© Priya Narayanan, Assistant Professor of Marketing, IIM Kozhikode. Views are personal.

There’s a glorious joy in standing next to your peers, wearing the black robe, and receiving the degree. There’s a sense of two tumultuous years of struggle, fun, excitement, boredom, stress, success, and learning, all trying to bundle themselves into a few joyous moments.

On this convocation, as my first set of students graduate, it is no exaggeration when I say that I feel the same joy as I did over a decade ago. Of course, this time round, my joy is for all of you, my students, who made me a teacher. Because you created every moment that I have been a teacher.

You made me think, you made me laugh (and cry, believe it or not!). I doubted myself, then conquered those doubts, only to have other doubts come up. I became more empathetic, inclusive, confident, perceptive, all through your relentless training. And by now I have forgotten how I have also been irritated and desperate!

Thank you for everything.

Whatever you did as a student, whether you prepared or not, spoke up or not, turned on your video or not (!), I hope you gave your best. Because to give our best is all we can really do.

Soar high and fly far! The sky awaits with promise.

P.S. When you come back to campus, all grown up, do say hi because I fondly remember every one of you!