"The first time I dreamt of an MBA was in 2017, and I wanted it to be from a premier B-school that at least ranked in the top 25 in India,” says Ekta Mourya, a PGP student from IIM Rohtak, who is also an entrepreneur and a public speaker. Ekta, who hails from Mumbai, Maharashtra, is a mechanical engineer who had a blockchain start-up.
Talking about how she decided to pursue an MBA, she adds, "I was at a Blockchain Conference at The Lalit in Delhi where my boss was invited as a keynote speaker. I accompanied him to cover the event and work on a press release for the same. He took to the stage and started talking, and all that I could hear every few moments was thunderous applause, and at that exact moment, a spark of ambition ignited in me, which I hadn't felt in over five years. At that very moment, I knew for sure that I wanted to get an MBA degree and earn the recognition, the network, and the skills that come with it."
Ekta has been very active in extracurriculars throughout her academic journey. She has been a passionate speaker since childhood. She adds, "At 5, I studied at a State Board School, participating in inter-school competitions and bagging prizes for my school in elocution and essay writing. At 6, I started public speaking and debating. I fell in love with the standing center stage and delivering a speech, debating, or merely speaking my mind."
A gregarious and outgoing person, Ekta believes that networking is one of the most critical aspects of academic as well as professional life. She adds, "Looking back on the four years spent in college, writing assignments and meeting submission deadlines, I remember most vividly the networking and the technical/cultural festivals. I was a part of several student initiatives and committees, and I made the most of it; by networking with industry leaders, I landed myself two internships and two full-time jobs. I always believed that we learn more from our peers than we do in a classroom, which was especially true in my college days. A horde of opportunities presented themselves at every step along the way."
Talking about her start-up, she says, "My start-up was a Blockchain Consultancy Firm - Magnus Hive. We specialized in building blockchain solutions for businesses and helping them market their solutions to prospective clients in the European and Asian markets. When I started in May 2019, I bagged my first client; a Chinese firm focused on building a blockchain solution for payments. Slowly we diversified into marketing and business development for Blockchain Projects from all over Europe. At one point, we turned down the clients who approached us as we worked in a small team. Within five months, I got the chance to raise funds from an investor and move the business overseas to Singapore and operate out of a business hub."
Ekta was faced with a tough choice. She had to choose between the path to higher education or choosing to pursue her business. She decided to pursue an MBA, which will make her better equipped to scale her business further with the new skills and knowledge she will gain. She adds, "The price that I have paid to get here has been worth it. The core values of IIM Rohtak resonate with me and my morals. The alumni I have got acquainted with and the seniors that I have been in touch with are no less than examples and success stories in the making. And this motivates me to keep pushing forward till I hit the finish line and start a new journey, one that is post-MBA and that launches me headfirst into the corporate world."