At the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), two years on campus often becomes the beginning of a much longer relationship — with classmates, alumni from other generations and the institution itself.Since its inception in 2009, the IIMB Alumni Association (IIMBAA) has witnessed remarkable growth and soared in prominence. In a recent social-media post, Prof Rishikesa T Krishnan, former director of IIMB, lauded the association as the finest in India. It is now a vibrant community of around 30,000 alumni, welcoming 2,000 new faces annually. The net-work has expanded from seven Indian chapters to 14, with communities in cities, including Kochi and Coimbatore, as well as overseas chapters across the US, UK, UAE, Europe and the Nordics.There are also special-interest groups for alumni working in sectors such as mobility, banking and global capability centres.An Economic FootprintFor a startup founder, the right platform changes everything.Through IIMBAA’s 2019 roundtable with Scripbox founder Sanjiv Singhal, PGP 1992, another alum-founded company Mitraz Financial found access to funding, world-class guidance and a strategic path to acquisition. “This ecosystem provided the launchpad we needed to scale exponentially — catalysing a 6x rise in our advice portfolio from `400cr to`2,500cr,” says Varun Girilal, co-founder, Mitraz Financial and MPEFB 2011.Companies such as Delhivery and Scripbox have strong IIMB alumni representation and have provided settings in which alumni careers and professional relationships have developed. According to data compiled by IIMBAA, alumni-led startups and scale-ups, including Namma Yatri, Lenskart, Infra Market, Licious, NestAway and Urban Ladder, have an estimated aggregate market capitalisation of $25-30 billion or more and account for more than 1,50,000 direct and 1.2 million indirect and associated jobs.Alumni in venture capital and private equity have also funded more than 1,200 high-growth Indian enterprises, with IIMB alumni-linked funds and firms managing or advising on an estimated $15-20 billion in assets.When A Community Becomes UsefulSometimes the strength of a community becomes most visible when its members need practical support.During the Covid-19 pandemic, IIM-BAA introduced a group health insurance programme, including super top-up and group coverage options. By leveraging the collective strength of the alumni community, it was able to secure cost-effective terms from an insurer. The programme currently provides health protection to nearly 10,000 people.Welcoming The Next GenerationFor some, the connection with the IIMB community begins even before they enter the campus.Through City Meets, alumni meet students who have secured admission to IIMB in cities across India and virtually. What began as an informal pre-admission interaction hasevolved into a structured alumni-student programme. “This year, nearly 550 offer holders connected with around 100 alumni, with representation from 26 of IIMB’s 53 batches. For many students, it is their first glimpse of the community they are about to join,” says Nidhi Ashok, PGP 2021 who was the co-convenor of City Meets 2026.Coming Together Around IdeasAt the centre of the annual calendaris IIMBue, the Thought Leadership Conclave. The first IIMBue was held in 2015, with Shah Rukh Khan as its inaugural speaker. Since then, it has grown into a gathering of more than 1,200 alumni from different batches, programmes, generations and geographies.The inaugural IIM-Bue was convened by Harish Mittal, PGP 1988, who went on tobecome president of IIMBAA in 2020 and continues to lead the association. “There is something almost like a Maha Kumbh about IIMBue. Alumni from different generations, programmes and parts of the world come together in one place. You meet old friends, discover connections with people you have never met and reconnect with the larger IIMB community,” says Harish.One Community, Many CitiesThe same connection plays out through IIMBAA’s chapters in India and overseas.Every year in April and May, Anusmaran, the annual alumni gathering, brings chapters together around the same period while allowing each local community to create its own format.The IIMB Alumni Club in Bengaluru provides a more regular physical space for the commu-nity. The club serves both professional and social purposes.Alumni use it for board meetings, lear ning sessions, leadership conversations and other professional engagements. Its calendar also includes Diwali and New Year celebrations, talks by eminent personalities, member mixers and activities for families and children, from painting competitions to housie.The community knows how to let its hair down too. Each year, the graduating batch of around 800 students gets its own celebration, with alumni organising a party that takes over an entire pub.The Bond Travels FurtherGeography has not diluted the connection. In the US, more than 500 alumni are actively en-gaged through the IIM-BAA community, with annual gatherings and local meet-ups. “Whenwe are so far from our home country, alumni become that bridge for folks to connect and share their learnings, support each other and be that pillar of familiarity and friendship,” says Rashmi Das, PGP 1996 and director of IIMBAA’s US East Chapter.Perhaps that is what makes an alumni community endure. People remain connected because they continue to find value in crossing paths.Some return for ideas. Some for professional conversations. Some to mentor. Some to celebrate. Some simply to see an old friend. The classroom may have lasted for just two years. The community, it seems, has a much longer curriculum.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Th IIMB Alumni Club serves as a community hub. The idea was to create a space where alumni could meet beyond formal alumni events. Over time, it became more than a meeting place. Alumni use it for professional discussions and learning, but they also come here with their families, meet people from other batches and simply spend time togetherVipul Parekh | PGP 1988 AND CO- FOUNDER OF BIG- BASKET. WAS IN- VOLVED IN CREATING THE CLUBI’m proud to mention that IIMBAA has evolved to be the finest alumni association in the country and a global benchmark for its contributions to the growth of the IIMB ecosystemProf U Dinesh Kumar | DIRECTOR IN CHARGE, IIMBIIMBAA is a community of highly driven alumni of IIMB, and its myriad initiatives have created unique platforms for engagement, learning and support. I proudly say that whenwe IIMB alumni come together and work together, we create magic!Harish Mittal | PGP 1988, PRESIDENT, IIMBAA
