From Customs Desk to Classroom: IIM Bangalore's New Batch Brings Uncommon Stories

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) has welcomed its 2026-28 MBA batch, a cohort marked by strikingly diverse personal and professional journeys. Among the newcomers are a visually challenged scholar from Bihar, a former Customs inspector, an openly queer statistician, and an independent filmmaker.

Reema Kumari, 22, who lost her vision at age 12, credits an NGO called Saksham for helping her continue her education. After learning Braille and mastering screen-reader software, she cleared the IPMAT and completed a BBA at IIM Rohtak before securing admission to IIMB through the CAT. She now aims to build a corporate career while creating support systems for children with similar challenges.

Ramanuja Desikan C.R. resigned from his role as an Inspector of Customs in Chennai to join the programme. He says his years in administration taught him that effective governance balances empathy with authority, and that rules must be applied with an understanding of their impact on stakeholders.

Abhimanyu, a gold medallist from Ashoka University, brings a blend of humanities and technology, having studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics while also working on post-quantum cryptography research with the DRDO. Kunal, who grew up in Bhagalpur, Bihar, and studied Statistics at Hindu College, Delhi, says moving to Bengaluru for work helped him express his identity more openly. He hopes to channel his experience into strategy and finance roles.

Ritika's path to management began on film sets, where she independently produced an award-winning short film. Questions about leadership and organisational behaviour under pressure led her to the MBA classroom, where she seeks to replace intuition with structured frameworks for understanding strategy and impact.