Saturday, September 30, 2006

Those Dayz.. @ XL

As you reach the campus you find a blend of the modern and the serene, a unique setting that houses XLRI; one of the oldest and best known B-Schools in Asia. Jamshedpur, the heart of the Tata empire, a planned city with the best of facilities and a throbbing campus life wmhich envelopes you and carries you on a journey that will redefine you and what life means to you in your new avatar; you realize that you are now an XLer!!

The heady concoction of seriousness and fun, makes you realize that life is best lived in an environment where the best in the country mingle. The professors, who are the very best in the country, add vigor and wit to their classes. You would never have realized that learning can be so much fun. The XL culture, developed over generations has a living spirit of its own. The sixteen committees have something for everyone and when everything on campus is managed by the students, you realize you are learning as much outside the class as inside.

The social responsibility exhibited by this institute has been exemplary over the years. You will undergo a village exposure trip and also an adventure camp by Tata Steel Adventure Foundation (TSAF). The team spirit and enthusiasm will show you just how important it is to build partnerships and by the time you return, you will have learnt the true meaning of commitment and selfless leadership.

As days pass by you realize that the faculty, students and non teaching staff are one big family. No, the “dog eat dog world” syndrome of corporate life certainly is absent here. The entire family celebrates festivals together. In fact by the time one passes out, there are probably as many faculty members that you count as friends as your fellow students. And you realize how great it is to soak in the spirit of youth as you see the enthusiasm of these teachers, both young and old.

As you get into the depths of management studies, you are given the invaluable opportunity of learning by doing. The MAXI fair, India’s best known marketing festival gives you a chance to work on live branding and customer behavior projects. With its unparalled access to both the urban and the rural markets, MAXI fair has proved to be a breeding ground for some of India’s biggest success stories such as Kurkure, Nestle, Coke, HLL and ITC.

And don’t think that’s all there is in store for you. The XL-IIMC sports meet is the stuff of legends, with the two colleges visiting each other alternately every year and that’s when you will realize that “Alls’ fair in love, war and the XL-IIMC meet!” The event is such a memorable experience that XL alumni who have passed out 20 years ago send good luck messages and host parties to celebrate victories.

As you pass into the second year you realize just how much change has occurred in you over the last year. There is a spring in your step and you know you will approach the corporate world with the confidence of a leader. XLRI has a great mix of academic programs, with the option of taking a dual specialization, Finance and Economics for example. The tough part is choosing which electives to take, for we have a problem of plenty, a host of electives in marketing, finance, systems and to add to that the maximum no of electives in subjects as diverse as Organizational Behavior.

By the fag end of the year, the best companies in India and abroad come will come here for placement. You will realize just how much value XLRI has added to you. The symbiotic relationship that exists between XLRI and each one of its student goes far
beyond the excellent jobs that you will get, something that will make you feel proud over the years and will make you connect to compatriots and the college for decades, nay, for life! The XLRI Alumni Homecoming, an annual event is as emotional for the teachers as it is for the students who revisit their alma mater as they recollect and relive the memories of the past.

We can wax lyrical about XL for eternity, but the experience has to be lived, to be soaked in. WE hope that this will have given you a glimpse of the road ahead, and hope to have you share this experience next year.

Wishing you all the best!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

gud post but hey, how does this qualify as "News and latest Updates"??????????

Anonymous said...

thats rite.. it doesnt really qualify.. but i guess here its ok cos its such a great post..