The first day of college hit me like a tsunami of uncertainty. IIM Ranchi wasn’t just an institution—it was a landscape of infinite possibilities, each pathway lined with questions that seemed to mock my inexperience.
“What am I good at?”
“Will I ever make a real difference?”
“Do I belong here?”
These weren’t fleeting thoughts. They were the background music to every moment, playing a mix of hope, doubt, and nervous energy.
But life has a funny way of changing its tune.
The Birth of Dzinrs!
I met Heli and Dishita.
Heli was a marketing maverick with creativity dancing in her eyes. Dishita? A numbers sorceress who could dissect data like a surgeon. And I was the detail-obsessed dreamer who lived for crafting the perfect presentation.
We weren’t just classmates. We were Dzinrs!—a team that would turn uncertainty into our greatest strength.
Creativity Over Credentials
Our first test wasn’t in a classroom. It was at IIM Bangalore’s entrepreneurship fest—Eximius ‘24.
“Transforming the Interior Design Industry,” said the case. We were just undergraduates, armed with nothing but our determination and a wild imagination.
But impossibility was our playground.
The lack of experience wasn’t a weakness; it was an opportunity to think freely, without the baggage of conventional rules. That’s how Livy was born—a quirky mascot we designed to bring life to our campaign. Livy wasn’t just a cute character. She was a statement: creativity over credentials.
When we were announced as winners, the moment was surreal. Standing on that stage, I realized something profound: inexperience doesn’t matter when you have passion, teamwork, and a clear vision.
Three Minutes to Inspire
NSRCEL judges. Three minutes. One shot.
Giving another shot at Eximius, Heli and I pitched Mitra—an hypothetical app transforming farm management with technology. Complex ideas distilled into a razor-sharp presentation that challenged perceptions.
We secured third place. But in that moment, third felt like conquering the world. We’d proven that undergraduate students could dream big and pitch even bigger.
Facing the Titans: Consulting Consortium
A month later, the stakes were even higher. The Consulting Consortium, organized by IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, and ISB, was our ultimate challenge.
Undergraduate students facing seasoned MBA candidates in a complex challenge about improving public service delivery in Uttar Pradesh.
The odds? Laughably against us.
We were the only undergraduate team to make it to the final round. Our weapon? Relentless preparation. Intricate data analysis. A presentation that wasn’t just a deck—it was our manifesto. When we presented to an IAS officer in the finals, we weren’t just sharing a solution. We were demonstrating a method of thinking.
Becoming national runners-up wasn’t just an achievement. It was a declaration that potential recognizes no age limits.
Lessons from IPM IIM Ranchi
This journey hasn’t been about giving the right answers. It was about hunting the right questions.
IPM at IIM Ranchi has pushed me to think critically, challenge assumptions, and collaborate effectively. But it’s the environment—the people, the conversations, the energy—that has truly shaped me. It has taught me to embrace failure as much as success and to see learning as a lifelong journey, not just an academic exercise.
To the Dreamer Reading This
Storyboarding is the Secret Sauce
A presentation isn’t just slides—it’s a story. Follow the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) framework to ensure ideas flow seamlessly. Think of your deck as a movie, where every slide builds anticipation and delivers clarity.
Design that Speaks
Great presentations communicate effectively. Use visual hierarchy, padding, alignment, and concise content to guide the audience’s attention. Clean, well-structured visuals simplify complex ideas and make a lasting impact.
Data is Your Armor
Robust research and data lend credibility. From case insights to industry benchmarks, data tells your story. Use graphs and infographics to make numbers compelling and easy to understand.
Pitch Beyond the Obvious
Go deeper than surface-level solutions by addressing root causes. Innovative tweaks and actionable ideas stand out. Pro tip: Use prototypes or mock-ups to showcase effort and vision.
Feedback Loops are Gold
Rehearse, refine, and iterate. Feedback from peers or mentors uncovers blind spots and enhances clarity. Iterative improvement is the key to a winning strategy.
Enhance, Don’t Reinvent
Building on existing models with feasible, innovative improvements can often outperform entirely new ideas. Conduct feasibility checks to ensure scalability and practicality, focusing on measurable impact.
If you are staring at uncertainty, wondering if you’re enough. Remember – You are more powerful than you know.
Dzinrs! didn’t start with perfection. We started with passion, curiosity, and the audacity to believe in ourselves.
Our story isn’t over. It’s just beginning.
And to you reading this? Your first step starts now.
