Here's what IIM toppers from 1980s are doing today

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA), often referred to as the Harvard of India, is renowned for its exceptional management studies. Each year, countless aspirants vie for admission to this prestigious institute, but only a select few succeed. While gaining admission is an impressive achievement, what truly matters is how the degree impacts the lives of its graduates.

To explore this, a tech influencer of Indian origin on X (formerly Twitter), analyzed the careers of the top graduates from the IIMA 1980-1982 batch. Interestingly, he found that eight of the top ten graduates hailed from India’s leading engineering institute, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

Among the gold medalists, Sanjay Bhargava, Vipul Jain, and Sridhar Seshadri emerged as the top three from the 1980 batch. Sanjay Bhargava, who graduated from IIT Bombay, later joined IIM Ahmedabad. Over a career spanning more than 36 years, he dedicated 17 years to Citi, eventually rising to the position of Vice President. Afterward, he held various roles in different firms, including a brief tenure as the India head for Starlink in 2021. Currently, he serves as the principal officer at Bharosa Advisory.

Vipul Jain, who earned his engineering degree from IIT Kanpur, transitioned to management studies at IIM Ahmedabad. His impressive career began as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Taj Group. He then founded his own consulting firm, dedicating 23 years to its success. Throughout his career, Jain has started several other companies, with his latest venture being a capital firm focused on investments.

Sridhar Seshadri, another gold medalist, graduated from IIT Madras before pursuing his management studies. He later completed his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. Choosing a different path from his peers, Seshadri now works as a business professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States.

In addition to the 1980 gold medalists, notable achievements include 1981 batch gold medalist Alok Agarwal, also an IIT Kanpur alumnus, who dedicated his entire career to Reliance Industries, eventually rising to the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He recently stepped down from this role but continues to serve as a senior advisor for the conglomerate. Similarly, 1982 gold medalist Jayanth Varma took a different route after completing his studies at IIM Ahmedabad; he joined his alma mater as a professor, where he has remained ever since.

The journeys of these successful graduates demonstrate the profound impact that IIM Ahmedabad and its esteemed faculty have had on shaping the careers of its alumni. Their accomplishments highlight the importance of a strong educational foundation in achieving professional success.

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