available on Udemy)
– Data Analysis and Reporting in SAS Visual Analytics ( an online course of 1 month, available on coursera.org)
– Python for Everybody specialization ( an online course of 1 month, available on coursera.org)
Further, let’s discuss, the importance of certifications during placements.
Different companies with different roles visit campus with varied requirements. During the placement process, these certifications play a vital role in providing information regarding any particular course. Opting for a correct certification is an important decision of that invests of your precious time.
At IBS, students during their SIPs are guided about the various certification courses which are different for every domain. It might be the same for the core and major chosen courses but might differ for the minor chosen courses.
Aakash had 4 friends, to whom he recommended various certification courses based on their field of interest and list of various certification courses provided at IBS Gurgaon are:
HUMAN RESOURCE
Isha, a friend of Aakash wants to pursue her career in the human resource field and so opted for the HUMAN RESOURCE Certification Course provided by the college, which included:
-Certified HR Staffing Manager ( an online course of 13 hours, available on Vskills.)
– SAP Success Factors: Introduction to Mastery ( an online course of 37 minutes, available on Udemy)
– SAP HR for Beginners ( an online course of 1 hour, available on Udemy.)
ANALYTICS
Akshat, another friend of Aakash was good in analytics and with analytics gaining higher importance in the current scenario, opted for ANALYTICS Certification Course provided by the college, which included:
– Introduction to Data Analytics for Managers ( an online course of 6 weeks, available on edX)
– Introduction to Data Science specialization ( an online course of 3 months, available on IBM)
– Marketing Analytics and Retail Business Management ( an online course of 11 hours, available on Udemy)
– Statistics for Data Science and Business Analysis ( an online course of 5 hours, available on Udemy)
– R Programming A-Z: R For Data Science With Real Exercises ( an online course of 10.5 hours, available on Udemy)
OPERATIONS
Isha was always inclined towards the operations work conducted in the organizations and so opted for the OPERATIONS Certification Course provided by the college, which included:
– Certified Six Sigma Green Belt ( an online course of 6+ hours, available on Udemy)
– Supply Chain Analytics ( an online + offline course of 8 weeks, available on NPTEL+IIT Roorkee)
– Quality 4.0 (Industry 4.0) ( an online course of 16 hours, led by the instructor of KPMG)
These courses help in providing practical experience and exposure, making it easier for students to grab the exponential knowledge from these certifications.
Learnings from certifications are enumerated as follows:
Helps to learn new methodologies.
Enhances the right skill set and helps in meeting the skill gap.
Helps in understanding the uniqueness of the usage of technology.
Helps in the analysis of data.
Helps in developing problem-solving skills with correct decision-making power.
Certifications enhance the potential of a management student and helps to make an impactful CV.
Alums are the founding pillars that form the backbone of any institute. They depict a picture of the past and light the way for the present and future batches.
Alumni networks are established in schools and colleges, which remain connected to their alma mater via periodic (usually yearly) meetings to stay in touch with their school, and college batch-mates.
Every educational institution has an alum network that helps young budding managers through their experiences. Alums can build business connections, organize reunions, and serve as shining examples of the success of their institution’s hard work being done to transform into the individuals, they are today.
With over 62,000+ alumni working globally in the corporate world, who hold C-Suite, VPs, and Senior Management positions in various MNCs, Blue Chip companies, and start-ups, we can see a clear picture of how the alums of IBS are pivotal to the success of the college. Alumni are playing a vital role for the last several years; we have seen how the alum network of college is extending to the corporate, where students are getting the support of their alum in their respective companies. To narrow down the gap and challenges that current students face, the Alumni Relations Cell, on a routine basis, organize a ‘Mentoring Series’ where alums come and share their experiences of their respective journey from Campus to Corporate. Through this series, students grasp many experiences and learnings that are vital for them while joining the corporate field. The mentoring series also enhances students’ personalities in various aspects like confidence, communication, networking, etc.
The IBS alum network is vital both in quantity and quality as continuously different sectors of alum visit the campus in mentoring series. Students get an opportunity to gain insights into several sectors. The storytelling by alums enable the students to envision the accurate picture of the corporate that helps them with their placements.
The alums are assisting them effectively and efficiently in the workplace. And the presence of alums in the same department enriches the newly joined employee’s confidence in the workplace. The alums of the IBS are working at the top position and doing great with the company norms. And by extending lucrative job opportunities for future budding managers and spreading the alum network across various departments, they are opening the door for the students for their corporate journey.
The Alumni Relation Cell of IBS Gurgaon hosted its yearly alumni meet, ”IMPRINTS 2022,” where they celebrated the alumni and cherished their success. Alumni got the opportunity to meet their old friends and faculty members, and made the alums’ meet worth remembering. The gala also witnessed the felicitation of alums who have exceptionally excelled in their fields, making the day more memorable for the alums.
The alum set a standard for future batches as they are the ones who had raised the college aura in the respective company. According to their work performance, the company chooses to hire students from the same college. They are already working with the college’s alums, and if the feedback is up to mark, it will directly reflect during the placement season.
Furthermore let me share the advice by alums to future budding managers.
One alum told me that PGPM is already preparing us for the corporate journey. Working under deadlines, multitasking most of the time, working under pressure, etc., are some activities, you will witness during your corporate journey. It will aid you as you are always on your toes during your PGPM journey. He gave his success mantras: always be ready for new experiences, especially, be open-minded and listen, and make connections with people; build the network as these can be your best investment for the future.
Another alum emphasized that you should stay focused towards your goals and avoid distractions as it can be easy to get side-tracked, but successful people are able to stay focused on what matters most and avoid distractions that could derail their progress. and by having a positive attitude, you can go a long way and can successfully complete your goals by working for the same.
One of the college alums highlighted the importance of believing in yourself and in your abilities as according to her by having a sense of confidence that you can do it, can bring fruitful results for you in terms of your goals.
The success of its graduates measures an institution’s power and quality of education. By investing in the Alumni network, you invest in the institution’s development, increase your fundraising capability, develop your brand, influence in the sector, and attractiveness to the best students.
