Thursday 17 December 2015

Back to college

The mere thought of going back to our alma-mater-- school or college, thrills us. As an old student, the thrill is understandable. Because it triggers nostalgia of times gone past, of college activities, friends, competitions, exams, placement and so on!

But when a teacher goes back to his/her former college, the thrill is of a different kind. You are not likely to meet former students as all have graduated long time ago. Few faculty colleagues may still be there. But more importantly the college campus, buildings, class rooms, library, laboratories, cafeteria, play grounds bring you a flashback. A flashback as if nothing has changed. Time has stood still. Memories do not fade, pictures do. 



This is precisely what happened when I went back to IBS (The Icfai Business School)  Hyderabad yesterday. Thanks to Sankalp-- the Leadership Club-- which had invited me to conduct a Team Building workshop for them, I could re-visit the campus. Having taught ten successive MBA batches at IBS, it has been an interesting journey. Ghumakkad had written about it in a story titled "Harsh@IBS- A Journey of a different kind" (click the link here).

Here are some pictures taken yesterday. Those who have been to the campus, will recall their own days. And those who have not been there, may like to visit the lush-green campus though not captured in these images shot at night. Full of life-- thanks to two thousand plus students residing on campus-- it is a happening place. I enjoyed every minute of being with the students-- the future leaders of India.

The 50-kms drive at dusk illuminated the sky with pink hue.


Going past the dried up Gandipet lake was a sorry sight. Hope Hyderabad gets some rains before the monsoon so that the lake starts to fill up again.


Before the workshop, I met Dr SV Seshaiah Director, Dr Vijaylakshmi and Prof Ramakrishna Dean (Accreditation) in the foyer. Even though meeting after years, our faces lit up with ready smiles.

It was time to commence the workshop for Team Sankalp. These action shots show a team game 'Ball with a Name'. A soft ball needs to be passed to every team member by calling his/her name in turn. Aim is to minimise the tame taken to reach all the team players. Of course, the ball should not fall down. If it does, you start all over again.



The team did pretty well. Having taken more than two minutes in round-1, they could do it in 8 seconds before the time was up! The game also exposed the participants to creative problem solving.

"Does IBS teach you leadership?"-- was the next part of the workshop. Click here to browse the next story on this topic.


Team Sankalp presented me with a sapling of a plant as a memento. Very thoughtful of them. Thanks Aishwarya, Class of 2016-- the outgoing President of the club.
Before adjourning, time for photo-op. With Team Sankalp and few members from Team Prakriti as well. Thanks guys.
While at the campus, I also interacted with members of Prakriti-- the Environment Club of IBS Hyderabad. It was so heartening to see that the club founded by me in 2004 is still active and ticking! A picture with some of the team members with whom I may go on a hike later this month.



Once again, thanks guys for a wonderful evening at IBS campus. Learning never ends.
May God bless you all.

Thanks for browsing

   Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 16th December 2015
   hbindia@gmail.com 

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