Naitik Patel from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore is one of India's Most Promising Incoming MBA Students 2022!
The following is Naitik Patel'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, Naitik Patel 's story and profile stood out. Here's his story in his words.
I have been an academically meritorious student throughout my education. I graduated first in my class in the field of civil engineering from VJTI, Mumbai, for which I was awarded a gold medal & a scholarship.I was amongst the five candidates recruited by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MMRCL) Limited via campus placements for Pune Metro. I worked with the site team of Maha-Metro for three years that looked after the design & construction of 3 underground stations and 4+km tunnels.In my free time, I prefer to work on my physical fitness by engaging in regular exercises at the gym & following a controlled diet.
Tell us more about your extracurricular achievements
Position of Responsibility:
1. Convener, 'Samvaad', Public Talks, raised project awareness in information centres, resolved grievances of 140+ locals in open forums, MMRCL 2022
2. Executor, Community Visits, 1/3 of 50+, organised 50+ field visits, footfall 230+ students & media officials, MMRCL 2021
3. Event Head, 'Only One World', organised plantation drive for 500+ saplings in Pune, footfall 150+, MMRCL 2022
National Level Competition:
1. Aquahub, secured position in top 400 startups in India, SmartFifty contest by IIM Calcutta & DST, VJTI 2018
2. Designer, devised & assembled a prototype to address water scarcity, generated water from the air, VJTI 2018
Tell us about a time when you messed up, and what you learnt from the experience?
Once, my project team was about to commence work at a site upon orders from the municipal corporation. The site was located in one of the busiest places in the city. As soon as we started barricading the area, local informal vendors felt threatened and caused chaos. Since the project was already delayed, I directed to continue the work nevertheless. As a result, the situation escalated, and the vendors almost came to blows with our labourers. I stepped in to defuse the situation and tried to talk them out of it. Even though they refused to budge, a heated situation was brought under control, and all our labourers were safe and sound. This incident made me realise that a sound mind and depth of character are required to ease a tense situation and that the responsibility of safeguarding the team is paramount.
Tell us something about yourself that others may be surprised to know about you.
I would like to talk about my journey to crack one of the toughest MBA exams in our country. It took me four attempts to land my dream b school - IIM Bangalore. The first time I gave CAT was in 2018, which was a trial attempt for me as I had not even had the courtesy to go through the paper pattern, which fetched me around 53%. For my second attempt, I prepared well but got off track with my preparation when I started with my job. I got around 86% in CAT 2019. In my next attempt, I had prepared hard, but the exam got to me after attempting the VARC section, which landed me with a 95% in CAT 2020. I was not getting into a good college back then, so I decided to give this exam one last shot. The only difference I had in my preparation was that I tried to remain calm during the exam, which got me around 98.89% in CAT 2021.
What have been your two biggest successes in life? What did you learn from them?
It had been my dream to study engineering at one of India's centrally funded institutes. I started preparing for JEE Mains, but drifted off and ended up with a score of 104 (the cut-off score was 105). I had never imagined that a single mark could matter so much. Thankfully, a miracle happened. I got admitted to one of the best state-funded engineering institutes, VJTI. On the day of my admission, I vowed to myself that I would make each mark count and that I would never again be complacent in any of my pursuits. What followed next was earnest work, and over four years, I performed well consistently. I stood first in my class, won the Dadabhai Naoroji Gold medal, and got placed at Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited. I have remembered my vow to this day, and keep striving to achieve greater heights.When I joined Maharashtra Metro, my team had to carry out negotiations with various stakeholders to solve land acquisition and resettlement problems that were affecting the timeline of the project. I was involved in some of the key negotiations with the Police Department, municipal corporation, and other private vendors that resulted in a win-win situation for all the stakeholders and contributed to the early acquisition of land for the construction of metro stations. (To name a few, I was heavily involved in the resettlement of 115 commercial shops, 42 families, religious structures, a police station, a government school, and several other structures). This experience taught me patience, conflict resolution, and effective communication while dealing with locals.
Professionally, what is your ideal image of yourself five years from now? Where do you see yourself?
In the next five years, I hope to work in the Operations and Supply Chain domain of an organisation, where I will try to maintain a track record of exemplary execution and continuous improvement of large service operations by utilising manpower, tools, and processes, and by demonstrating ownership and a bias for action. I would engage in the four functions of planning, organising, leading, and controlling processes to ensure that the work product remains competitive in the market. Ultimately, I want to be an effective manager, capable of making strategic decisions in the best interests of the company. Gaining knowledge and experience in this regard will prepare me to cope with critical issues in my career.
What is the one skill or characteristic you possess that you are most proud of, and why?
Perseverance is something that I am truly proud of myself. Unfortunately, I had a life-threatening car accident in 2016, but I did not let it affect me. Suffering serious injuries, spending three months in bed, and having a shattered humerus for six months gave me a new perspective. On the way to recovery, I prioritised my health, diet, and exercise, resulting in me successfully losing 30 kgs. I did not let this incident deter me from my academics. By maintaining consistent academic performance, I stood first in my class and was awarded the Gold medal and scholarship. This helped me obtain a campus placement at Maharashtra Metro. I have set a benchmark for my achievements which I need to maintain and diligence is a very key part of my success mantra.
In your opinion, what skills or qualities does a successful manager possess?
A successful manager is someone who has independence in his/her thoughts and is interdependent in his/her actions. A disciplined character with a strong moral code who is unyielding to pressure. Such a person, in my opinion, can show the right path and, more importantly, the right rationales behind making important decisions. He/she can lead by example and be an able mentor to those under his/her tutelage, creating synergy between elements and team harmony. A collection of these traits might sound fictitious, but it is my privilege that I have indeed served such a noble leader for over two years.
Tell us about an ethical dilemma that you may have faced, and how you resolved it.
There was an instance at work where I conducted a reconnaissance survey for the valuation of trees at one of the metro stations in coordination with forest officials. After a few weeks, when my manager went to collect the valuation letter, the assistant of the concerned forest official seemed to hint at expecting some sort of remuneration for handing it over. Collecting the letter was vital for commencing construction, which was already delayed owing to land acquisition problems. My manager was faced with a tough situation and did not want to compromise on his values. I insisted on collecting the letter on his behalf. Upon reaching there, the assistant avoided me and, when he was confronted, started making excuses. So I decided to camp there. I explained to him that the letter was vital for starting construction work. After several hours of persuasion, the assistant finally handed me the letter.
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 the CEO of any company of my choosing, I would pick Tata Projects. This is not because I have worked closely with them during my tenure at Maha-Metro, but because of their attitude and work ethic. Treating labourers like family, empowering women to lead projects, and having a culture of trust and camaraderie are all things that give Tata Projects the essential competitive advantage in the upcoming decades. Further, the Indian ecosystem is yet to embrace the innovations in construction technology fully. The Indian market is predominantly resource-driven and lags behind global standards in terms of the adoption of new technologies. My first action as a CEO would be to focus on faster adoption and implementation of digital technologies such as clash detection systems, 3D modeling, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). This will help in upgrading our core competencies so that we can offer the best service to our clients.
Any Other Comments Or Factors You Would Like To Highlight About Yourself?
I am meticulous, organised, and diligent while carrying out my tasks. At MMRCL, project proposals that required further approval from government offices were sent to me by my boss. I scrutinised them, corrected them of any errors, and only when I gave my green signal, they were sent to the concerned offices.