ISB PGP Letter of Recommendation

The Letter of Recommendation (LOR) is a critical component of your application to the Indian School of Business (ISB) Post Graduate Programme (PGP). It provides the admissions committee with valuable insights into your professional achievements, leadership potential, and personal attributes—directly from someone who has worked closely with you. Crafting a compelling ISB LOR requires a deep understanding of the qualities ISB values and an ability to showcase your unique strengths effectively. In this guide, we’ll explore the essential elements of an ISB PGP LOR, including key questions, examples, and tips to ensure your recommendation stands out.

ISB LOR Questions

1. Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant. (Word limit 500)
2. How does the applicant’s performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles?
3. Please provide specific examples (e.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) (Word limit 500)
4. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Word limit 500)
5. Is there anything else we should know? (Word limit 500)

ISB Letter of Recommendation Sample

Question 1: Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant.

I have known X (named X for better understanding) for quite some time now. However, for the past 6 months, he has been working directly under my command. In our interactions at work, he is always cheerful and exudes confidence. He speaks concisely and lucidly, is a very attentive listener, is a quick learner, works with a single-minded focus, and is good at multi-tasking. 

He keeps me posted on the daily happenings in the XY Wing’ that he commands. He keeps on developing new ideas for the betterment of his Wing and seeks my opinion and advice on the same. He is always open to suggestions and at times, seeks advice from me on which other individuals he can collaborate with for better ideas. He also keeps updating me about the problems he anticipates to arise in the future, discusses plans to mitigate/resolve them, and does so in time and with ease.  At times he comes up with ‘out of the box’ solutions that promise disproportionate results. And true to his reputation I have always seen him meticulously execute and deliver on his promise, taking a huge load off my back.

In social settings too, X has a cheerful demeanor. He is socially well-adjusted and is well-regarded by his peers as well as seniors. His juniors find him to be easily approachable for any issues – professional or personal. He is well-read, which can be easily understood by his insights on wide-ranging issues such as history, science, sports, meditation, music etc. 

Overall, X has a well-rounded personality and is one of the most brilliant and interesting people I’ve interacted with – at work or otherwise.

Question 2: How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles?

X is among the cream of the xx Army and the best yyy Officer I’ve seen. 

When a xxx battalion in the hostile border region of Z was rendered without a selection-grade Commanding Officer, X was the first to volunteer to helm this battalion, leaving the comfort of commanding his own battalion, in a peace station. However, when no other officer due for field posting was forthcoming, his repeated requests were granted.      

The battalion was by this time without a selection-grade xyxy for 5 months and was facing grave operational and administrative challenges. With his extraordinary leadership, he turned around this battalion remarkably to be the best-performing one in his formation in a span of two years. This battalion at 13xxx feet altitude faced very heavy snowfall during winters, cutting off almost 1xxxxx people in a border village from the mainland, subjecting them to many difficulties. Genuinely concerned, X trained and equipped his men to form Avalanche Rescue Teams and kept the lone road open in spite of avalanches. He ensured that the people were not short of any essential supplies and could also access airports and hospitals across the mountain pass. Over three years, his men, at the peril of their lives, rescued more than 100 civilians from avalanches. On one occasion, they saved the Sub-Divisional Magistrate from an avalanche when he was seconds away from being washed away. 

This area had always faced the dilemma of unbridled narcotics smuggling through the lone road and reducing checking time for innocent civilians due to a lack of equipment and funds. X resolved it through an innovative solution – narcotics detection by trained dogs to supplement manual checking. However, since narcotics is not the Army’s mandate, no agency was willing to train his dogs in narcotics and ammunition detection. He then learned dog training himself and taught the skills to his men. In two years, he achieved stupendous results in apprehending narcotics, weapons, and ammunition. With this action, he reduced long waiting times for civilians, fatigue to troops, and hitherto ineffectiveness of manual checking. He then established a Dog training node to train dogs of other Units that faced similar problems. He even provided his dogs for operations in other areas.

Pursuing continuous improvement, he studied articles related to construction technology, on-boarded local stakeholders, and built bomb shelters from local resources at far-flung, difficult-to-reach places where such expertise was not available. This gave much-needed refuge to needy villagers and soldiers during periods of cease-fire violations.

These actions though beyond his mandate, accrued benefits not just monetary but intangible yet far-reaching in terms of curbing drug addiction, terrorism, and its funding, and bringing people of border villages into the mainstream of India. 

His foresight, innovative approach, resourcefulness, steely determination, and exemplary leadership in commanding a diverse team of 1200 technicians, logisticians, general duty soldiers, and even paramilitary troops make him the best xxx Officer I’ve seen. He has achieved results that no other xxx officer has achieved in that area.

Question 3: Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant.

Considering his long-term goals of establishing a sustainable business enterprise and taking the first step of joining ISB, I found that X lacked the basics of business knowledge. Having gone through the ‘ABC Management Course’ at the College of MNX, I’ve had some exposure to ISB. Accordingly, I advised him to start building up on his business fundamentals’ knowledge so as to have a higher take-off level by the time he reaches ISB. There are many online resources available nowadays to gain knowledge as well as certifications.

He was quick to act upon my advice and immediately started researching relevant courses. Given his hardworking nature and dedication, I am sure in due course and by the time he joins ISB, he would’ve mastered the basics of business and finance-related matters.

Question 4: Is there anything else we should know?

Being his immediate superior, I have access to X’s entire record of service and have seen him grow for quite some time now. He has performed exceedingly well in all Army courses. He is eligible to be posted as an abab in almost all premier institutions in the Armed Forces, including the PQR College, Z.  Owing to his performances throughout his career, he ranks very high in his batch and was to be nominated for the prestigious XXX Course at AB College or the YYY at College of DE. However, in pursuit of his dream of having a greater impact on society and nation-building, he rendered ‘Unwilling’ for those courses. He has taken a huge risk in doing so and is leaving a well-established career, which was beckoning him for higher ranks.

But then chasing higher goals comes naturally to someone like X. He has always been very mature for his age. He has a wide perspective, and great foresight & vision. He is morally upright and intelligent. He is always up for a challenge and is methodical in his approach. He is innovative and a fast learner. With such qualities, and with a PGP from ISB, I am sure that he will achieve whatever he sets his eyes on. X would be the best ambassador of the Hx Armed Forces not just at ISB but in the entire civilian world as such.

Also, if it matters, he happens to be a good guitarist and can hold onto an audience very well! In fact, in his Dx tenure, he was even teaching Guitar to school children for free. In his leisure time, he has successfully mentored and assisted several deserving soldiers to become officers in the Armed Forces. Outside of work I often find him going on long-distance runs in the cantonment, in the gym, and at times planting Alphonso mango saplings in the neighbourhood in Mx Cantt.

Conclusion

A strong ISB PGP LOR (Letter of Recommendation) can significantly enhance your application by highlighting your key achievements and leadership abilities through the perspective of someone who knows you well. By ensuring the LOR aligns with ISB’s expectations and values, you can present a compelling case for your candidacy.

For expert guidance on crafting impactful ISB LOR and personalized advice for your application, reach out to MBA and Beyond. Schedule a call with us today and take the next step towards your ISB dream!