Enframed

AIKYA: A Decade of Nurturing Relationships

In July 2003, a select group of families gathered at ISB, enjoyed a warm welcome from the community and reciprocated with warmth – by inviting students into their “homes and hearts, ”as the then Dean Vijay Mahajan proclaimed. This was the inaugural aikya or unity, an initiative spearheaded by former Dean Vijay Mahajan to connect students with prominent host families in the community. Through aikya, the School can “reciprocate and give back to the local community that has helped ISB in its initial years. The initiative lets families interact with students, involve them in various community-wide activities, and also helps students connect and network with leading families,” says Shiv, Director, Student Engagement and Applied Learning (SEAL), who has been associated with the programme since its inception.

Ten years hence, aikya continues to build a bridge between students and the local community as PGP students from both Mohali and Hyderabad experience the warmth of being in familial surroundings during festivals and other celebrations. It provides students with a “home away from home” in their year at School, giving them a respite from the fast-paced academic rigour of the one-year programme and also introducing them to little-known facets of their city. Many alumni reminisce about the cultural events that they organised for the host families and also of the sumptuous dinners with their hosts.

This year, the inaugural ceremony commenced with a welcome inaugural speech by Dean Ajit Rangnekar, followed by a cultural extravaganza that included dances from different parts of India (Bhangra, Garba, contemporary, Bharatnatyam and hip-hop) symbolising “unity,” the essence of aikya.