Hello, ISB !!

Obviously, my absence after the last post has been rather long, busy as I have been in moving to Hyderabad. Let's get the first impressions out of the way - the new airport is smashing, its location bad and the city center clean and green.

Staying at Lakdi-ka-pul for the first day meant that we were almost in walking distance from Hussain Sagar lake. It's kept neat and clean and the surrounding gardens lend an excellent ambience. I did manage to take in the view from the Birla temple (heavenly), a quick walk in the NTR and Lumbini parks (pleasant) and a jaunt in Snow World (fun), before I landed up in Gachibowli for the registration. Mom, dad and sis did manage to catch some more spots before they left, though.

The registration was a rather stressful affair, but passed off without any glitch. I should have been better prepared for the heat out here. It makes even walking out for lunch a laborious affair. Thankfully the apartments are air conditioned !! Speaking of the accommodation, I've been put up in the new student village - SV4. The quality of the construction and furniture is quite good, although it looks a little morose since the landscaping hasn't been completed yet. However, my room affords me a beautiful view of the setting sun each day !!

The campus as such is very well maintained, with lots of trees around. It's a far cry from the wild but humongous campus I was used to at BHU. At around a 100 acres, it's quite small compared to the 1300 acres that BHU occupied. However, the quality is infinitely better.

The first week was the O-week. We were bombarded left, right and center about ISB's capabilities, the professional clubs, the social clubs, the various departments and the honor code (hmpf). To top it up, we've had a talent night, a sports meet, a treasure hunt, painting, team building, movies, alumni interaction sessions and three parties. Already, the duration of my sleep has dropped by close to 50% !!

"Get Future Ready" is ISB's tagline. However, as I look at the course details, I'm reminded more of "Abandon all hope, ye that enter here" from Dante's Inferno. ISB's academic rigor is very high. However, this time, the batch admitted has a very diverse profile, with representation from almost all industries. The average GMAT has dropped a little to 716 while the work-ex has increased to 5 years. A brief write-up can be found here.

I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few of my friends from BHU out here. Already, the class is beginning to gel rather well, making us feel as if we've been here for 7 months instead of 7 days. On a lighter note, though, I haven't had so many introductions in my entire life, as I have had in this 1 week. Stepping outside the campus for the first time yesterday, we realized how comfortably enconsed we are within our own little world.

Well, time's running short and I gotta rush to the library (surprise ! surprise !). I'll keep this blog abreast of the development as time goes along.

PS: To clear the air:

1. ISB has admitted around 575 students, close to its target of 560, not the rumoured 630.
2. Around 300 students are now out of the placements. The tentative time frame is June 09, but can be extended if required.