Click here to view the embedded video.

Well, that’s precisely what I did in the last term at ISB.

While working with SAP Labs back in 2007, a small official communication in 2007 left many in the developer community in India in a state of disbelief. “Executive Board member Shai Agassi will leave to more quickly commit himself to his personal agenda of environmental policy and alternative energy sources”. I was disappointed at this. Because, I was an unofficial evangelist of Shai’s vision for SAP and his heretical ideas. I waited eagerly for his kick ass speeches and keynotes at industry events to learn how this “contrarian” was energizing the organization to take the competition head on!

The rest they say is history, or in this case, the future of sustainable transportation! Shai’s lecture at Stanford gave a hint of things to come. There was not much talk about this in India until April 2009, when his ‘talk’ at TED caught the world’s attention.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sometime in the middle of last year at ISB, as I was flipping through “2009 TIME 100” edition when a piece on Shai Agassi, the ‘Steve Jobs of Clean Tech’ made me rub my eyes wide open. A few days later, I read “Driven” in the WIRED magazine, and I was hooked!

It seemed like a disruptive innovation in the automobile industry taking shape slowly and silently in the suburbs of Tel Aviv and in Palo Alto and I wanted a piece of the action! Weeks later, I had bid for the exchange program to Tel Aviv University, Israel – the land of milk, honey, and start ups.

There (after some early adventures), along with the Sofaer iMBA students, I went to get ‘switched’, at the Better Place visitor center by Shai Agassi, himself, fielding probing questions on the disruption this model can bring to the automobile industry. When you listen to him, you start nodding your head, thinking – Yeah! Why not? The cars will be available in different models along with replaceable batteries and electric power trains. Better Place will buy the battery and the user buys e-mile subscription plan from them (talk about innovative revenue models!).

It is the .Car era; Car 2.0 – smart car powered by smart grid and exchanging data with an information grid!
The Drive: The car is smooth, fast and powerful like any other car – In fact, it is better! You can rev it up!! All this from a zero emission car! You won’t feel the difference, except that it is quieter or rather quiet. The prototype of the battery switch station is also being built at the center. The battery is decoupled from the car and can be replaced in under three minutes.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ten years back, if we were told that we would consume information in the form of a text box; how many of us would buy that argument? Today, Google has transformed the way we consume information. Similarly, Better Place can transform the way we consume distance!

Imagineering driven disruptive innovation at its best!

~ Arun Cherian Thomas, Class of 2010

Editor’s Note: As it turns out, the last post wasn’t the last by the Class of 2010. A few of us are still on exchange programs and we will keep updating the blog as and when we have something interesting to share.

But that walk down memory lane will invariably end up being a long one because of the huge amount of memories that are created on campus. To begin listing them would take a long time and to get an alum (darn it, as I write this I realize that I am an alum!) out of flashback mode would require really strong incentive. The only other thing that would be higher up on the pecking order would be alumni giving out knowledge (a.k.a gyaan) regarding various things students would ask of them.

The one year MBA program will be good for many and bad for some. Different people will derive different benefits, but the overall net result is positive and the learning that one derives is immense in terms of knowledge gained, time optimization, being able to charter a preliminary course for one’s future (notice I say preliminary course because we’ve been told that our first job needn’t necessarily define our career), interactions with peers who are probably the most ambitious bunch that you’d have spent time with and being able to find out for yourself as to where you stand. The bit about finding yourself becomes more important as the year progresses. Trust me on that.

B-school is a great leveler and James Shirley might’ve written a different poem altogether if business schools existed in the seventeenth century. Everyone on campus, without exception has done something unique or different before joining the school and that would set them apart from the pack. So uniqueness is probably not a differentiating trait, obfuscating as it might sound.

The obligatory bit of unsolicited advice that I can give as an alum would be to spontaneously make fond memories that you can cherish and treasure, but don’t spend too much time on trying to capture them as the late Susan Sontag would no doubt have you know in her own words.

