Disability, rare disease raised the bar for these IIMB grads

Among the 690 students who graduated from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) this year were several suffering from rare diseases and disabilities.

They overcame great odds to study and graduate from one of the country’s premier B-schools.

Vivekananda Nareddula, from Visakhapatnam, is a bilateral amputee as he suffered a locomotor disability. He trained himself to use his laptop without any difficulties using his designed set-up for stylus and laptop.

“Whenever I needed extra help, IIMB’s office of inclusion and diversity provided me maximum support. My colleagues and professors always treated me fairly,” he
said.

Aiming to start a company that is purpose-driven and profitable in a sustainable manner, he said: “I always remember that the real world is often different to people like us. We got utmost support at IIMB, but we might not get the same kind of treatment everywhere, be it in public places, office spaces, exhibitions, events, etc. I realised that I can see my own growth only if I come out of my comfort zone. I thank the IIMB.”

Pratyush Mandal, who did his BTech in computer engineering from MIT, Pune, suffers from thalassemia.

“I managed exams and classroom learning with frequently required transfusions and doctor visits. Many times I had to prepare for exams while taking the treatment. Time management and support from friends and family have been my greatest pillars of strength. The IIMB campus, its infrastructure, the courteous and efficient staff, the greenery – everything added to the learning experience. I made good friends and received a lot of support,” he said.

M V S Sampreet has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a neurogenerative disease that primarily affects the body muscles.

“I was homeschooled for a great part of my higher education due to the lack of accessible schools in our country. But the homeschooling was also not consistent due to my father’s frequent transfers. These challenges were overcome by my hard work and the support of my family and the IIMB,” he said.

He will be joining Deutsche Bank in the investment banking space and plans to pursue a PhD after gaining the relevant experience and knowledge of the industry.

Kashish Ahuja also suffers from thalassemia. Her only challenge was time management.

“I had to manage my time for the treatment along with the tight schedule of the programme. The faculty at IIMB and my classmates were very helpful,” she said.

Those suffering from partial blindness, low vision, hearing impairment, etc, also graduated at the 47th annual convocation of IIMB on Friday.

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