Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur recently hosted Aagaman – 2013, the annual alumni meet. Alumni of the prestigious institute descended on their alma mater from different corners of the world on 23rd November, 2013 for an evening that will be talked about for a long time to come. The event was meant to be an opportunity for past students to reflect, reconnect and share the experiences they had gone through in their respective spheres of life. It turned out to be a lot more than that, as students past and present interacted with each other and had a ball.

Jaipuria Institute of Management has always considered its alumni its glorious ambassadors, who carry the reputation of the institute far and wide. Many of them hold plum positions in reputed companies in different parts of the country; others are entrepreneurs who have made a name for themselves. And when they come back for a meet at the institute campus, they are bound to have stories of their victories, both professional and personal, to share. While the alumni were looking forward to catching up with their old mates and faculty, current students were waiting to be inspired.

There was much anticipation in the air when the event began on the beautiful Saturday evening. After the traditional lighting of lamps, which is a symbol of devotion to Goddess Saraswati, the activities for the day commenced. Dr. Prabhat Pankaj, Director, Jaipuria Jaipur gave the welcome address and set the ball rolling. He congratulated the former students for their professional achievements in different spheres and wished them the best for their future. He added, “Our alumni are a living extension of our institute and speak volumes about it. An event like this provides an opportunity to re-establish old ties and meet new family members.”

The address had its impact as it filled the institute’s “family” with pride and created a feeling of oneness amongst them. And that was precisely the idea behind an event like this, according to Dr. Anvay Bhargava, faculty member in charge of the Alumni Association. “A meet like this is especially required to create a forum for dialogue between the alumni, institute and current students, to set up a process of active participation of the alumni in the future development of the institute.”

That’s one of the reasons why elections for the office bearers of the Alumni Association were an integral part of the day’s proceedings. Mr. Deepak Asnani (Batch of 2008-10) was elected President, Ms. Prerna Bhadani (Batch of 2010-12) was elected Vice-President and Mr. Prakash Khanna (Batch of 2011-13) was the new Joint Secretary. Mr. Asnani was pleased with his election and mindful of the responsibilities his new position involved. But for now, he seemed thrilled to have had an opportunity to interact with his friends. “It was a wonderful experience meeting all my batch-mates and the institute should take such initiatives in the future as well,” he mentioned.

The evening shifted gear with a popular Folk Dance by the Girraj Lok Kala Mandal Group and other performances by students. It had turned into a cultural extravaganza that reached its pinnacle with the impressive play “Bhopal Ki Train” directed by Tapan Bhatt.

A lavish spread was organised for dinner, which also served as an opportunity for students, present and past, to mingle. The DJ then took over and everyone let their hair down, hitting the dance floor and making it a night to remember. While the alumni went back home with special mementos, it is the experience and memories of the event that they are likely to cherish for a long time. Ms. Prerna Bhadani, the new Vice President of the Alumni Association, has the last word as she says, “It’s always a happy feeling to visit the campus and Jaipuria, Jaipur always rocks.” That it certainly did on this truly special night.

Prerna Jhawar
PGDM- 2013-2015