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Celebrating 25 years of passing out from IIFM is a remarkable milestone, and we the Millennium Batch (PFM 1998–2000) marked this occasion by returning to our alma mater to relive the cherished memories of our student days. The preparation for the Silver Jubilee Reunion began in June 2025 with discussions among batchmates. While everyone unanimously agreed to attend, it took two to three weekend Google Meets to decide on dates that suited most of us. Finally, 4th and 5th October 2025 were chosen.
When we approached the institute, the invitation extended to us was warm and heartfelt. We were especially fortunate that our Silver Jubilee celebration coincided with a time when our own alumnus Dr. K. Ravichandran is serving as the Director of IIFM. This added a special significance to the entire event.
Once the dates were finalized, preparations commenced both at our end and at the institute. Under the leadership of Prof. Ashish David, the Reminiscence Team—comprising enthusiastic students—was formed to coordinate the event. Each member of the Millennium Batch was personally contacted by the student committee and warmly invited to revisit the campus, relive old memories, and allow the present students to witness the spirit of a Silver Jubilee reunion.
Finally, the much-awaited day arrived, and ten of our batchmates were able to join the celebrations. The reception by the students was overwhelming. Each of us was warmly received at our point of arrival by a representative of the Reminiscence Team and escorted to the guest house.
The excitement of being back on campus with batchmates was as fresh and vibrant as it was 25 years ago. The day began with a sumptuous mess breakfast, followed by a gracious welcome by our Director Sir. It was wonderful to meet our respected faculty members—Prof. P. K. Biswas Sir, Prof. Amitabh Pandey Sir, Prof. Parul Rishi Ma’am, and Prof. Vijay Kumar Sir—and capture moments with them in photographs. It was heartening to meet another alumnus Advait Edgaonkar who is serving as faculty in the institute. This was followed by an interactive session with the faculty, where we were encouraged to share our suggestions for the institute.
Director Sir then invited us for a special cake-cutting ceremony to mark the Silver Jubilee celebration, just before we headed for lunch at the mess. Post-lunch, we visited the Memory Grove to remember our two dear batchmates who left us too early—Sachin Dubey and D. H. S. Kumarasiri.
Although the Reminiscence Team had planned some fun games and activities for the afternoon, rain altered our plans. Instead, we took the opportunity to visit our favourite places in the city—New Market and the Upper Lake—bringing back many fond memories.
As dusk approached, we returned to campus to participate in the brightly lit and vibrant Carnival organized by the Reminiscence Team. The preparations were truly impressive. The food stalls offered a wonderful variety of delicious items, and a hand-painting booth allowed us to leave our palm prints with our names—another memory to cherish.
The evening concluded with a lively party featuring soulful singing by our own Nikhil Mathur and enthusiastic dancing by all of us to the evergreen songs of our time. None of us wanted the night to end—it felt as though dawn should welcome yet another day on our beloved campus.
The next morning, departures began one by one. Sonia was the first to leave for Jakarta. The rest of us stayed back a little longer for an interactive session with the students. Post-lunch, Kultar and Rajaram bid farewell, followed by Ashish Agarwal. By evening, Kaustuv, Amit Gupta, Dharmoo , Nikhil and Radhika also departed. I (Avinash), along with my family, stayed back until the next day.
We all returned to our respective homes carrying “memories forever”—a celebration truly worthy of our 25-year journey.
A decade had slipped by before I finally found my way back to the IIFM campus, the place I’d called home during one of the most transformative phases of my life. As I stepped onto those familiar grounds, a wave of nostalgia rushed in. The campus had changed, but my memories were just as vivid.
Only a small group from the 2015 batch made it to the reunion. While we do cross paths occasionally in different corners of India, but meeting my batchmates at IIFM felt different. Wandering around the campus without any real purpose suddenly felt meaningful. Sleep felt optional as the eight of us who had turned up for the reunion stayed up late, revisiting and reliving our IIFM days.
Catching up with our professors, especially Professor CVRS, was a blast. This time, it wasn’t about “Quantitative Techniques”, just easy conversations, shared memories, and lots of laughter. The current batch was incredibly warm and welcoming, and having our seniors around for their 25-year reunion added a lovely, nostalgic vibe. All of it together made those two days on campus feel lively and genuinely special.
Big thanks to the student team who made it possible for us to reconnect with our IIFM roots, and to my batchmates who carved out time to come back and relive our good old days.
