An Interview with Tirtharaj Choudhury (MBA Student) at IIFT Delhi

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Delhi is a private institution established in 1963. The institute is accredited with A+ grade by NAAC and AACSB. IIFT Delhi courses are offered at the diploma, postgraduate, and doctoral levels including MBA, PGD, MA, Ph.D, and more.

Courses are taught in the fields of management and business administration, and arts, humanities, and social sciences. Admission to IIFT Delhi is offered based on performances in entrance exams like CAT / GMAT, Extempore, PI, academic performance in 10th & 12th along with relevant work experiences (if any).

Careers360 brings you an interview with Tirtharaj Choudhury who is an MBA student at IIFT Delhi. In his interview with Careers360, he shares his experiences studying at the institution. Read more to know more about the campus life at IIIFT Delhi from a student’s perspective.

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself.

Tirtharaj: I am Tirtharaj Choudhury, a lawyer turned business enthusiast. Though born and brought up in Kolkata, I graduated in law from NLU Lucknow. I had run my own legal edtech startup for two years from my penultimate year of law school, which increased my inclination towards the S&M domain. Thereafter, I decided to do my MBA and hence appeared for CAT ’24. Securing 99.64 percentile, I decided to pursue my MBA from IIFT Delhi.

Careers360: What were the factors that made you choose IIFT?

Tirtharaj: When researching which colleges to apply for, I realized the rich history IIFT carries. And any MBA college is only as good as its legacy and alumni base. Furthermore, IIFT placements have exceptional records in domains like S&M, Finance, and Trade, all of which are areas of interest for me. Hence it was a rather easy choice.

Careers360: What was the first thing that you noticed about the campus and life at IIFT?

Tirtharaj: The best thing is that IIFT is located at the heart of South Delhi, which makes conveyance and travel to any place very convenient. The seniors have been very approachable and kind since day one, making the transition from Kolkata to Delhi very smooth.

Careers360: What were the initial challenges faced by you at the campus?

Tirtharaj: Having spent 5 years away from my home for my undergrads, it has rather been a very smooth transition for me. The only initial challenge was figuring out where to find the kind of non-veg cuisine I enjoy, because the hostel mess serves veg food for the most part.

Careers360: What do you think are unique facilities that are offered at IIFT?

Tirtharaj: The Bloomberg lab, the vast library, Grand Alumni Reunion being conducted every year – this list can go on.

Careers360: Give us a glimpse of the daily routine followed by you at the IIFT Campus.

Tirtharaj: I wake up around 8 AM to get ready and attend lectures from 9 AM. The lectures go on till 6 PM with breaks in between. Then I go to the college gym to work out. I have my dinner right after, and catch up on my work or revise whatever I need to study before the next day. I go to bed by 1 AM.

Careers360: If you were to rate one favorite thing at the IIFT Campus, what would it be?

Tirtharaj: The seniors. I had heard so many negative things about MBA life being toxic and seniors being abusive in many reputed colleges, but that is far from the case here at IIFT. The seniors literally hand hold us till we taste success, and then it is on us to maintain it.

How would you rate the campus facilities?

Careers360:I would rate the campus facilities 4/5. The only point not given would be for the lack of a full-scale playground. Which areas do you think can do with some improvement?

Tirtharaj: The gym can do with a few upgrades but other than that it’s pretty good. Peer groups generally leave long-lasting impressions and many times translate to lifelong friendships.

Careers360: What is your opinion on the peer groups at IIFT?

Tirtharaj: Peer groups carry us through colleges, and batch unity is something the seniors have taught us the importance of from the very beginning. So by default everyone gets to enjoy a great peer group from whom they can learn a lot.

Careers360: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. This holds true for all. What are the regular fun activities at IIFT?

Tirtharaj: Multiple events by the cultural committee, many others by the alumni relations committee, pixcell, literary cell, sports committee keep us engaged throughout the year.

Careers360: Name some of the prominent clubs at IIFT. Which ones are you part of? Do you think they are important for students?

Tirtharaj: BrandWagon (marketing club) and Socrates (consulting & strategy club) are the most sought after ones, even though all other clubs work equally competitively. I am not part of any of them because I am part of the Placement Committee and the best way I can contribute to my batch is through here.

Careers360: Extracurricular activities cover a lot of things. Name some activities that you participate in.

Tirtharaj: I participate in case competitions which are very popular across B-schools.

Careers360: Stress busters are important, especially with intense programmes of study. What are yours?

Tirtharaj: Having a good workout session at the gym is my favourite stress buster. I have been actively working out for over two years now and I feel nothing comes even close to the rush that you can get after a great session.

Careers360: Name some activities that are related and focused on the IIFT MBA-IB & MBA-BA.

Tirtharaj: We have multiple guest lectures conducted by the CRPD which are aimed at increasing the knowledge of students from both the courses.

Careers360: If you were to rate your academic infrastructure, what would be your opinion on a score of 1 to 10?

Tirtharaj: I would definitely rate it at 8.5/10.

Careers360: In your opinion, how do campus life and interactions shape a student's life?

Tirtharaj: I feel they play a major role. And given the smaller campus size, the interaction chances between students increase manifold, which promotes holistic growth.

Careers360: What are the regular events that are held at the IIFT campus?

Tirtharaj: TradeWinds, Grand Alumni Reunion, and Quo Vadis are the 3 regular events organized at the IIFT campus.

Careers360: If you had to describe your campus in a nutshell, what would that be?

Tirtharaj: 5 acres of absolute magic.

Careers360: What would you miss most about the campus and life here after you leave?

Tirtharaj: I would miss the people around. Especially my fellow Placement Coordinators.

Disclaimer: This content was distributed by IIFT Delhi and has been published as part of Careers360’s marketing initiative.