Shikha Sharma’s advice to IIM-A students on convocation day: Today, go party

It is considered par for the course to have convocation addresses peppered with inspirational quotes by famous personalities. Albus Dumbledore, the principal of the fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter series, is a refreshing choice to be added to the list of voices making the cut. Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma must be applauded for including Dumbledore's wisdom in her recent address at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Sharma spoke about one's professional success hinging on choices made in life. In that context, she quoted Dumbledore's advice to Harry Potter. "As Dumbledore told Harry, 'It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities'. You are poised to enter the real world tomorrow. The choices you make there will define who you become," Sharma told the students. She spoke about the three choices that have shaped her life: taking the road less travelled in her career, picking the right life partner and finally, opting for the principled, hard path.

But all that could wait - the convocation day must be marked for celebration. "Today, go party," was Sharma's final advice.