Aakrit Kheria from Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Delhi-NCR is one of India's Most Promising Incoming MBA Students 2022!
The following is Aakrit 's set of responses to a questionnaire floated amongst incoming MBA graduates to determine the top 50 Most Promising Incoming MBA students of 2022. Amongst the massive number of entries and responses being evaluated, Aakrit 's story and profile stood out. Here's his story in his words.
I was born and raised in Kolkata. I studied at Birla High School and recently graduated from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata.I live in a joint family of 15 people, which has allowed me to interact and understand the needs of all age groups.I am passionate about impacting society. As a result, I joined and became head of the R&D department in ENACTUS SXC where I led a team of over 25 who work across various social entrepreneurship ventures.I have experience working in my family's textile trading business too. As a result, I know how to build relationships with clients and suppliers.I read about astronomy and cosmology. I believe in the power of science as a form of knowledge.
Tell us more about your extracurricular achievements
I am in my final year of Graduation, pursuing B.Com(Hons) from St. Xaviers College (Autonomous), Kolkata. I have held several leadership positions at my college and gained valuable experience through international business competitions. I worked with Enactus, a social entrepreneurship organisation that enabled me to regularly interact with talented college peers, inspiring young entrepreneurs, eminent NGOs, and large corporates; and devise with my team business solutions to uplift some of the societies most vulnerable communities through projects in health and education. Here, my creative bent of mind was an asset throughout as it helped me to come up with solutions to a number of problems and gave me an opportunity to head a team of twenty-five in the R&D Wing. This improved my communication, organisational, and multitasking skills and, most importantly, helped me realise the type of leader I aspire to be one that is driven to excellence but also people-focused
Tell us about a time when you messed up, and what you learnt from the experience?
I came across the idea of making a low-cost centrifuge out of paper. The idea seemed simple and so much more than just a good idea; it was an opportunity to assist those in need. I started working on the project but encountered several difficulties, primarily due to a lack of technical knowledge required in the medical field.After finishing the first prototype, I changed my strategy. Instead of doing everything on my own, I pitched this idea and collaborated with hospitals and other organisations that had the expertise to assist methey have now adopted this concept. They are working on its development, aiming to serve the people at the grassroots level.
Tell us something about yourself that others may be surprised to know about you.
I have always been a business-oriented person and enjoyed learning about the functioning of businesses and the larger impact on our community and society as a whole. This interest was deeply cultivated as I watched and assisted in my familys textile business. I was inspired by my father and uncles discipline, which always drove me to do better, and with this early exposure, I derived a strong desire to understand, experience, and execute customer relations, product knowledge and market research.
What have been your two biggest successes in life? What did you learn from them?
I visited my father's office after college. After speaking with a few employees, I discovered that they were intelligent people who were stuck doing clerical work. They knew the basics of MS-Excel but struggled to use advanced features, which I helped them with. I planned to enrol them in an advanced course and assign them tasks with greater responsibility, but my father was hesitant. However, This proved to be a wise option, since it improved the efficiency of the company's back-office and operations. The employees were also pleased with the company-paid certification, which would aid them in their professional careers.
Professionally, what is your ideal image of yourself five years from now? Where do you see yourself?
I have a long-term goal of becoming a successful Entrepreneur-Leading a team of few members, impacting society in my own humble way through my skills and knowledge acquired over the years while fulfilling my short-term goals of utilizing the learning opportunities I will be getting over the first few years from my peers (understanding diverse perspectives broadens my horizon) broaden my horizon) through case-based study sessions.
What is the one skill or characteristic you possess that you are most proud of, and why?
I would say that one of my most prominent strengths is my adaptability. I am comfortable with change, and I don't have any extreme aversions to unfamiliar situations. This helps me quickly learn new things and adjust to changes in the workplace or outside of work life. I can also be described as a quick and nimble learner, and I can pick up new skills quickly, whether it is software or processes for business. This can be beneficial when working on a team because it helps me keep pace with everyone else in the group regardless of their experience level.
In your opinion, what skills or qualities does a successful manager possess?
I believe successful managers are humble and responsible person who can learn and adapt quickly from his exposure to knowledge and experiences. Reliable and cooperative people connect more efficiently, develop good relationships, and achieve their goals faster. Given today's competitive nature of the work industry, some tend to be very pushy or overbearing to achieve quick results, which can be demeaning and discouraging. An amiable person creates an immediate rapport with his colleagues and clients, facilitating and enhancing performance at all levels.
Tell us about an ethical dilemma that you may have faced, and how you resolved it.
I hosted an entrepreneurship event in our college, where I was nominated to judge the final round. This responsibility challenged my integrity because I had to choose between a team composed of my close friends and a team of much worthier candidates. I was torn between friendship and doing what I believed to be morally right. I chose to eliminate my personal bias, which resulted in swift criticism from my friends. In fact, I had to endure certain consequences that resulted from my choice. Performing my role as a judge with integrity has made me mature and more confident in my beliefs.
If you were the CEO of any company of your choosing, which company would you choose and what would your first action be as CEO?
Hindustan Unilever should be my first choice. I would make the decision to move to India and work there for a year. The company has a strong presence in the Indian market. The first thing I would do as CEO is to make sure that our company is a safe place for all employees, whether they are new or long-term. I would also make sure that we have a diverse workforce and a diverse set of experiences within our company. We should be able to celebrate the differences in our communities and be proud of those differences. Also, as a consumer myself, I understand the importance of bringing innovation and value to our customers as well as increasing our market share. In order to do so, we need to focus on our core competencies Brand Identity and Marketing Communication. Our focus should be on creating a brand that people relate to with their values and beliefs. As part of this strategy, we need to strengthen our marketing communications by bringing out new ideas about how we can connect with our consumers through social media platforms or touch points such as events and exhibitions."
Any Other Comments Or Factors You Would Like To Highlight About Yourself?
I visited a village to meet the Pattachitra artisans. The visit was an eye-opener to the everyday struggles of these artisans. These artisans were appreciative of us for visiting them in such difficult times, especially because they hadnt been able to work and make a living out of their craft. They had been struck by the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic as they could not travel to different cities and sell their products. We decided to take this up as a project called project Pattrang.On the one hand, we wanted to bring back this dying art of storytelling through paintings through our platform. On the other hand, we wanted to utilize the potential of e-commerce in helping them sell their products online without any hassle. It allowed me to gain experience working with people at the grassroots level.The three key takeaways from this experience were:The importance of being informed about whats happening in your community, even if it seems far away or isolated from you. When an issue arises, you might initially feel helpless, but any challenge can be overcome with conviction and due diligence.The ability to solve problems within given constraints. It enables you to approach projects systematically and critically think about each problem and how it can be solved.I learned that being a citizen is also about using my skills to uplift and benefit the lives of the people around me through social-entrepreneurship.