In our list of India's Best 50 - the 50 Most Employable Students from the Class of 2021-23, we feature MBA students who have walked that extra mile and done that little more to stand out! One of those featured in today's story, Arpit Jain, has shown an incredible amount of passion to achieve her true potential. Read on and find out his story!
The following are Arpit Jain’s set of responses to a questionnaire floated amongst MBA graduates to determine the top 50 Most Employable MBA Graduates of the Class of 2023. Amongst the massive number of entries and responses being evaluated, Arpit's story and profile stood out. Here's his story in his own words.
Name an instance where you wanted something and went out of your comfort zone to achieve it OR Tell us the biggest risk you have taken so far in your life.
Since my childhood, I have been a risk-taking, action-oriented individual. Filled with energy and enthusiasm, I have always loved to explore new and faster ways to achieve a task, be it professional or personal. In 2016, when I passed out from NIT Jalandhar, I was placed in two firms on Day 0. One was a tech firm, paying me huge sums of money and promising a better future, while the other was a core manufacturing production role in the biggest automotive company in the country. Although all my family, friends, and relatives suggested I join the tech field as it was growing and well-paying, I took the risk of joining the auto industry as I have always been passionate about it.That was a risk I took to do something I loved. Five years down the road at Maruti Suzuki, I was awarded multiple high-stake projects and the Best Employee award by Marutis CEO. The second biggest risk that I took in my life was leaving my well-established job at Maruti to pursue something that I always aspired to do: an MBA! Believe me, leaving your job after getting married and having kids is a big decision. But I have always believed that risks, if taken in a calculated manner, can be the best benefits if you support them with hardwork and dedication.Today, I am proud to say that only six months after joining MBA, I was able to secure one of the best PPOs. Also, I am a star here at IIM Kozhikode, having been selected as the only student to represent India in Indo-Japan ties. I am currently working on multiple projects with IIM Kozhikode's director and proudly identify myself as an IIMK MBA student.
When was the last time someone relied on you? OR What did you do which was purely for someone else - a truly selfless act?
God helps those who help others. At least, this phrase is not just a bookish line for me. I strongly believe that India can not grow unless we focus on two major limitations we have today low literacy rate and a large population of food-deprived people. It was late November of 2015, when I was in my final year of graduation, and I observed many underprivileged children of construction workers roaming aimlessly inside our campus. I discovered that they had the will to study, but their families lacked the financial means to support their education. Connecting with peers and convincing them of the social cause, I conceived "Prayaas", a community initiative to provide elementary education to such children around our campus. I assembled a 14-member team of like-minded batchmates and started a door-to-door awareness campaign and spearheaded campus-wide donation campaigns to raise funds. We designed a primary school-like mechanism and started daily classes. I also collaborated with canteen staff and hostel wardens to divert the good-condition left-over food from canteens to our classrooms. In one year, we educated over 150 deprived children and helped 18 bright students join regular schools. The initiative that we started is still active and has expanded its reach to the streets of Jalandhar, where it helps numerous children every year. When I moved to Gurgaon in 2016 for my job, to continue my efforts towards these subtle acts of kindness, I joined the Robin Hood Army NGO, which is a volunteer-based organization that works to get surplus food from restaurants across to the less fortunate through a zero-funds model. I started out as a community volunteer, and within 3 months, I joined the core team of Gurgaon. Successfully organized special drives & events such as:- Ration Distributions to 5000 people- COVID vaccination camps (Approx. 39 campuses with footfall of 200~400 people)- Teaching basic education to deprived children
Tell us about a time when you disagreed with an opinion/idea/decision. What did you do about it?
If there is no one in the room to oppose your idea, there are two possibilities: either all the people in the room are idiots, or they just dont care. Opposing ideas generate innovations. I have been working at Maruti Suzuki for more than 5 years. In 2020, the management restructuring was going on, and it was decided by the senior management that the vehicle inspection department would be a part of the production division. Though, these decisions are taken by the management, I thought of putting my opinions in front. My point of view was different. I politely presented my point in front that the inspection department should not be part of production, but should be a separate independent entity and should be reporting, not to production but to Quality vertical.This was based on what I learnt practically while working on-ground operations. If both manufacturing and inspections were placed under the same boss, the powers of the inspection department would be somewhat diluted, and manufacturing managers would tend to influence the inspection department managers to not record the defects. Giving independent powers to the inspection divisions would ensure that the processes are carried out in true sense and without external pressures. My opinions were supported by management. Today, the defect rate in MSIL has decreased, and one of the reasons is this strategic decision.
What is the one thing you can claim to have some level of expertise or depth of knowledge in - it could be anything - a subject, a sport, a hobby, a venture, an initiative that has led you to do deep work in that field?
I am an expert in the Indian automotive sector. I truly am. You might be thinking that I sound overconfident. No, I am not.
Let me explain:
-> I worked in Maruti Suzuki India Limited for 6 years (both domestic and global operations) in various verticals Production, R&D, New Model Execution, Operations, Quality Assurance, Project Management
-> Being hired by Suzuki independently, I am currently writing a book on the greatest automotive success story of India. For the same, I have been meeting with a lot of eminent personality of the auto industry, including Suzuki Global CEO, Maruti Chairman, Toyota CEO, Marutis CTO, CIO, COO and others
-> Received CEO award for leading a team of 50+ to revamp Maruti's plant operations during COVID; designed 21 Kaizens & achieved 80% capacity utilization within 1 month; acquired special govt. approval for manufacturing of ~11000 extra cars, leading to additional revenue of Rs 5.5 billion
-> Awarded Best Individual Performer for leading 6 new product implementation projects, including best-selling models Brezza, Swift & Baleno-> Recipient of most prestigious ACES award (received by 1-in-20000) from CEO, MSIL for execution of Indias highest fuel - efficient car project-
> IIM Kozhikode Ambassador to Indo-Japan Automotive projects and long-term relationship.
-> Currently working on establishing Suzuki Innovation centre in IIM Kozhikode
-> Selected by IIMK head deans and Suzuki Motors Corporation (Japan) from 250+ applicants as Management Consultant - New business development for a year-long paid internship
-> Travelled to Suzuki Motors, Japan as IIMK representative and currently formulating strategies for "Next 30 Years of Suzuki"
-> Writing a detailed research paper on EV sector growth in India
If 10 Million Dollars (approximately INR 75 Crores) is given to you to use it any way you deem fit what would you do with this corpus?
The point is not how I spend those 10 million dollars, but how I plan to use them. First things first, Id probably throw a big party, a celebration, and maybe go for a six months trip around the world-to reset my batteries, to learn more about other cultures and people, to think about the best use for the money. Then, I will plan to use this money to help poor people, which I am always passionate about but not in the conventional way. Yes, I would not donate the money. The poor wont know how to spend this money. So, I would use 70% this money to start my own business, a business that will generate more money out of the invested 0.7 million dollars. I will start and NGO arm of my business which will take care of helping poor people with needs, education and food. With the rest of the money, I would plan my own investments for the future to be sustainable. I would diversify my investments in equity, land, gold, etc. and enjoy dividends and returns.Doing all this, I will also ensure that I fulfill my parents dream, travel the world with my partner, and generate more revenue so that I can provide more jobs and more support to the poorer community as well.
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As per government tax payers' data and our assessment, only about 6,00,000 Indian taxpayers earn an annual 'salaried' income of INR 30 lacs or above. And only 11,00,000 Indian taxpayers earn a 'total' income of INR 30 lacs or more.
Have you ever considered how much time it would take for you to be amongst these top 0.5% earners in India?
Find out here!