Fond Memories of IIT Madras
Maheshwar Saireddy, B.Tech / ME / 2000My fondest memory of IIT-Madras surprisingly (or not surprisingly for those who knew me very well) had nothing to do with the curriculum. The memory that stands out among the many is the Inter-Hostel Sports Competition. This annual event brought together students from different hostels, all competing fiercely in various sporting events including soccer, hockey, basketball to Chess and Bridge. When I first got to Ganga hostel, within a week it was clear that sports was a core to the DNA of the hostel and it got everyone together. It was a time of intense rivalry and great fun, and looking back, I realize that it taught me some valuable lessons about teamwork and camaraderie. This was an annual tradition where every hostel spent many hours away from the busy academic schedule to strategize and hone their skills before competing for the ultimate trophy and bragging rights.
One of the things that made the Inter-Hostel Sports Competition so special was the way it brought people from different backgrounds and interests together. I remember seeing students who would normally have little in common working together towards a common goal. It was a great lesson in diversity and the power of collaboration. And of course, there were always a few friendly pranks and good-natured ribbing thrown in for good measure. Looking back, I realize that the lessons I learned during those sports competitions have stayed with me to this day. As a working professional, I understand the importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving shared goals. And I have fond memories of the friendships that were forged during those competitions, friendships that have lasted long after we graduated. I learnt to work hard for success and cherish the victories but also be gracious in defeats (which I am still learning). Some of my best friendships in life were formed during those days and I look forward to re-creating some of those memories during our upcoming 25 year celebration and maybe even a fun round of soccer or ping pong with the crew.
About the Author:
Mahesh is head of the US Mortgage and Structured Products businesses. He is co-chair of the Global Markets Investment Committee and a member of the Partnership Committee, Firmwide Asset Liability Committee, Global Markets Global Operating Committee and Global Markets Inclusion and Diversity Committee. In addition, Mahesh co-leads the US Women in Trading program and is a sponsor of the Asian Network for the Americas. Previously, Mahesh was head of US Mortgage Trading. Earlier in his career, he was head of the non-agency trading business, and prior to that, he managed the agency trading business. Mahesh joined Goldman Sachs in 2008 as a vice president and was named managing director in 2010 and partner in 2016. Prior to joining the firm, Mahesh was a senior vice president at Lehman Brothers. He joined Lehman Brothers as part of the firm's analyst recruitment program in 2002.
Mahesh earned an MBA in Finance and Computers from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, in 2001 and a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
