By: Nidhi Deopura

We have been hearing nonstop about the apparent disconnect between education and corporate life. Well, not anymore because finally some of the young turks, pursuing MBA from Phoenix International Business School (PIBS) decided to take initiative and have started their own companies.

These students are in their final year and they started the company as a part of their curriculum at PIBS, which says every student needs to run a company from 2^nd Semester. Then they are free to take the company forward or move on with the placements.

These students have opened their own firm by the name of Green Dharaa. Their mission is to promote organic farming and greenery. They started their firm with a sum of Rs Ten Thousand and now they have a turnover of Rs Five Lakhs in just a matter of ten months.

The students – Anjali Kathuria, Charchil Jain, Gopal Singh, Prity Soni and Suresh Suthar, have a single minded determination to decrease the pollution and to control the use of chemical fertilizers which are depleting the soil. The company encourages the farmers to use vermicompost fertilizers which is a multi step closely monitored process. The kids are all for promoting their business for home gardens as well.

Raising The Funds: Initially funds were a problem but then under the mentorship of Mr. Shabbir Husain, Director, Phoenix International business School and Mr Manish Jain of Shikshanter, an NGO, things became achievable. When faced with financial doldrums the company had the astuteness and willingness to launch an IPO, the shares were bought instantly by the supporting faculty and students.

The First Assignment: The first tender they received is from municipality of Deogarh. The task is to develop their garden. The contract is of Rs five lakhs. Suresh and Gopal handle Deogarh and Charchil, Anjali and Prity handle Udaipur district. They have developed quiet a number of roof top gardens, orchards etc. now that the company has found its place the contracts are easier to come.

One thing is clear from their exercises that they are not looking for jobs anymore because they have employed themselves and are earning a good living as well as experience from it. It is heartening to see colleges aligning real world with academic world and bridging the long existing gap.

The projects of the students don’t just end when they complete MBA, there are periodical presentations and analysis of the work done. Guidance is given form all the faculty members and mentors. The presentation is always followed by the theories of management that have been applied in the companies so the learning is not just in textbooks but out there from the world and that exactly is the purpose of education.

The author is faculty in Phoenix International Business School, Udaipur