Meet IIM Bangalore’s EPGP Class Of 2024

Your alma mater is your identity. You can’t escape it. Choices come with expectations. Look no further than the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore.

The school has long been associated with practical experience. When employers hire IIM Bangalore graduates, they expect shorter learning curves and quicker impact. After all, these students have spent the past year working for top companies through programming like the Comprehensive Project. Academic excellence is a given at IIM Bangalore. More than mastery of models and methods, employers know graduates possess the horsepower to clarify the complex and uncertain and the toughness to meet the demands and deadlines. Along the way, the distinguished faculty will expose them to cutting edge practices, with the programming imprinting a decidedly global and entrepreneurial mindset.

A COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE

Not surprisingly, employers flock to IIM Bangalore for talent. That’s particularly true for the students in the one-year Executive Post-Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP), which has attracted recruiters from Accenture, Samsung, McKinsey, Amazon, and Deutsche Bank. Among the EPGP cohort they’ll meet is Shubham Sharma, a product manager who came from the program to learn and grow.

“The curriculum’s emphasis on real-world challenges, its integration of technology with business, and its focus on sustainable and responsible leadership resonated deeply with my personal and professional journey. It wasn’t just about acquiring a degree; it was about immersing myself in an environment that would challenge my perspectives, refine my visions, and equip me with the tools to drive the next wave of innovation in the business world.”

More than that, Sharma adds, the EPGP program at IIM Bangalore reflected the values he shared and the identity he hoped to build upon. “To me, choosing IIM Bangalore was more than a decision; it was a commitment to a future where I could merge my entrepreneurial spirit with the academic rigor and holistic learning that the institution offers. It was about aligning my past experiences with a future that promises endless possibilities.”

MAKING PARENTS PROUD

Like many of his classmates from the EPGP Class of 2024, Sharma is a proactive go-getter who brought a long list of achievements to campus. Before business school, Sharma was an entrepreneur whose venture hit the “magical figure” of $1 million dollars in revenue in 2020.

“Starting from scratch and bootstrapping Afterkite, a growth marketing firm, to such a significant annual turnover was a testament to my entrepreneurial spirit. Even more, it was also a culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. It was a moment that validated my skills in growth marketing, strategy, and business development, and it stands as a proud testament to what I can achieve when I set my mind to a goal.”

He wasn’t the only Sharma among the EPGP cohort making an impact. Akshay Sharma, a senior manager in analytics at Merck, helped to roll out a COVID drug that treated over 10-million individuals. Sharma wasn’t alone in racking up the achievements. Before becoming an operations manager at Qatar Gas, Abir Banerjee earned the Tallow Chandler Award at British Petroleum (BP). This honor, which recognizes outstanding innovation, is only given to five employees each year.

“It was surreal to have gotten a chance to receive a gold medal in one of London’s famous public halls in front of my parents,” Banerjee tells P&Q. “The experience gave me added zeal to work harder and learn more.”

FROM NUCLEAR SCIENTIST TO BUSINESS STUDENT

Then again, it’s not like Banerjee ever slacked. Just look at his sports career. “At age 13, I was told that I was too skinny and lightweight to play football at any level. By 22, I represented my school, district, and university at various football tournaments across India. By 24, I played 2 full seasons as a professional football player in Delhi’s Top-tier AIFF-affiliated football league.”

Before joining the Class of 2024, Raviroop Singh Kohli was a captain in the Indian army, where he trained personnel how to fire missiles. Think that’s dangerous? Meet Preetam Rai Saxena. He spent a decade working for the Indian Government as a scientific officer – at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.             

“I grew up dreaming about joining the R&D organizations serving the defense related strategic interests of India,” he tells P&Q. “My selection at the prestigious BARC Training School, Mumbai, which paved the way for a career in the Department of Atomic Energy, was the most significant and satisfying accomplishment I achieved in my career. I successfully capitalized on the opportunity and joined strategic realms of Indian Nuclear Program under the aegis of BARC. The powerful drive of Turning dreams into destiny came true to me in those moments when I received the white slip affirming my selection into the prestigious program.”

Alas, you won’t find Anand Dusane feeling intimidated by the pressures of IIM Bangalore. His big achievement? “[I had] the opportunity to work directly under the guidance of L&T’s Group CFO, Mr. R. Shankar Raman, and with Hinduja Group (India) Chairman, Mr. Ashok Hinduja, at such early stage in my career.”

BE YOUR BEST EVERY DAY

As the Class of 2024 prepares for graduation, many are looking back to how they’ve changed over the past year. For Shubham Sharma, the difference won’t be measured in awards. Instead, he looks to how the EPGP program has changed how he approaches various dilemmas.

“Conversations with diverse classmates, tackling different challenges, and realizing there’s always another side to a story have been my real achievements,” he explains. “It’s all about the growth in understanding and perspective, and I’m pretty proud of that.”

Dushyant Kanal, Sharma’s classmate, entered IIM Bangalore after finding success in hospitality management. For him, the biggest takeaway from business school has been the importance of consistency.

What stands out for me is delivering quality content every day in the form of assignments, presentations, class discussions, etc.,” he observes. “Nothing short of consistent excellence can make the cut…Showing up with the same zeal and vigor day in and day out and delivering quality day in and day out, has become a way of life rather than just a flicker.”

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.”

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.

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.”

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.”

Source: Poets&Quants