A professor who changed my life

All of us have seen Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society- Carpe Diem he says- seize the moment. I had yet to come across such a professor who made us live in the moment, until I met Prof Deepak Gupta. The first day when he turned up, you would think that why is he here? The reason – his presentations were famous for making your life miserable. But little did I know that I would more from loathing to loving his lectures.

In management, professors like to give long and deep examples which are supported by case studies to ensure that we grasp things. These so called cases have always been so dry and mundane that now people start feeling bored after the first few. But here was a professor who took examples to a new level. His stories were so vivid that you would travel in another world and then realize that this was just an example of the 7Ps of services marketing. Vivid, descriptive encounters that were narrated so well that you would think this was actually happening to you and that you were an integral part of the entire store. This way of teaching- experiential storytelling – made me feel something that I had never felt before in a lecture – Engaged. 

As I mentioned, Prof Deepak Gupta’s presentations were the most dreaded affairs of your entire MBA. The reason- he would make the groups and then he would ask anyone to speak any part of the presentation according to his will. He had a relative grading scale and he would actually pay attention to you presentation and then provide true and sometimes brutal feedback. This is why everyone hated his presentations. But once you come to know the underlying reason you would want to put in your best. Prof Deepak Gupta had the best of slides when he would teach and he would expect that since he is putting in efforts, the efforts should be reciprocated by us in the form of a good presentation- something I completely understood. 

Prof Deepak Gupta with my class

After my class started delivering presentations, we started realising that this form of presentations was actually stirring some good and positive competition. With his relative scale of grading, he ensured that we competed against other groups to become better. His feedback would help us improve and the next group would ensure that this feedback would not be provided to them. And the most important part- the sheer fun we had as teams while we made our presentations. All the food at restaurants and the late nights at friends places made this the most interesting thing.

I feel that this one professor, Prof Deepak Gupta, who came a taught us one subject for one semester, has changed my life for better. In just 30 hours with him, I have realised that competition is good, it brings out the best of all of us and we while we put in efforts, we also enjoy the spirit of competition. Now I just wonder how a 100 hours with him would have shaped my class and me…