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She Makes IIM Ahmedabad Feel Like Home - A Tribute to Tamanna Di
Unlike the other posts on this blog, this is not an educational post. This is coming straight from my heart for a person who made my two years at IIM Ahmedabad worthwhile. Today, I'd like to introduce to you a friend, a guide and a mother-like figure for me - Tamanna Talati, aka Tamanna Di by the IIM-A girls.
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Background
When I joined IIM Ahmedabad, I had no idea how our Tucchis (seniors) take care of their grooming and salon needs. Like every other girl on campus, I was trying to figure out if we'll be required to go out of the campus or is there a provision inside IIM Ahmedabad.
One of my closest seniors then introduced me to Tamanna Di. She had told me that Tamanna Di is the go-to person for every girl on campus but what she didn't tell me was how she could also be a caring and supporting friend throughout the IIM-A journey.
The First Meeting
When I first met her, I was a little hesitant (every girl can relate to what I must have felt at that time). I wasn't sure if I should prefer the parlours outside or trust the feedback shared by my seniors. In hindsight, I'm so glad I went ahead with the latter.
She was so kind the first time I met her. In fact, she made me feel so comfortable that I never felt like I'm meeting a new person. You know that feeling when some people just connect? It was the same.
And, I'm not the only one who feels this way. She just has this admirable quality of understanding the girls at IIM Ahmedabad and making them feel at ease while she does her work.
She would never let you feel bored, she understands what kind of a person you are and engages you in a conversation accordingly. I'll tell you - no other girl on campus knows so much about me as she does!
Enters UrbanClap
UrbanClap was not as common at IIM Ahmedabad when I joined in 2018. And so, till then, our seniors had maintained a legacy of sharing the feedback about Tamanna Di with the incoming batch at IIM-A.
But, in the batch of 2019-2021, something changed. Girls started using the services of UrbanClap (this was also the time when heavy promotions were been used by UC). Slowly, the crowd started shifting.
This had a major impact on her financial stability. She has a son who just appeared for his 12th board examinations. Since the last 2-3 years she had been saving a lot to ensure he can pursue higher education abroad. And two major blows - first UC and then Covid-19 have forced her to think what went wrong.
Legacy of Feedback
You know what worries her the most? The fact that the legacy of feedback, that was once the pride of IIM-A girls, will now be lost forever. If the incoming batches don't get to know about her, how will they trust her? Remember the hesitation I shared about earlier?
So, for this post, I tried reaching out to the girls on campus to collect the feedback about her. I posted just one message in the group telling the girls that I'm going to write a post about her on my blog.
These are the messages I received:
Two Instances
Let me share two instances which made me wonder what we've done to deserve the love she nurtures us with.
I. Once I called her up and asked if she could come to IIM-A. She asked if what I needed was urgent, to which I replied in affirmative. She didn't tell me that she had left the campus just half an hour ago and was about to reach her home. She drove back and came for me. What I needed to get done was worth Rs. 30 and the fuel for an additional trip costed her Rs. 50. When I asked her why she did that, she said - "But, aapko zaroorat thi na" (but you needed it urgently).
II. Once she came to my room even when she had a strong headache. I was so surprised to see that she had been working on campus in so much pain. I asked her to rest for a while and she said, "aap log thakte ho kabhi? nahi na, mera to har saal hi first year jaisa hota hai" (You guys never get tired, right? Every year of mine is like your first year at IIM-A). She does this for her son, she adores him.
A Tribute
I have nothing against UC or any other vendor who stands in competition with her. I just want to share this in the form of a tribute for what she has done for me and several other girls on campus.
She has been visiting IIM-A and helping the girls for the last 15 years! And to be honest, she's an important person who helped me become a PGP survivor at IIM-Ahmedabad.
So, through this post, I just want the incoming batches to note that there are people at IIM-A who can touch your lives. And she is one of them. You need not believe me or the many testimonials I've shared above. But, I showed a leap of faith in the legacy of feedback of my seniors. And, I can't thank them enough for that. Hope you give her a chance too, she's a great soul, an amazing mother and a person you'd definitely miss later.
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There are some posts you don't want to place further links on. There are some things you do just out of love :)