Anup Sarkar from the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong is one of India's Most Promising Incoming MBA Students 2022!
The following is Anup Sarkar'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, Anup's story and profile stood out. Here's his story in his words.
My name is Anup Sarkar, I am from Dharmanagar, a small town in Tripura. I did my schooling from there and completed my graduation in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from NIT Agartala in 2018. Post that, I started my startup. I singlehandedly developed a full-fledged android OOT app, which currently has more than 3.5 million downloads and more than 2.5 lakhs monthly active users. I also worked in TCS for 1 year as a database administrator. During that time, I also incorporated a section 8 company. Apart from that, I am an individual music producer and a cricket enthusiast.
Tell us more about your extracurricular achievements
I am a trained musician. I have a diploma in Indian classical music and Tabla. I started a Youtube music channel in 2017 and published more than 20 original and recreated versions of songs. The channel currently has more than 80000 subscribers. I am a cricket fan and I love playing cricket. I was the captain of my school cricket team. I led my team to the finals of the Inter School Cricket Tournament. Apart from that, Social service and rural development are not only a part of my work life but also an interest, and I would say a passion for me. I was actively engaged in social services and activities from my school days, which led me to start my own non-profit organization. I led more than 70 members in the organization and implemented more than 10 projects.
Tell us about a time when you messed up, and what you learnt from the experience?
I started making apps and websites during my college days. A few of them were successful, and a few of them were not so successful. One of my apps currently has more than 3.5 million downloads and more than 2.5 lakh monthly active users, which is a big achievement in my life. It was a great learning experience for me as I learned a different types of programming languages and other tools from online platforms. Apart from that, in 2020 I registered my own section 8 company, which was a kind of dream for me to start an NGO and work for social development. I led more than 70 people and implemented various projects for the development of society. It improved my managerial skillsets and I believe it shaped me into a better person.
Tell us something about yourself that others may be surprised to know about you.
I do not think that I have something or any secret that if I reveal, people will be surprised. But I would like to add one interesting thing about me, I watch tutorials and news and other video content at 2x speed. Maybe it is dumb to share this, but somebody may find something interesting in it. It allows me to consume more content in the same amount of time. Apart from that, another thing is time management. I was sleeping for only 34 hours a day while I was working on TCS because at that time I incorporated my new Section 8 company and I was also working on my IT startup at that time. So managing multiple projects did not let me have a good night's sleep properly, but still, somehow I survived that phase.
What have been your two biggest successes in life? What did you learn from them?
I started making apps and websites during my college days. A few of them were successful, and a few of them were not so successful. One of my apps currently has more than 3.5 million downloads and more than 2 lakh monthly active users, which is a big achievement in my life. Apart from that, in 2020 I registered my own section 8 company, which was a kind of dream for me to start an NGO and work for social development. I led more than 70 people and implemented various projects for the development of society.
Professionally, what is your ideal image of yourself five years from now? Where do you see yourself?
I have always been fascinated by business since my childhood. I believe running one's own business is not only challenging but also satisfying and highly rewarding. I am from an engineering background and I do not poses much knowledge about management, so that is why I joined IIM Shillong for the MBA program. I want to learn new things, acquire new skills, make new connections, and apply those skills in the corporate world. And my long-term goal is to start and lead my own organization to a global level.
What is the one skill or characteristic you possess that you are most proud of, and why?
The skill that I poses and am most proud of is my openness to learning. I am keen on learning new things, and I adapt to things very quickly. It excites me and it gives me a feeling that I am not wasting my life just being another person in the world. I always try new things, and it gives me ultimate satisfaction that I do not get from doing anything else or being anywhere else. I believe that learning is a never-ending process and that we even learn something new right before we die.
In your opinion, what skills or qualities does a successful manager possess?
A manager should have multiple skillsets, it should not be limited to one particular domain or area. A manager should be able to manage and organize multiple things, as the name suggests. A few of the skill sets that a manager should need to poses are negotiation, communication skills, socialization, being able to enunciate, and technical skills because we know how technology is evolving in today's corporate world. And the most important thing is a manager should be adaptable and must have a willingness to learn and acquire new skills. Because learning and acquiring new skill sets is essential as we progress in our lives,
Tell us about an ethical dilemma that you may have faced, and how you resolved it.
After I graduated from my under-graduation college, I joined TATA Consultancy Services. I worked there as a database administrator. Tata is a big brand, and I always wanted to connect with a brand like Tata because we all admire Ratan Tata. His contribution to the Indian economy and Indian society as an entrepreneur and as a proud Indian is something commendable. I was very proud and happy that I had become a member of the Tata family. Time passed, and I started my own section 8 company. Then I realized I must choose only one. I had to leave TCS, and it was a very emotional period of time for me, but it did not stop me from taking one step further. I am happy that I was at least a part of a great organization.
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?
If I were to be made the CEO of one company, it would be Neuralink. It is a neurotechnology company that develops implantable brain-machine interfaces. It was co-founded by Elon Musk. I find it very interesting to mix technology with human brains. Using this technology, we can get insights into our brains and how they work, and maybe we can control our brains also. If I were the CEO of this company, I would make major changes and would have accelerated the process of developing liquid brain connection chips. It would be an easy way to put these microchips into the brain through blood vessels. And if I succeed in that process, then I will make this framework public so that everyone will understand how it works.
Any Other Comments Or Factors You Would Like To Highlight About Yourself?
I have always been a self-reliant person since my childhood. After my fathers demise, I started working part-time to manage my study expenses. It was a difficult time for me and my family. We managed to cope with the situation and survived. I always liked leadership roles. Since my school days, I have led many events and awareness campaigns. It improved my management skills also. It made me interested in starting my organization. I led more than 70 people in that organization. I was always fascinated by business. I believe running ones own business is not only challenging but also highly satisfying and rewarding. And my goal is to become an effective leader and lead my organizations to a global level. I have joined IIM Shillong to learn new skills and I think it is a great opportunity for me to learn and apply these skills in the corporate world. Here I will be able to make new connections as well which will ultimately help me build a network.