Rediscovering Home, Community, and Myself at ISB

ISB was always my dream school. A teacher once told me how few make it into its hallowed halls, and that stayed with me. With cousins who had experienced the journey before me, I felt inspired to follow the same path.

Life’s rarely a straight line, and that’s what makes things so exciting. I came from a real estate background that involved managing and building hotels, medical colleges, hospitals, and construction. I wanted to try venture capital, and I was accepted into both ISB and NUS (National University of Singapore).

My dilemma was practical. I needed to work during my MBA to transition into VC, and I wanted to ensure my wife could build her career without visa hurdles. As much as I wanted ISB, I know she is smarter than I am. Singapore was the right move for us at the time. So my strategy was that I would go to NUS to sharpen my skills in the Asian market and compete with the best on the continent there, work in VC, but I would do my exchange at ISB to build my network back home, because I wanted to be in India.

The Homecoming Shock

Coming from Singapore to the Hyderabad campus was a culture shock in the best way possible. At NUS, life was a grind of commuting, housework, managing high-pressure internships, and competing with the best in Asia.

When I walked into ISB, someone offered to carry my suitcase to my dorm. It sounds small, but after living the independent city life abroad, the campus care was overwhelming. Bedsheets were there, and you didn’t need to cook your meals. Blinkit and Zomato were at my fingertips. For the first time in a year, I could stop worrying about logistics and just live.

I remember walking to class in five minutes. I was energised by the sheer convenience and the beauty of the campus. It allowed me to focus entirely on connection.

Learning Outside the Classroom

My time at NUS was defined by competing with directors and private equity managers handling hundreds of millions of dollars. It was intense and professional. My time at ISB, specifically in Hyderabad, became about intellectual curiosity.

I vividly remember Professor Lil Mohan’s Intro to Fintech class. It started as a finance course but evolved into a deep dive into neural networks and AI. That course formed the bedrock of my understanding of the technology I have started to excel at today.

But my favourite moments were outside the lecture hall. I hosted VC sessions where I would walk students through the process of breaking down company financials to assess investment viability. The enthusiasm was infectious. I also made friends I just could not get rid of, like Paritosh Dubey. I still speak to him almost every day.

The Magic of Mohali

I did not think anything could beat Hyderabad, but then I went to Mohali. Strangely, that month was one of the best times of my life. The campus structure allowed for greater interaction and collaboration.

Everyone did their homework in someone’s quad, not the library. This meant you did not just know faces; you knew people and their stories.

I met some great peers like Abhinav Gupta, Pranav Obhrai, Siddharth Dalmia, Achal Bhalla, and so many others. We spent nights doing coursework, playing video games, and playing cards.

I remember dancing to Govinda at Solstice. I remember a random long drive to Kasauli to find a specific pizza place. We never found the pizza. We ended up eating at a spot near campus, seven hours later. Looking back, it was never about the place. It was always about the people who shared those moments with me.

The Ripple Effect

The impact of ISB on my life was so profound that I convinced my wife to apply. I advised her to choose Mohali because I knew the deeper bonds forged there would suit her personality. She not only got in but secured a partial merit scholarship. She graduated in the top three percent of her class and now works at Alvarez & Marsal. She still visits campus often and remembers her time there as the best year of her life. 

As for me, the ISB network delivered on its promise. After my MBA, I worked with Mr Manish Vij at Smile Technologies. I secured this role because an ISB batchmate vouched for me. Even the role that I am in right now at Vansun started from a conversation that Pranav Obhrai, an ISB friend, facilitated for me.

Message to Future Applicants

My advice to anyone pursuing ISB is to talk to people and learn about the place first. Focus on the friendships rather than the unfortunate events. It is a large batch with many people. Not everyone will be like-minded or forthcoming. That is okay. Find the ones who resonate with you and don’t get into arguments.

Most of the bitterness created on campus gets forgotten within six months of graduation. Understand that everyone is learning, on their own journey, and stay committed to your work.

To build lifelong friendships and reap those long-term dividends, you have to be vulnerable. You must be honest. You have to give bits and pieces of yourself to the people around you to see them in a different light. Cherish those connections. Don’t let a few bad moments cloud the beauty of your time there.

Synopsis

Aniruddh Fatepuria shares his journey across Singapore, Mohali, and Hyderabad, reflecting on how ISB shaped his worldview. From intense days at NUS to rediscovering community, connection, and curiosity at ISB, he highlights friendships, academic turning points, and the unexpected ways the experience reshaped his career, network, and life.