Pankhuri Srivastava from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is one of India's Most Promising Incoming MBA Students 2022!
The following is Pankhuri Srivastava'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, Pankhuri Srivastava's story and profile stood out. Here's her story in her words.
My name is Pankhuri Srivastava. Im a 22-year-old Fashion Technology graduate from NIFT Mumbai. I have grown up in Mumbai, and have also lived in ten other cities across the country. This has given me a blend of confidence, adaptability and an easy-going nature. I play badminton, and am fond of cinema, Urdu poetry and still-life photography. I believe in giving back to the society and take up such opportunities. Since cinema has always been a major inspiration in my life, I wish to contribute towards the Indian entertainment industry and work towards making it a vehicle for social change.
Tell us more about your extracurricular achievements
I have won various awards in athletics, quizzes, photography and poetry-writing competitions. I have also been an avid quizzer and won awards at the national level.
Tell us about a time when you messed up, and what you learnt from the experience?
During my undergraduate degree, I was leading a team for an event in the college’s annual fest. Despite putting in a lot of effort we could not manage to bag the first position. However, from this experience I learnt key lessons in managing team dynamics, the importance of gauging competitions and dealing with failure.
Tell us something about yourself that others may be surprised to know about you.
Others may be surprised to know that watching a movie played a big role in defining my career!Ever since I was a child, movies have played a big role in shaping my personality. One such experience was watching Tamasha at the age of sixteen. This was at a point where I was still struggling to decide which career path I wanted to take. I wanted to study fashion, but did not think I could crack the NIFT entrance exam. The other safer options did not appeal to me. The movie talked about a man, stuck in a job that he does not like, in a career he didnt want. It takes us through his turmoil as he navigates towards where his passion really lies. It struck a chord with me. I knew, immediately, that I had to go after what I wanted, however difficult it was. I prepared dedicatedly and secured an AIR 24 in the NIFT entrance exam of 2017. This experience taught me how to believe in myself and made me a more confident individual.
What have been your two biggest successes in life? What did you learn from them?
1. Securing admission in IIM Ahmedabad – Persistence, self-belief and consistency
2. Securing an AIR 24 in the NIFT entrance exam – Recognising my potential, time management, breaking my preconceived notions
Professionally, what is your ideal image of yourself five years from now? Where do you see yourself?
In five years, I see myself spearheading the Marketing Strategy team in an Indian entertainment production company. I would be in a position to make key decisions pertaining to how content is being positioned and marketed. I believe the right marketing of a movie is very important to help it reach a wider and more relevant audience. I would be a strong and impactful leader and foster the positivity that would help my team achieve our goals. Above all, I see myself making a difference.
What is the one skill or characteristic you possess that you are most proud of, and why?
I am most proud of my time-management skill. It is a quality that my father instilled in me. He always told me, "It's better to be ten minutes early, than five minutes late". This has helped me in all walks of my life. Whether it is managing time between my personal and professional commitments or prioritizing and finishing projects on time, I'm always a step ahead. This helps me keep a cool head and be a more relaxed person, which something that I hold in high importance. I believe that it is the key to being successful.
In your opinion, what skills or qualities does a successful manager possess?
In my opinion a successful manager should possess three important skills/qualities - technical knowledge, a calm head and the "we" spirit.Having basic technical knowledge of their domain would help in connecting with the team better. It will make the manager more approachable and create a more collaborative space to work. If the team feels understood by its manager, it will function in a smooth manner, enabling the achievement of the common goals. A calm head is the prerequisite to achieving any goal in the best way possible. Panic creates excessive stress. Excessive stress reduces productivity. Keeping a calm head relieves any tension and creates a positive work environment.Having the "we" spirit is when the manager sees themselves as a part of the team, and not above it. The tone is to collaborate and not command. When there is mutual respect among the members, the team works like a well-oiled machine.
Tell us about an ethical dilemma that you may have faced, and how you resolved it.
I was faced with an ethical dilemma in my personal life, where I was caught in the middle of a conflict between two opposing parties. I chose to stick to my principles of honesty and respect for others. I resolved it by bringing both parties to a common ground, stating the facts and facilitating the discussion harmoniously.
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 a company, I would choose that to be Fox Star Studios. A lot of their movies have impacted me on a very personal level, like M.S. Dhoni, Chhichhore, Chhapaak and Neerja. These are movies that I have taken inspiration from. Characters that I have learnt and imbibed values from. However, one area where I believe the company has scope for improvement is - promotion of regional content.With the rise in usage of OTT platforms, it is becoming increasingly easier for regional content to reach a wider audience. The convenience of subtitles has helped it penetrate to previously unreachable households. The amplification of this phenomenon is important because it provides perspective. Seeing content from around the country lends one a diverse set of points of view. This in turn makes one more sensitive towards the people around them. It promotes the Indian values of love and unity. Hence, as the CEO, I would tap this potential and starts the ripples of a form of social acceptance through entertainment.
Any Other Comments Or Factors You Would Like To Highlight About Yourself?
I have volunteered in AIESEC's WLL program to propagate the United Nations' Sustainability Development Goals. As a student mentor, I led a team of three members in delivering knowledge sessions and conducting activities for primary school students of Utpal Shanghvi Global School, Mumbai.I have grown up in Mumbai, but have also lived in around eight other cities and towns across the country. Growing up in Mumbai has made me a confident and easy-going person. Through its fast-paced life, I learnt the value of time. On the other hand, having lived in a number of cities has made me adaptable and accepting. It has also made me an extrovert by nature. I love talking to people and understanding their perspective. It opens my mind to different viewpoints. Despite having to move to a new city every few years, I have never had a problem in adjusting to new surroundings. I have always looked at it like an opportunity to learn and explore new things. I am quick to make friends and mingle with people. This quality has made a team player, a strength that I further developed during the course of my college years through various team projects and college events. I also hold a resilient never-give-up attitude. Every time I was faced with a setback, I bounced back in no time and learnt to never let it affect me negatively.