“Why do I love IRMA”
The memoirs of a Participant
“Why do I love IRMA” is possibly a succeeding question to the most truthfully questioned and most flowerily answered J question “Why IRMA?” I am not sure how genuinely it was answered in past interviews of IRMA or will be answered in future but one thing remains precise that somewhere in the corner of our heart we have an unadulterated answer. I too had my own insane reasons which my diary quotes as
“I am not sure whether I would be able to contribute to underprivileged section after passing out from IRMA. I am also not sure whether this institute will be able to mould me into a capable rural manager, but I am happy that next 21 months of my life would be spent in an environment where tea-time gossips wont remain restricted to film and sports stars but will include talks about the marginalized and weaker sections , where class room discussions won’t restrict to just increasing profits for organizations but will include humane aspect too, where exams wont test your capability of simply managing monetary aspects but will test how delicately you can integrate development (not sure what it meant then) in it.”
With all these whims and fancies I entered into this wonderful campus. The very entry left an unforgettable mark in my memory. As per my earlier dispositions, guard at the gate was at maximum supposed to let me know the direction of hostel block, but to my utter surprise he took me to the hostel, put of my luggage from the auto rickshaw, took & filled up the empty water bottle, asked for my bed-sheet and set the things comfortable for stay of any new comer like me. I was dumb struck at the thought that if non teaching staff is so supportive then I am definitely going to have a homely stay here.
The Unlearning
I still remember during induction field work when we reached the GVT (Dahod) office Prof. Arvind Gupta called all of us together and told us “Forget what you are, forget what your qualifications are.You all are simply learners and therefore spend next one week as a true learner from the so seeming illiterate inhabitants of the village.” I possibly didn’t realize it then. “The Barefoot Managers” as IRMAN’s are supposed to have humility at heart and this necessitates that the baggage of past whether its educational background or work experience must be dropped down. And this was the first and fundamental lesson for me possibly one of the most striking facet of IRMA.
The Learning
Possibly none of the so-called management institutes would be teaching about rural livelihood systems and as obvious to most of us, things taught in this course were going above head, specially the way poor & poverty was defined with the six aspects which didn’t restrict to financial poverty. The village stay at Jharkhand possibly was waiting for another starking revelation. The discussion which left me spell bound
We: “Whom do you rate as most poor person in Supa?”
Replies” Jharia who lives toward field is poorest person here”
We (the most obvious question): “How much land he owes”
Replies “About 6 acres”
We: “And you”
Replies: “2 acres, 1.5 acres…….”
Stunned by the reply we asked him: “Still you call him poorest in the village”
Replies: “Sahab, you won’t understand, poverty is not simply related to land size, its something more than that”
We curiously continued the discussion and got to know that Mr. Jharia Uraon had big sized land but didn’t have ox and plough, therefore during cropping season he used to work in other’s field and during non cropping season along with his wife & children used to migrate to Bengal for working in Brick making foundries. He was somehow able to save 2000-3000 a year and was planning to purchase a pair of ox and plough when he is able to collect 10000 rupees. But then came the disaster. While he was in Bengal, his wife expired and left a one week child. Somehow he took back his children and this newly born baby. In tribal community, bridegroom moves to the village of his bride and same was the case with Mr. Jharia and therefore all social contacts in the village were of his wife who was no more alive. Now with three small children, his movement for work got restricted. He now cuts and sells log of wood locally in the village when his children are asleep. He us waiting for them to grow up and take care of themselves so that he can move out and plan for ox and plough to earn from his large farm land ( Tribal’s cant sell their land to non-tribal’s as per law).
This is what possibly Prof. Hiremath wanted to teach in RLS- a lifelong learning.
The unanswered question
During PRA class room sessions Prof. Arunathan (who happens to be IRMA alumnus) showed us a video in which few poor families whose daily life, their sufferings etc. was depicted. I guess more then the video Arunathan Sir’s question “Why we are here and why they are there?” moved us. Our exploration for the question is still on but in very simple terms he gave a great lesson that since we are blessed up with certain richness and ability of good education &decent salary, it’s our duty to sincerely put efforts to pull up life of fellow beings who are not equally blessed with this.
This answered question will keep on haunting me lifelong!!!!
The IRMAN way
When I told my friends that in IRMA, if someone breaks the rule, he puts a fine himself, none of them believed. Possibly I also wouldn’t have known the tradition of integrity which IRMA values if had not overheard talk of two kids who came with their parents during Milaap08 (Alumni Meet). The conversation of two kids was over an incident in one of the fun-stalls during Milaap.
It was an event in which glasses were kept in pyramidal form and objective was to hit them with ball and scatter all the glass tumblers. Younger Kid [about 7-8 years] tried two or three time but couldn't dismantle the lower layer and same thing happened with the elder one [i guess around 12 years], both of them sat disappointed after this.
Younger one told "Bhaiya u know they stick the lower layer with glue, so it never falls". Elder one thought for a while and replied him back "Yaar it might be true but my father told that in IRMA people never cheat, IRMAN's are very responsible".
Awesome!!! Statement touched me- If an elderly person says one may presume he may be pretending but when a child says such words--they are from the innocent Heart.
The Glorious Past
During MTS at Gurgaon, one conversation left me with mixed feelings. I was new to Gurgaon and therefore with my room-mate (was staying there as PG) at Gurgaon , I went to a restaurant and was waiting for food. Our conversation somehow took turn towards IRMA. My Room-mate co-incidentally happened to be a relative of Prof. Vishwa Vallabh (earlier Prof. at IRMA) and told me that IRMA is virtually IIM of Rural management.
Before I could react, another person (he must be in his early sixties) interrupted in between and said ‘Don’t degrade IRMA by comparing with IIM. IIM’s are nothing but a drain on tax payers money. IRMA used to be ‘Harvard of Rural Management”, & I hope IRMA will keep its glory.’ With moist eyes he left the restaurant, I couldn’t even ask him his name.
But who-so-ever he was, his statement left me in dilemma. I should feel happy or sad about this. Happy because the roots of the institute are among the best in the world and sad because I was born too late witness the glory which he was talking about.
In any case, if there has crept some adulteration in the founding principles which are putting a blot on IRMA, it calls upon every one involved with IRMA be it , the Board, Alumni, Professors, Non teaching staff & obviously the Participants to set ourselves for regaining the glorious past of IRMA “The Harvard of Rural Management”
And as we fondly say at IRMA
“If we wont ………………..........................................
who will?”
PS: Answer to the question “Why do I love IRMA?” possibly subtly lies somewhere in these lines which I my naïve English knowledge is unable to specify in one word.
