To Serve with Honour: GSB President Recalls His ISB experience

It has been a great honour to serve as the president of the Graduate Student Board at ISB for the Class of 2012. I had not planned to run for elections. But during Orientation Week when I saw the contributions made by the previous class, I felt that I could make a similar contribution. The rest is history. Looking back now, I have no regrets but only fond memories.

I began to understand the scope and nature of my responsibilities after the elections in Term 2. In addition to coursework, I regularly met with the elected officials; it was a great boon that my peers helped me along the way. Every now and then, I had to attend a business event, make tough decisions and handle sensitive issues balancing logic and emotion, and above all, manage my time along with the course work. There are times when I feel I could have done things differently, but that’s the beauty of hindsight being a great teacher. In real time, no one can teach you the right things. You just need to rely on your experience and have a sound rationale for your decision and while keeping the big picture in mind.

During Terms 4 and 5, as the ISB Leadership Summit (ILS) edged closer, I spent most of my time planning and organising the event. I was working on multiple activities simultaneously; this took a toll on me both physically and mentally. But the zeal to do well kept me going. Finally, it was only from Term 6 and 7, as the dust settled on ILS, that I was able to concentrate in class. Meanwhile, as the buzz around the new campus at Mohali grew louder my activities increased once again. This time I was answering queries from new admits, planning for integration, and planning for orientation week at both campuses. As the year draws to a close, I am focusing on issues raised by students and the Graduate Business Conference 2012 (that ISB will host in 2013). There is increased work pressure, but thanks to the experience I gained by organising ILS and other events, I am able to handle this stress. 

I had prepared my family before joining ISB that I wanted to spend this year for myself and for accomplishing my goals. They knew, when I got elected, that I would not have too much time for them, but I am grateful to them that they never complained. It is tough to balance between personal and official time, especially when you have a loving wife and a one-year old who remains glued to you. This helped me take initiatives and choose work that I was truly passionate about.
As my stay here draws to a close, I might have more wrinkles and grey hair, but I feel really proud about what we have collectively achieved!

Prashant Kumar Ivaturi, President, Graduate Student Board