Arpit Agarwal from the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong is one of India's Most Promising Incoming MBA Students 2022!
The following is Arpit '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, Arpit's story and profile stood out. Here's his story in his words.
My name is Arpit Agarwal I am from Jaipur, Rajasthan. I completed my B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from NIT Hamirpur in the year 2019. I have a formal work experience of 33 months working as a Consultant at EXL Service. My hobbies are playing cricket and practicing Yoga.
Tell us more about your extracurricular achievements
I have volunteered in Literacy mission at NIT Hamirpur which aims to provide education to kids living in nearby slums so that their childhood would remain as precious as that of other children. I have also contributed in organizing Prayas which is the Annual cultural-cum-charity festival of Literacy Mission. It provides a platform for the children to come forward and showcase their talents by performing various arts like Dance, Drama, Music, etc.; and in turn enhance their confidence. Talking about Positions of Responsibilities, I was Discipline Committee's Hostel Secretary and in charge of keeping an eye out for any student misbehavior that violated the rules and regulations of the hostel, recording it, and then reporting it to the warden. I was also in charge of investigating student complaints and grievances, determining whether they were genuine, and then taking appropriate action by raising the issues with the relevant authorities.Another important position was being the External coordinator of Team ISTE, NIT Hamirpur. It is the leading National Professional non-profit making Society for the Technical Education System in our country. As part of the team, I organized various inter college technical events like Hackathons, blood donation camps, freshers introduction to college, and workshops on Adobe Photoshop, Android development during ISTEs technical fest Udbhava.
Tell us about a time when you messed up, and what you learnt from the experience?
A time when I messed up was when I couldn't get into IITs. I didn't prepare well for JEE because my primary concentration was on board exams, and as a result, I didn't pass it on the first try. This demoralized me because I aspired to study engineering at prestigious institutions. I took my time and decided to tackle it again. I spotted the errors I made the first time around and began working on strengthening my weak spots. It paid out, as I was able to pass both the JEE Mains and Advanced. This incident strengthened my resilience and taught me how important patience and self-belief are.
Tell us something about yourself that others may be surprised to know about you.
I find it extremely challenging to engage in conversation with a large group of people when I am the only one speaking and always fear being judged. I used to purposefully steer clear of any activities that would require public speaking or performing in front of a sizable audience, and this phobia has only become worse over time. I was too hesitant to step outside of my comfort zone and engage in things that would help me develop both personally and professionally. I've always felt like I missed out on many great opportunities to take part, interact with people from different walks of life, and learn from those encounters, which would have helped me develop as a complete person.
Professionally, what is your ideal image of yourself five years from now? Where do you see yourself?
Professionally, I want to see myself successfully starting my own business, primarily in the sports industry. I am a huge sports enthusiast and keep up with a variety of games like cricket, football, tennis, and formula 1. We have, I think, moved slightly away from the traditional physical games and activities that used to keep us interested in our daily lives as a generation. With the advent of modern technology, virtual gaming is receiving more attention than ever and is affecting people's mental as well as physical health. I want to develop a solution that will aid in resolving this urgent issue and perhaps develop an atmosphere that will inspire young people to engage in more outdoor activities and discover career prospects in the sport of their choice.
What is the one skill or characteristic you possess that you are most proud of, and why?
One characteristic of myself that I am most proud of, I feel, is my never-say-die mentality and ability to remain calm and composed under duress. Preparing for the CAT while working full-time has its own set of challenges, and my ability to handle and manage these hurdles has aided me in achieving my objectives thus far.
In your opinion, what skills or qualities does a successful manager possess?
In my opinion, a successful manager possess skills like communication, planning, organizational, delegation, decision making, problem solving, communication, motivation, listening, conflict resolution and team building. These skills enable the managers to build relationships, relate to people, and encourage others to succeed.
Tell us about an ethical dilemma that you may have faced, and how you resolved it.
In my second year at college, a coding event called Hackathon was being organized with an aim to build new software programs and I decided to participate in it with my three close friends. During our planning meeting, two members suggested that we copy codes for some functionalities of the application which was available online. I told them that it would defeat the whole purpose of participating in this event and will be tantamount to cheating; instead, we must build it from scratch. However, they decided otherwise, at which point I told them that I will not be a part of this team moving forward. Later, I contacted some of my batchmates who got ready to participate in this event with me and we built a GitHub client for Android which would help users to get started with open source.
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?
I'd like to run Nike as its CEO. Since I enjoy playing sports, I have always been able to relate to the Nike brand. As Nike believes that innovative ideas may alter how people play sports, I am interested in pursuing an idea that can transform the sports industry for the better. While I attempt to live a sustainable lifestyle as often as I can, the company is focused on sustainability and addressing the major environmental problems we currently face. Additionally, I want to encourage people to participate in sports to foster an active, healthy lifestyle that includes both physical and mental development. This is in line with Nikes purpose to unite the world through sports in order to create active communities and a level playing field for all. My first action as CEO would be to place a strong emphasis on enhancing the customer experience through goods, services, and personalized offers.
Any Other Comments Or Factors You Would Like To Highlight About Yourself?
Working unusually long hours due to time zone differences and coordinating with onshore and offshore teams is the textbook definition of a stressful environment. Overcoming these challenges has been made easy due to effective teamwork and dedication. Over two years of experience at EXL allowed me to gain first-hand knowledge of both technology and the analytical components of the banking and finance sector. Even organizing college fests requires communicating and coordinating with different teams and dealing with certain issues on the fly, which has helped me acquire important interpersonal and problem-solving skills.