Summer Internship with Teach for India – Rohan Parakh from IIT Kanpur
Daily Winner for: – 7th August 2011
Name of the intern: – Rohan Parakh
Institute: – IIT Kanpur
Organization interned with: – Teach For India
As an internship that leads you to kiss goodbye two foreign interns, an unconventional decision you are strongly advised against by peers, one that you go for with loads of expectations and modest faith, Teach For India less than lets you down.
One of the flattest, least hierarchal organizations around, it seems TFI is specifically designed to attract, retain and reward outstanding people. Within the two months of my intern, I traveled a rich learning curve with the fluid exchange of ideas, meritocratic space that allowed for my leadership qualities to blossom and an open door policy that TFI offers. For an intern, I was given an unusual amount of responsibility of reaching out to and getting on-board 400 Campus Ambassadors from the top-tier colleges across India and the world, a task which felt both staggering and empowering. I felt constantly challenged, respected and valued inside the close-knit community that TFI fosters. The people-centric collaborative culture boasts of a strong sense of camaraderie. Everyone here truly does want to lift the whole organization and make it better. Imagine the Founder/CEO celebrating a peon’s birthday by herself getting him a cake and gifts! Where else would you get to see that?
The result-oriented ambiance with a strong focus on bottomline impact rather than mere reports and the passion to push boundaries that everyone shared, are things I hardly stand to find elsewhere. The sessions, workshops and leadership forums challenged my mindsets head-on and caused me to think differently. Looking back in retrospect, I can confidently say that TFI’s commitment to create value for its people has transcended into it proving to be a pivotal turning point in my life. The friends I made amongst the Fellows/staff and the sense of possibility instilled in me shall all go a long way in preparing me for a successful career ahead.
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