Finally, here’s wishing the class of 2011 a smooth registration process, a fun orientation week and enough strength, courage, cojones guts and determination to get your act together for what will hopefully be the best year of your illustrious life.

PS – Not sure if we’re signing off fully until the GSB elections are held and the new MCC Director officially takes over the ministrations of the official weblog management. Hence the question mark.

PPS – We’ve been told that ISB is like Hotel California. You can check out any time you like….yada yada yada. But please don’t play that song on the guitar unless your life is in danger and the only way you can weasel out of it is by a rendition of said song.

PPPS – Do show enthusiasm about the weblog and get in touch with me during O-week.

PPPPS – Throw us alums a good Solstice this year. Yup, end of post!

You must be preparing to come to Hyderabad soon. I suppose you are excited. If you’ve been to campus earlier, you probably fell in love with the place at first sight. The class of 2010 is getting ready to bid adieu. They have been telling us for over two months now that we get kicked out on April 4th. Those mails somehow reminded us that we needed to have more fun. And so we have – party after party. We don’t need much, you know – give us a quad with music on a comp, food and drink – we’ll party till dawn breaks.

A few of us will get to spend time with you. That should be fun – please look forward to your orientation with bated breaths. Don’t panic when you get here. For a few days you won’t understand any of the abbreviations. You won’t be able to get from point A to point B without a map. All the symmetry about this place will drive you nuts. And then there will be the people – your classmates. Each one of you more scared yet more confident than the other. All of you eager to prove yourself.

As people begin to introduce themselves, you may notice a sinking feeling sometimes – ‘what on earth am I doing here? What have I been doing all my life? Why don’t I sound half as interesting as A, B or C?’. Completely normal, I assure you. Learn not to take things at face value. Let every single person prove him\herself. That said, there will be amazing people. There will be deep and interesting conversations waiting to happen. You will meet your study group – a bunch of crazy people you’ll have to work with for the first four terms. Pray that you get along with them. I almost forgot about the queues. Expect long queues everywhere till your regular classes start. Expect complete strangers to grin at you and begin conversations in those queues. Networking, they call it. Don’t fret too much over it – you won’t remember any of the first introductions anyway. Be nice. Be yourself.

I could give you advice forever. ‘Gyaan’ is the term – we can’t help it. Everyone here feels we ought to help you in every way possible. It’s going to be a scary ride and we’re just getting off the roller coaster. A bit shaky, still feeling queasy and yet, looking at the drop with something akin to affection.

The campus is being scrubbed clean in order to welcome you. The graduation venue is being prepared. We are going around clicking pics like crazy. Everything is being polished and cleaned and painted and repaired. When you get here, the smell of paint would have worn out. But everything will be so new and nice that it’ll feel like the place came into existence just then – just for your batch.

For us though, we end with the smell of fresh paint all around us. As if it were a beginning.

Best wishes,

Malavika Thiagaraja, Class of 2010

It was only a year back that Debottam, from the Class of 2009, wrote about how proud he was at ISB being ranked 15th by Financial Times. The honor this time, is all mine. ISB is the youngest B-School in the top 20, and the journey from 20 to 15 and now to 12, in three years,  has been a remarkable one.

As they say, there seems to be only one way to go from here! Here is to ISB. We Rock!!.

Anyway, back to the original topic. Solstice this year was a gala affair, running over the complete weekend from 18th to 20th Dec, with over 500 alumni and their families in attendance from all over the place. We also had alums sharing quads with current students, getting nostalgic about their ISB days.

The student villages were all decked up for Solstice, with lighting and promotional posters (comprising of some really funny extracts from the batch yearbooks) all over the place.

Student Village 2

Student Village 3

Most of the alums arrived on campus on Friday, with registrations during the day. We also had mock interviews for the current batch by some volunteer alums as well as events for kids who were on campus. There was poker from the afternoon till evening, followed by a ‘Speed Networking’ designed to help the current students get to know the alums better.

