Network Current Issues

Cover Story

IRMA’s little women

The trio appears nervous. Palpably so. But that is also because they are keen to spill the beans regarding their plans for the future.

When the Kewalram Group (Afriventures) came looking for new recuits during campus placements three female participants of the 38^th batch – Trishula Das, Anshu Goel, and Diya George – did IRMA proud thanks to their sterling performance.

Shivansh Mishra caught up with the trailblazing trinity on a mellow afternoon with a springy breeze fanning the lawns outside the girls’ hostel.

Tune in for their insights with regard to lessons learnt during their two-year stint at IRMA and the  journey ahead.

SM: Thank you all for taking the time to speak with me today. First off, many congratulations to you for the great placements and the wonderful opportunities ahead. I’m sure this must be making you both excited as well as nervous at the same time.

TD: Totally.

SM: Why don’t we start with introducing ourselves?

TD: Hi. I’m Trishula Das and I’m from Dibrugarh, Assam. I am a graduate in Food Engineering and Technology from Tezpur University, Assam. I did not have any work experience prior to coming to IRMA.

AG: I’m Anshu Goel. I hail from Haryana. My background is in Agriculture from Haryana Agricultural University and I too am a fresher.

DG: Hello. My name is Diya and I hold a Bachelors Degree in Commerce from Sacred Heart College, Thevara in Kochi. I too hail from Kerala and like my friends here, I have no prior work experience.

SM: The fact that none of you have previously worked elsewhere makes your job even more challenging, doesn’t it?

DG: (smiles) It does but then IRMA has prepared us well.

SM: Wow! So, let us rewind the clock back to two years. Why did you choose IRMA? What was the drive that propelled you to choose IRMA over any other B-school at the time?

TD: My professors at my undergraduate college urged me to take up higher studies at IRMA. It was while consulting them that I realized that IRMA aligned with the kind of education I was already pursuing. A prolonged discussion followed in which I weighed the pros and cons of choosing IRMA over other B-schools but ultimately, I was convinced about my choice.

DG: For me, IRMA stood out as a one-of-a-kind Institute. I did not wish to pursue a regular management degree and when I studied the curriculum of the Institute, coupled with its formidable legacy, I knew it was the one for me.

AG: Choosing IRMA was an organic step for me given my background. But more importantly, I wanted to stay close to my roots as far as academics go. I did not wish to alienate myself. Naturally, IRMA emerged as the go-to choice. Looking back, the Institute helped me build upon the subjects I had learnt during my undergraduate years and taught me to couple them with management to create a whole new world.

SM: Why did the three of you choose Afriventures? As I understand, there must have been a plethora of opportunities back home as well. Why then venture into the unknown?

TD: We knew there would be challenges and as you pointed out, there was the fear of the unknown but Afriventures came with the opportunity of international exposure. Secondly, it was the role on offer that enticed us. At IRMA, when one studies subjects like Commodity Sourcing, Agribusiness, Supply Chain Management coupled with something like Quality Management, the opportunities to apply these subjects become evident when you look at the roles offered by an organization such as Afriventures.

AG: My key interest-areas lie in procurement and sourcing and, hence, applying to this organization was a no-brainer. But in reality, the courage to apply to a job abroad stems from my time at IRMA. The Institute made me confident about going out on the field fully aware that there are no bounds. I knew that I would have to shift base to Nigeria, live away from home, and face a lot of new challenges. But the past two years and especially the field segments, be it the Village Fieldwork Segment (VFS), or the Internship, have trained me well. So, instead of saying, “I can’t do it” I can now say, “Bring it on!”

DG: The others have already shared most of what I would have yet, personally speaking, I believe that at 23 years I am much more confident of exploring the unknown, in this case a whole new continent. I don’t suppose I would dare to do this again a few years down the line (All three break into giggles while agreeing with Diya). The proverbial flame in the heart is pretty strong at the moment, so why not use it to its best?

SM: I couldn’t agree more! So, what has the role of IRMA been for you over the past two years?

TD: As Anshu rightly pointed out, IRMA provides opportunities at every step. More importantly, it instils courage allowing one to make unconventional choices, go anywhere, interact with anyone, and take up hitherto unknown challenges.

DG: The VFS is especially important because it forces one to interact with people one is completely unaware of. Besides, you need to make them understand what’s going on in the world that lies outside their own surroundings.

AG: Yeah, that actually sums it up. You learn to break the ice easily and initiate a conversation. I guess that’s the most important aspect of working anywhere, a different continent is no binding.

SM: So true! Well, thank you for all your time and I, along with the whole IRMA family, wish and hope the best to all of you.

Caption (L to R): Trishula Das, Anshu Goel, and Diya