Nine Months at ISB: Learning to Live, Build, and Lean on People

Nine months ago, I walked into ISB. Sitting with a friend in Mumbai after placements, I joked that in many ways, I had been reborn. She laughed and said she was not sure about anything else, but I had definitely become more patient and calmer. That conversation stayed with me. It made me realise how much had quietly shifted during my time here.

There is a lot I could say about ISB. The all-nighters spent on projects, the nights that turned into early mornings, the inevitable 5 am Rameshwaram Cafe visits. But when I look back, three moments stand out most clearly. Not because they were dramatic, but because they changed how I live, work, and show up for others.

Learning To Truly Live

I chose to live alone in a studio at Student Village 1, and slowly made it my own with lamps, plants, and far more cookware than I ever thought I would need. On my first walk to the Academic Centre, I noticed small signs next to trees. Later, I learnt they were tributes to alumni who had passed away. That moment stayed with me.

It was a reminder that everyone here was ambitious and capable, but also human. We are not just PG IDs. We are part of a community with lives beyond careers. ISB quietly reinforces that life is unpredictable, and that doing what you love matters. The confidence the campus gives you to be yourself is powerful.

Living alone meant sharing a cook was not practical, so I started cooking. Between coffee experiments, grilled chicken with pan sauces, coconut curries, and impromptu potlucks, I rediscovered my love for food. I hosted people often, something I never imagined when I got my admit. During placements, I even joked that if things did not work out, I would open a cafe. The response was always the same. Placements would work out, but I should still open that cafe someday.

Realising You Can Just Do Things

If someone had told me six months ago that I would be pitching a fintech idea to Nithin Kamath, Shrehith Karkera, and Vaibhav Domkundwar, alongside three people I deeply respect, I would have laughed it off. But that is exactly what happened.

I came across the Pitch Perfect competition by Ditto Insurance and felt drawn to it. Case competitions had never really excited me, but building something with a social angle in fintech did. That aligned closely with my own philosophy, especially after my previous startup experience in wealth management.

I called Nihar Acharya and told him we had to do this together. Then I reached out to Khush Dembla because our ways of thinking were so different. We needed someone who could anchor us, think big, and stay calm, so I called Shivam Choudhary, someone I had admired since O-Week and who also happened to be my neighbour.

What followed were sleepless nights at the Learning Research Centre, and later in my studio, which Shivam jokingly called the welfi room. There was too much cold coffee, too many inside jokes, lucky charms, and constant reassurance. We did not do it alone. Our professors, Rama Velamuri and Jash Jain, pushed us with mock pitches and honest feedback. Friends stepped in to support us when we were stretched thin. That experience would not have happened without ISB, or the people it brought into my life.

Finding Strength In People

November 2025 was difficult. Placements were intense, and I had also badly sprained my ankle. When my legs did not work the way they used to, I leaned on my friends. Despite their own pressures, deadlines, and interviews, they ensured I never felt alone.

From hospital runs at a moment’s notice to making sure I was fed, taken to class, and looked after, the support was constant. ISB even has a 24 by 7 ambulance service and a tie-up with a nearby multispeciality hospital, which made a real difference. More than infrastructure, it was the people that mattered. ISB showed me what a community truly looks like, whether you are physically hurt or mentally struggling.

I came in as someone who tried to do everything alone. I leave knowing that trusting people does not make you weaker. It helps you do more.

As I now receive calls from Co’27 applicants for mock interviews and Co’28 aspirants for application advice, it feels like this chapter is slowly closing. I am excited, a little nostalgic, and deeply grateful. The learnings, friendships, and confidence ISB has given me will shape whatever comes next, in ways I am still discovering.

Synopsis:

Aryan Mulchandani reflects on his nine-month journey at ISB, tracing how life on campus reshaped his outlook on ambition, creativity, and community. From rediscovering everyday joys to building a fintech idea and leaning on friends during personal setbacks, the experience revealed that growth at ISB extends far beyond academics and placements.