This was followed by dinner and drinks with the alums along with a stand up comedy show, ‘Hamateur Night’ was the term, at the Class of ’09 Amphitheater, by Vir Das, the Indian equivalent of Russel Peters. The show was opened by ISBians trying out their hand at stand up comedy. For some videos of his work, try looking on Youtube. [WARNING: Search at your own risk. Some of the videos may be considered offensive by some people. We take no responsibility for your search results.]

Vir Das @ ISB

The comedy hour was followed up by a bollywood themed Christmas party at the Class of ’08 lounge. We had a DJ flown in from Mumbai and the party rocked, with a huge number of people on the dance floor! This was probably the biggest party on campus till date, and we may not be able to match it again, though I am keeping my fingers crossed over the last going away party of the year.

The Party

The Dance Floor was Full

The party went on till late in the morning, with people being ferried to a nearby hotel for an early breakfast to actually end the party! And yeah, 5AM is early by all standards!!

More about the second day festivities, and the a great music concert in the next post…

- Jasnoor, Class of 2010

Term 6 started off pretty slowly with not much to do except all the events that we had this time. We had the Venture Capital Investment Competition, in association with the Kenan-Flagler Business School @ UNC. This was an internal round and the winner from ISB gets to participate in the Asia Round that we are organizing for the first time sometime in Feb. So this was kind of a trial run. I was handling all the logistics and I can tell you, it wasnt an easy job. It did go off without a hitch though, so no complaints.

VCIC Internal Round

Parallel to the VCIC, we also had the Energy Conclave organised by the Energy and Manufacturing Club on the same weekend!

Next, we had the RBI Governor, Dr. D Subbarao on campus to talk about the impact of the recent crisis on India and our future growth.

Dr. D Subbarao @ ISB

Then we had the ISB Leadership Summit, ISB’s flagship event with over 30 speakers coming over to speak on multiple panels, all on a single day. It was an interesting experience, with the sad part being the choices we needed to make on which discussion to attend. I settled for a very interesting panel discussion where Mr. B S Nagesh, the MD of Shopper’s Stop, spoke on his experience with Indian Retail and its growth over the years.

Mr. Nagesh on Indian Retail

Then of course, we also had ISB Day celebrations as ISB turned 8, with a cultural program over the weekend as well, with some great performances by students, staff, families, you name it!

ISB Day- The Acapella Band!

In between we also had the finals of the iDiya, the social entrepreneurship competition, with teams of working professionals from all over India competing, and the top 6 teams attending mentoring workshops at ISB. One of the highlights of the competition was the session on Responsible Leadership by Rahul Bose, who besides being an actor, is involved in a lot of different things, from the Indian rugby team to his NGO.

In addition, pre-placement talks have started, with companies coming to campus almost everyday to deliver their pitches. There are some really interesting roles up for grabs, and resumes are being polished, and interviews being prepared for.

And last, but definitely NOT the least, we have Solstice 2009 this weekend. The biggest fun event of the year, when ISB alums from all over come back to school for 3 days of partying with the current batch.

WHEW! So much for being short, I am already out of breath.

Oh, and this is just a single term at ISB!

- Jasnoor

Class of 2010

ISB promotes re-marriages. Especially when the friends missed out on the first one due to a cramped schedule.

Nikhil, a batchmate, got married to Priyanka on 27th of November, but only a handful of us could attend the wedding due to classes. We missed out but we decided that we could not let the schedule get the better of us!!

What do we do? Not too difficult. We arrange for a second one!! Ghodi, dholak, varmala et al. Of course, no celebration at ISB can be complete without the customary dunking

So there you had it. Last Sunday, after the ISB Day celebrations (ISB completed 8 years this December), we took out a baarat for the bride and the groom from one of the hostels to the Recreation Center. Since ISB treats both genders fairly, it was the bride on the horse for half the time, after which she got a chance to dance in her own baarat!! After an hour of (if I may add the word insane) dancing on the roads and obstructing whatever little traffic we have at ISB, we had the varmala ceremony followed by the dunking and cake cutting. Another reason for the extended celebrations was that a batch mate, Supratibh, has recently become a proud father.

