"You've got to be impulsive. A rebel. A misfit. And then you've got to make it worth the while."
Being a Delhite by heart, Akshay is an animated, curious, and creative person. An engineer on paper, he loves being on the stage, interacting with people and entertaining them. People say that he can engage an audience in no time. With a short stint in anchoring and growth hacking, he is all set to pursue a career in marketing and communications. Currently, he is pursuing his MBA from IIM Shillong.
Akshay finds his inspiration in Jim Carrey and M.S.Dhoni. Apart from being a national level debater, he has been recognized by the World Lung Foundation for my declamation skills. A "right-brained" individual, you will generally find him involved in Treks, food, travel,
and
superheroes. Going the extra mile in whatever he does, is something he strives for.
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.
As I was graduating from my engineering college, I had a job offer from Infosys. It was a typical IT job with a brand anyone would like to kick-start their careers with. On the other hand, it was during these years that my interest was rising in the field of marketing and communications. With many marketing novels checked off from my bucket-list, I knew I had just scratched the surface and wanted to dive deeper into this field. Therefore, I decided to join a growth marketing startup and took the risk of sacrificing a huge brand for it. Although Infosys would have made up for a good CV point, but what's the point of that achievement if you don't love what you do.
I personally always wanted to work in startup, because it is only there where one gets an opportunity to do a lot of work at the same time. With the experience, I got the opportunity to move outside my comfort zone and do something out of the league. Normally in a huge & established company there are set procedures to achieve results, but working in a startup taught me to build on divergent thinking, taking data-driven decisions backed up by my gut, lead projects my own way and getting the best out of myself under pressure situations.
When was the last time someone relied on you? OR What did you do which was purely for someone else - a truly selfless act.
Since the very beginning, I have a keen interest in teaching underprivileged children. As a result of this, I have been associated with numerous NGOs, in educating boys and girls making them more socially sensitive in the process.
Back in my graduation years, I along with some of my friends started an initiative called "Buniyaad" wherein we not just taught the kids from nearby villages but also distributed donated clothes and books to them. Being a solely student-driven initiative meant no support from the administration as far as funds are concerned. As we struggled with the shortage of funds, we decided to raise money by doing street plays on social themes across Delhi. In this process, we raised nearly Rs.5000. Though the amount wasn't sufficient, it was enough to keep us going.
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 which has led you to do deep work in that field?
I believe I have developed appreciable expertise in Public Speaking and Communication. The journey began in my schooling years when I decided to give a shot to oration and poetry (English and Hindi). As my confidence to face a larger audience increased, I eventually ventured into all forms of public speaking. As a result, apart from being an International level debater, I have been recognized by the World Lung Foundation for my declamation skills. I have also earned accolades in poetry & extempore.
Keen on grooming my skills, I have also anchored in numerous corporate events. I believe I can engage an audience in no time. Excellent command over language with amazing voice modulation abilities gives me an edge into this field.