Business Verbatim...

"Though I was born in Chennai, I was educated abroad — in Sri Lanka up to my 12th grade and in the UK for my graduation from the London School of Economics. I joined IIM-B because I wanted to pursue my higher studies in India and the IIMs, obviously, are the best institutions you can hope to get into... I think the fundamentals they teach MBAs are extremely useful in understanding organisations in their entirety, and the knowledge you gain from an MBA would be useful for any organisation."

— Devika Menon, 20, IIM-B

"Discovering India is, perhaps, the most interesting part of my education. Even as a kid, I was always fascinated with India and her stories. When I heard about the India growth story, I got really excited. The course here is an opportunity to experience and understand that (growth story)... Back in the US, all of us worked for American companies. Here, in my study group, we have people working for Indian companies, American companies, multinational companies... the diversity of the experience is far more."

— Christopher Garnic, 27, ISB Hyderabad

"The focus of the corporate sector today is on rural markets... I think a local with a small-town MBA degree has a natural advantage in offering insights on consumer behaviour and spending patterns."

— Imteyaz Ahmed, 27, Institute of Business Management, Darbhanga

"I started working from the age of 17, as a Railway Ticket Collector, doing my B.Com as well. Later, I joined the Indian Audit and Accounts Department and, then worked for SBI. My goal was to get an MBA from an IIM. At IIMs, you have the advantage of learning from your teachers as well as your classmates. I have benefited greatly from this."

— Jagadeesh Yathirajula 25, IIM-B

"Management education has become synonymous with money making. I want that to change. Management education shouldn't be restricted to the corporate world. It should be about becoming better managers in all aspects of life."

— Shankar Rao, 25, FMS, Delhi

Reproduced From Business Today. © 2010. LMIL. All rights reserved.