And as always, a picture is worth a thousand words, but a video many more!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s wishing Nikhil and Priyanka all the happiness in the world!!

- Jasnoor & Amit

Class of 2010

The weekends are much more hectic, with multiple assignments due early in the mornings. Most nights are spent completing the assignments, with scenes of people running all the way to the boxes placed in the atrium to submit them at the last minute, to people sitting on the submission box to stop anyone taking the box away till their group arrives after printing the assignment! Time, however, is snatched away for outings after a night-out or suddenly formed movie plans.

The second part of life here is the social part. This includes all the speaker sessions we keep having on campus, with a choice often required between multiple sessions going on simultaneously. That’s when you need to prioritise ruthlessly. Of course, then there are all the cultural events, weekend parties and short outings to just chill out and relax. And yes, we have a dedicated Student Life Council charged with organising such events, and they really do one helluva job!!

The third and equally important [Editor’s note: Yeah, right!!] part of life here is…. sleep. Yes, something that we get precious little of much of the time. On an average, so long as you manage 5-6 hours you are good. This is also the most flexible component in the course, and the only place where you can compromise.

You can decide that you don’t care much about your grades, but that doesn’t mean you can just chill out. Attending classes is compulsory, and the same is the case with the assignments, unless, of course, you want to risk failing the course.

What invariably ends up happening is that sleep is usually the only thing you can be flexible on if you want to do everything else. For example, today there was an interactive session with Rahul Bose. So in addition to classes, studying/preparing reports and the session, if I want to write this post, that’s another half an hour of sleep sacrificed.

-Jasnoor

Class of 2010

It is a time for the class of 2005 to have their fifth year reunion and for the class of 2009 to have a homecoming of sorts in what promises to be three intense days of nostalgia, parties, fun events, chaos, mayhem and high quality entertainment.

In order to keep yourself posted about the latest happenings and updates regarding Solstice 2009, please check out the following links:

The official Solstice 2009 website: http://www.isb.edu/solstice2009/

The Solstice 2009 twitter page: http://twitter.com/Solstice2009

The Solstice 2009 Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ISB-Solstice-2009/178906826548?ref=nf

Of course, you can rest assured, Dear Reader, that the weblog will be updated with relevant information as well, but those other links are way better for periodic snippets to keep yourself constantly in the know.

There’s no line at the cafeteria during lunch time. In fact, yesterday, he took our order token with him to the kitchen and our order was brought to our table! No shouting of “token number 7!” What a luxury! No line at Sipz (the new juice bar). I tried another interesting concoction there – carrot, orange, honey and flaxseeds. It was pretty good actually. You bump into the odd one or two students loitering around. What are you doing on campus? I ask. It’s either the Marketing Research project, or the exams which extended till Friday (Global Operations) for them, giving them hardly any time to travel, so they stuck around.

My son had a field day yesterday. He was running around in the Atrium, in the hallways – all that clean, empty space for himself, shouting out and listening to his echo. I wonder if we adults would also do the same when we see open spaces but for our conditioned behavior! My cousins visited me yesterday, and as expected, they were greatly impressed by the ISB campus (it never fails!) I tell them, somewhat woefully, that yes, ISB has all the facilities in the world, just no time to enjoy them!

Term-6 is beginning tomorrow. Wow, term-6! And then only 2 more terms to go after that! These days, I’ve already started to visualize April 3^rd (our graduation day!). But there’s so much more to accomplish before then; much more to enjoy, much more to internalize. I am fully aware that this type of extended freedom that I am having at ISB (freedom from work, from the mundane outside world) is something that I will never again have until I retire! And so yet again, I vow to myself to enjoy this freedom, one day at a time, till April 3^rd. Amen!

- Sankar G Vyakaranam