“If you love something, set it free.If it comes back, it is yours; if it doesn’t, it never was”. Nothing is a greater testament to this statement than the return of alumni to their Alma Mater. It is in this very spirit that the alumni of Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, gathered for Samayantar – the 13th Annual Alumni Meet – on February 16th, 2013. A series of events in-campus at Jaipuria Lucknow were organised to mark the occasion, while the evening was dedicated to informal interaction followed by cocktails and dinner at Clarks Avadh.

Extending a warm welcome to more than 100 alumni who had passed out of Jaipuria Lucknow over the last two decades, the Director of the premier management institute, Dr. S. R. Mussana, emphasised the fact that “Alma Mater really matters”. He commended the crucial role which the alumni play in connecting the students with marquee organisations and their senior leaders, including CEOs, from diverse industries. Dr. Mussana encouraged the students of the current batches to reach out to the alumni and utilise their abilities as mentors, to guide them to success.

Speaking on behalf of the alumni, Mr. Amit Vij (Director, KVC Consultants, and Vice president of the Alumni Association of Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow)seconded the idea of mentor-mentee interactions and suggested that social media could be leveraged effectively to this end. This would also build greater affinity between fellow Jaipurians and a greater sense of belonging to Jaipuria Institute of Management.

Thereafter, in a heart-to-heart session moderated by Dr. Kavita Pathak (Professor & Associate Dean – Student Relations), the alumni talked about the various teething issues that the budding managers were likely to face in the corporate world. The open house covered topics ranging from emerging scenarios and issues in industry, to student engagement and skill development beyond the classroom. Mr. Sajid Mansoor, Assistant Vice President, HSBC Bank (Batch of 1997, Jaipuria Lucknow) elaborated on methods of survival and excellence in the corporate jungle, giving the future managers the dos & don’ts of the corporate world.

The students of Jaipuria made the most of this interaction, throwing free-flowing questions at the alumni about the possibilities of conducting sector-specific workshops at regular intervals,and live projects.

As is traditional, Samayantar 2013recognised those outstanding and distinguished alumni who had grown into outstanding leaders. This year, Paritosh Joshi, Regional Head Uttar Pradesh &Uttarakhand, ICICI Bank (1999 Batch of Jaipuria Lucknow) was conferred with the ‘Alumnus of the Year’ award.

The alumni were then taken down memory lane by a video titled ‘Adding Hues to Our Memories’, made especially for the occasion. This was followed by a heartfelt vote of thanks by Dr. Manisha Seth, which made way for the alumni to revisit old memories and hangouts within the institute campus. The party shifted to Hotel Clarks Avadh in the evening, where old stories and raucous laughs were exchanged over a sumptuous dinner. For those associated with Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, Samayantar 2013 brought back a lot of memories… and created a lot of new memories as well.