A story of Challenges through Time and Tides. Kanchan Krishan, IIM Visakhapatnam

Life is full of challenges, and it’s all about how one overcomes it and what learning it brings altogether out of it. There are challenges every day, and the onus is on the individual how to cope and emerge out of it successfully.

I, a Marine Engineer, had to face a certain situation when I was hit by a dilemma, fear, and doubt at the same time. When I was set to join my first vessel as a Junior Engineer, I was very anxious as well as excited at the same time. Within two days of my joining, my vessel was cruising through the periphery of the eye of the storm, and the weather became very rough. Put together the new environment of the sea, work location, and the hostile weather outside, I felt like trapped and having no idea what to do. The next coming port was 28 days away, and I had no clue how I was going to continue if I have selected this field as my future.

The coming days were not easy at all. New people, new work environment, and the weather didn’t improve either. Things weren’t adding up as per my perception of how my sailing career would start. Then my seniors and co-workers on-board told me that it is normal for someone to feel that way at that point of time. They stood by me and made me realize that I must not overthink. This would be a phase, and as I was new, it would take a bit time to adjust. They helped me grow in a team and taught me the value of teamwork. I realized that people do bond over time, be it of any nationality. It was not easy at first, but the camaraderie that developed helped me learn more, evolve more, and be a better individual. And I slowly realized that each and every tough situation gets solved gradually, but all we need to do is stay calm and never give up. 

Later I wished to explore more growth for my career, and I wanted to learn more nuances of being a good manager, so I decided to join IIM Visakhapatnam for the same.  As of today, prior to joining to IIM Visakhapatnam, I have sailed on board four container ships and sailed around the globe over around 17 months and I carry along with me the valuable experiences and learnings I garnered across my sailing career.