Our Sponsor, Tyco.
With the generous support of Tyco, we were able to visit the world-renowned Taj Mahal and Arga Fort. The group immensely appreciated Tyco, as they completely sponsored and organized our Agra Tour. Thanks to Tyco’s financial support for our institution of Haas School of Business and Garwood Center of Open Innovation, we were not only able to immerse ourselves in an Indian cultural experience but also support our UGBA 193i class of Smart Cities and Leveraging Open Innovation taught by Professor Solomon Darwin.
The Taj Mahal is the most popular tourist destination in India, as well as being named one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We were all in complete awe-inspiring shock as we began our tour into the Taj Mahal. With its grandiose interior décor, it was easy to tell why it is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Built of pure white marble, this elaborate tomb was built in memory of Emperor Shah Jahan’s beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1652. With its combination of Hindu, Muslim, and Persian architecture, one would already be impresed by the Taj Mahal even before stepping into the great tomb palace. Its surrounding gardens, green lawns, and fountains are a picturesque scene made even more beautiful by a radiantly sunny but breezy blue sky. With the involvement of Tyco, Haas students were able to also visit the Agra Fort built by three generations of Mughal Emperors, giving the group a once-in-a-lifetime exclusive Indian experience.
While learning about the history of the both the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort from the tour guide, the group became very aware of why the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort are considered iconic symbols of India. I wish I could show everyone in the world just how breath taking the Taj Mahal was. Personally I found it surreal to know that both the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort were built completely by workers from start to finish. In addition to the tourist visits, we also had the opportunity to see how the marble both used in the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort were made. I have a new found respect for the marble craftsmanship.
As our tour ended, we jumped on the bus for our 4 hour ride back to Delhi. I would like to happily share that we had a very fun and interactive bus ride as we sang songs, listened to Professor Darwin’s witty jokes, and even made a collaborative story along the way. Our day ended with a delicious Indian style dinner and a full day’s worth of fun filed memories that will last us a lifetime. It was nice to finally take a break from all the business meetings, lectures, and conventions; but we are all ready to continue our dialogue on smart cities with AIMA, Tyco, and Deloitte executives.
By Isabelle Lee