Proud to be GMPian

They made us a part, they made us support them, they made us believe in them and they made us all win.

Today all the GMPians had a party for the win of the so called “experienced oldies, “are we??? Let us confirm that today!!!" I think we all have a right to call ourselves the youngest of the crowd. I thought we will be spending all the weekends the same way but noooooooo... we all had a rocking week end just like the usual Mumbai night life.

Hat’s off to all of them who not only won but also participated in the dream run, attended classes and still rocked the party..... When I am writing about all who won how can I miss writing about my next door neighbour............... It used to be a fight to wake her every morning but today it was reverse, as she had to fight against time to wake me up , all thanks to the sleepless nights I spent at my dear cousins wedding. She fought her desire to sleep, went to work for CII YI, participated in the dream run and won............... Wow I am proud to have friends like her who achieve more than expected in life as they play at the right time to utilize their skills to the brink.

Three cheers........... Hip hip hurray...Hip hip hurray...Hip hip hurray...GMP

The Beginning of the END

An achievement for all the GMPians.....they turned 3/4th MBA's yesterday. This marks the end of the 3rd term and also the beginning of an end (i.e. 4th Term - the last term). But do we get a term break for relaxing? Noooooooooooo....... Though these words were disheartening but I still know that every GMPian must have noticed my reply. This stretch of 'No' is familiar right, yes everyone, I am refering to our Professor Uday Damodaran. We get to learn a new subject of 'Security Analysis and Portfolio Management' from him in this new term, under his very own unique teaching style and guidance, not to forget with the related stories to the difficult subjects narrated by him. I can rightly call him a Fin guru because even when we don't get a single day's break or should I say an evening break (due to the unavoidable meeting), we were all looking forward to attending his class.

We, the fin. students, had a good start for this term with the morning class dedicated to 'Financial Analysis, Planning & Control'. Not to forget, I was appointed CR for the course. A post that lasted merely half a day as now the classes for the subject would be combined for both the sections of GMP and our Section A CR can represent the whole batch.


Before we all start on the road of the last term and eventually to our successful careers, lets have a short recap of the 3rd Term:
A term that had a golden chance of welcoming bright & cheerful faces that had just returned from International Immersion. Only the first term had shared a similar kind of feeling. Why do I say similar feeling and not same feeling? Because the first term began after a three day Induction programme wherein the classes began at 9 AM and ended at 9 PM.


In this term we started with our Elective Courses. My preference: Finance & Strategy. I learned the concepts of Infrastructure Project Financing, International Financial Management, Mergers & Acquisitions along with other courses.


A term which rightly stole away all our nights along with all our holidays (including Sundays & Republic Day)


But a term which rightly inculcated within us the fundamentals of the elective courses chosen by us.

GMP, the real diamond mine

A year back when all had applied for admissions to GMP, everyone knew that this a one year executive MBA and so would be fast track and demanding. But each, an expert in his / her own field was ready to take this challenge in order to enhance and polish their skills so as to be able to shoulder higher responsibilities in their future organizations. Little did they know what they were getting into? But they had made this conscious decision as they knew that in their work life, they had had the required exposure and had already faced pressure to be able to do justice to the course.

The middle level managers managed the first two terms with dignity and ease. So was expected of the third term and so has been achieved. But everything has its own price tag. Straight back from the international immersion, the GMPians started the third term with high vigour. But the exhaustive term was a month full of lectures, case studies, projects, CEO visits, placecom activities and most important (all this) without a single holiday. All this meant sleepless nights, skipping meals and sacrificing much more to produce qualitative outputs (in classes, interviews, projects, case studies). But now when I stand near the finishing line of this third term race and just look back at the journey, it seems exhausting but when I look at each GMPian, there is a twinkle in the eye and a smile on the face.

This delight is the result of accomplishment and pride. Without a single holiday (neither a Sunday nor a Republic day holiday), the GMPians crossed the path of the term without facing much hiccups and now they are at a juncture where many (or I say everyone) are sad. Not because they fear exams or the grades thereafter but because they know that the time for the course to end is approaching – just three more months left. Everyone is thinking about the bond that they created here with each batch mate, professor and entity at XLRI, the days that they have spent, the happiness and sorrows that they have shared and not to forget the knowledge that they have garnered......