Anupama & Dhiraj (PGP-ABM 2008)

ANUPAMA JANGID & DHIRAJ CHOUDHARY PGP-ABM 2008

Getting into IIM-A was a dream come true for me. I was the first student from my hometown to get into any IIM. I had to join the Prep classes to cover up Maths and it all started good with making new friends and learning new subjects. But there was this boy named Dhiraj Choudhary who used to show a lot of attitude for knowing more than the rest, especially in the Quants classes. Since my quant was weak, I really started hating him for his arrogance.

Prep classes got over and first term started. Dhiraj and I got into the same section – Section B Boozters. T-nite was the ice-breaker and we started becoming good friends. Meanwhile the pressure of studies started mounting up. Despite being a very good student all throughout my studies, I was finding it difficult to cope up with Quants and Accounts. After seeing my scores in the second quiz, I just couldn’t sleep for three consecutive nights. Exams came closer and that’s the time I realised that I need some help in quants. That was when Dhiraj and I started studying together. He used to help me in Quants and Accounts and I used to help him in communication. We became a good study buddy and almost every night we used to mug up till 3-4am in Dorm nine Room nine, Dhiraj’s room. Despite being physically so close, never ever our relationship crossed the limit. It was this selfless attitude of his that I started admiring him. In the meantime the second term scores were out and this time I did much better than the first term.

Then one fine day we went to hang-out in the Vastrapur lake area and while boat riding Dhiraj proposed me. I had no reason to not accept his proposal. The best part of our campus days was the exchange programme. We left no stones unturned to get into the same college. We both went to ESSEC business School and had a gala time in Europe. Time just flew away and it was our Convocation Day. Our parents were there in the campus to be a part of this proud moment. This was the right time to tell our parents about our relationship. The very next day of the Convocation, we revealed the truth to our parents. We deeply owe Professor Sunil Handa sir for helping us in dealing with situation.

I am from Rajasthan and Dhiraj belongs to Bihar. For my parents, marrying a Bihari boy was like the biggest taboo. They straight away refused. Similar sentiments were there on Dhiraj’s side as well. With time Dhiraj was able to convince his parents, whereas on my side the situation became all the more difficult. I went through all sorts of emotional drama from my parents and other close relatives. But almost after a year we realised that it’s high time we take a tough decision and write our own destiny. We decided a wedding date and invited everyone. This was one of the boldest moves I have ever taken in my life so far and all credits to Dhiraj. Dhiraj’s parents helped with complete arrangements for our wedding in Bihar. Initially there was lot of resistance but finally on the D-Day my parents and close relatives came to attend our wedding. During this tough time, many a times I told Dhiraj to part ways since I thought it was not going to work out. But it was his true dedication for our love that we finally made the right decision.

We are happily married for seven years now and with God’s grace both of us are doing well on professional as well as personal front. Dhiraj is working as Head of Vendor Management in Amazon and I am working as Marketing Head for AirAsia. We are proud parents to three lovely kids: Our elder son Dhruva is six- years-old now and our twins – Ayaan and Aanya – are two. We have gone a long way from being a study buddy to friends and then to soul-mates and parents. Just thanking IIM-A for all that it gave us wouldn’t be sufficient. We are proud and truly obliged to be a part of this great institution.