Learning of A Representative

I am not so concerned about the dictionary meaning of the word ‘representative’. On a funny note, it always comes to my mind with a political context, the so called representatives of democracy. Coming to KIAMS I witnessed a similar scenario in case of the selection of our class representatives or placement representatives but the selection of the cultural representatives was a bit different, because it was a selection, and not an election.

My love, my passion drives me in this journey as a cultural rep and I really cherish all the moments. In Samanvay 2010, when our super senior cultural rep Mr. Kishore Kumar Tiwari asked me about the journey and whether it is affecting my studies or not, my answer was a no. Something can affect you only when you actually want to escape from that. The job as a cultural rep effects my studies but does not affect them. Me and my co-rep together organised so many festivals which I never knew about before coming to KIAMS. Experiencing the typical Malayali culture on Onam, having the special dinner on that day or celebrating Lohri in the Punjabi style- each comes with a bouquet of surprises.

Now after through introspection, I realise that how the prestigious cultural events in Operacy or Samanvay taught me the people management skills. Organising the whole programme, assigning the right work to the right person, persuading them, scheduling the time for practice, and getting everything done before the D-day – each time these issues give me tension but I enjoy it. I love taking such tensions where my passion lies. Working on the whole schedule till 4 A.M. in the morning with my friends, having few arguments with the performers never dampen my enthusiasm and when the success comes from all the dimensions it gives the pleasure of a bond which we share here as a family.

I would like to quote Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy- the revolutionary Indian scientist who once said about our education system that “we are just pouring water in the container but we have never tasted whether it is suitable for drinking or not”. Management education is something which cannot be mugged up and applied in your workplace, management education is not a course of two years, it is obviously not the degree you receive after the completion of the course, it is a lifelong journey where you get to learn something new in every station. I am too sceptical about the theories of human resource management but when I discover my learning in the same as a cultural rep I thank KIAMS for giving me the opportunity. Being a member of a cultural committee (which exists in almost all B-schools) and being a representative is completely different and when your senior rep behaves as a mentor who practices the American system of management, which believes that success lies in the extent of empowerment, then you can only inculcate wonderful learning experiences throughout your journey, the memory of which lingers forever.

From now on the word ‘representative’ will remind me something else J

SUDESHNA RAKSHIT

B-12