IIM-Ahmedabad to World Bank: The remarkable journey of Ajaypal Singh Banga

AHMEDABAD: 'A hearty man with a hearty laugh and without question, a hearty appetite. A stable, sensible, fun guy who combines business with pleasure with the right amount of seriousness and 'tempo' thrown in' - that is how the yearbook of PG at IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) described Ajaypal Singh Banga, whose dorm names were 'Surd' and 'Corporate.'
The archive at the B-school gives a peek into the student days of the newly appointed World Bank president Ajay Banga.
Banga shares a deep bond with IIMA - his elder brother Manvinder Singh 'Vindi' Banga is also a 1977 alumnus, whereas his wife Ritu was a classmate in 1981.
Banga was invited as the chief guest to the 50th convocation of the B-school in 2015 when he and Ritu Banga launched two scholarships for the PGP students.
Banga, now a naturalized US citizen, made history by becoming the first person of Indian origin to be appointed the president of the World Bank. He will hold the position for five years.
In a career spanning over four decades, Banga has worked with brands such as Nestle India, PepsiCo, Citigroup, MasterCard and General Atlantic.
The PG yearbook further mentions, "Always ready for second helpings of ice-creams and other good things in life - some of which Gujarat was unable to offer in the requisite amounts, the cantonment notwithstanding. Sound on his academic fundas, his class CP was delivered in the strident decibels of a corporate prophet. Tull and Beatles blared out from the filched DJ speaker adroitly concealed in one corner of his room. Ready to help, be it Economics or Railway bookings, his boisterous laugh and deep throated animal calls ricocheted daily off the walls of D-5. One of those stolid pillars - in good times or bad."
In his convocation speech, Banga had termed coming to IIM-A as 'homecoming.'
"This school gave me a great education. It gave me a family. I met my wife here... IIMA has given my wife and me an extended family of very dear friends and a robust network of contacts!" he said.