Summers in Bank of Baroda

Hello everyone reading my article, I, parikshit loke an Arien by birth is quite impulsive which is why many a times i bang my head also. I am a very indecisive person. U leave me alone in this world and I would like to do everything in this world. So was the case when i joined my B school We school as they say. Mumbai welingkar is stone's throw from my home but destiny had some special plans cooking and so here i was in We school Bangalore. When i joined I was eager to learn everything not knowing where to go. Everything that came my way in the form of professional teachers from IIMs was making an impact and i was thinking of pursuing that as my carreer. Be it Operations. Mktg and finance I used to take in all in diff lectures.(Apart from HR). Every lec my specialisation was changing like a chameloen. Finally after some introspection Finance is what i decided to make my carreer. This article would not be enough to explain why.

Now by the time i had chosen finance it was internship time. I was so happy not because I had got in BOB a grt PSU bank but because I was coming to mumbai(Ghar ka khana) after some 8 months. i came to mum on 29th april and joined BOB on 2nd May 1st being holiday. 1st day i went to the 5th floor of Corporate office Bkc . There were another 10 more sets of students from various colls chilling out as they say. I quitely sat down on sofa (a Bank job was always a dream since i had given a couple of bank PO exams though i was an engineer !! ) The Hr manager came after some time and brought some sheets in which we had to fill some basic info.The 2 things which highlighted my eyes were NO STIPEND and Please don't ask for placements after the internship. Well Ok is what i said and went with her as she was ascorting students to diff floors as they were assigned their topics and departments. I with another one from a local coll was assigned SME division. The 1st day The DGM asked us about SME and told us to read MSMED act. Somehow after a couple of days I was not interested(again its a big story which this artcile won't suffice). I had preecided that I wanted to make a carreer in Risk management. After which I was one of those lucky fellows who was given Risk management But since i had no prior experience of it and it had too techanitilities like Var Montecarlo stress tests etc. which is very difficult to learn and make a project in 2 months!!!(In one of my previous internships it took me 2 months only to see the company wholly). So after roughly 1 month I was shifted again This time in TREASURY in the adjacent building Sun towers as they say. So again I was one of those lucky few waho roamed in 3 big depts along with in library and exploring BOB wholly.

In treasury I completed a project on Duration mangement Bond yeilds etc. It was all about fixed income and a lucky to have an understading boss who aloowed me to do the project and explain many things on the trading floor in barely 1 month when the IIM stuednts were already leaving. For once i did complete the project and submitted the copies (the usual formalities 3 copies to college 3 to bank etc etc) On the final day the HR manager did ask jokingly so which dept did u work for SME risk or treasury. I said I worked for BANK OF BARODA and bid goodbye.

 

[Simran Rai]

This candid and relatable account of a summer internship journey highlights the reality many students face—navigating indecision, adapting to change, and ultimately embracing the unpredictability of learning. The path from SME to Risk Management to Treasury at Bank of Baroda was not a linear one, but it served as a comprehensive introduction to various aspects of the banking sector. Rather than being discouraged by the shifting departments or technical complexities, the experience was shaped by openness to learning and a willingness to adapt.


The exposure to core finance domains such as duration management and bond yields on the trading floor, particularly in a high-stakes environment like Treasury, added substantial value. Completing a meaningful project under the guidance of a supportive mentor within a limited timeframe speaks volumes about personal growth and resilience. The absence of stipend or placement assurance did not diminish the drive to gain experience; instead, it reinforced the focus on learning rather than outcomes.


This internship also reinforced the importance of curiosity, humility, and perseverance. The journey from enthusiasm to confusion to clarity—peppered with library hours and hands-on desk time—shows that internships are not just resume builders, but self-discovery platforms. Sometimes, the best answer to “which department did you work in?” is: “I worked for the whole bank.”​