Harsh Kiran Garg from Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) Jamshedpur has earned his place among the 50 Most Employable MBA Graduates from the Class of 2026. His story is one of analytical rigor, profound empathy, and a rare ability to bridge the gap between complex systems and human capital. A Distinguished Toastmaster and an experienced technologist, he is a leader who not only drives results but builds communities. Scroll down to discover how Harsh transforms process, potential, and people.
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The Ascent: From Process Automation to People Leadership
Harsh’s journey is a powerful blend of technical depth and human-centric leadership. He brings 23 months of high-impact experience from JPMorgan Chase, where he was not just a computer engineer but a transformation driver. He led automation projects using Alteryx and UiPath, optimizing global tax operations across 34 markets, saving over $21K annually, and freeing up 4.7 FTEs.
Parallel to this technical ascent, Harsh achieved an even rarer milestone: earning the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) Award, a recognition held by fewer than 1% of members globally. This was the culmination of years of leadership, including being an unprecedented two-term Vice President of Education for his club, leading a 600 applicant recruitment drive, and serving as an Area Director. He also mentored over 600 college freshmen, solidifying his ability to lead, mentor, and build communities from the ground up. This unique combination of skills led him to his summer internship at ITC, where he delivered three high-impact HR projects, designing an L&D strategy, digitalizing SOPs, and building a competency-based promotion framework.
The Inner Core: Resilience and Empathetic Action
Harsh’s core strengths are not just visible on a resume. His emotional resilience was forged when he did not make it into the IITs after years of preparation. He learned to process failure, rebuild his self-belief, and find strength in redirection, a mindset that now helps him navigate intense challenges with maturity and grit. This is paired with a deep capacity for empathetic listening. He is often the person friends turn to, known for his ability to listen without judgment and create a safe space for vulnerability, a critical skill for an HR leader.
His selflessness is not just a trait but a practice. As a member of SIGMA-oikos, XLRI’s social initiatives committee, he helped lead a clothing drive gathering over 15,000 items and a crowdfunding campaign that raised 1.2 lakh for the education of tribal girls. He organized menstrual health awareness drives for rural women and even spent hours at old age homes, singing classic medleys with residents. For Harsh, these acts are not for recognition but are a quiet, consistent, and deeply human part of his identity.
The Employable Edge in an AI-Augmented World
In today’s AI-augmented business world, Harsh’s key trait is his adaptability combined with executional depth. He does not just adapt to change; he operationalizes it. At JPM, he automated legacy processes and proactively trained over 45 colleagues to build scalable solutions, bridging the gap between new tech and consistent delivery. At ITC, he translated strategic HR concepts into tangible, tech-enabled outcomes by digitalizing SOPs.
Harsh Kiran Garg is a rare "whole brain" professional. He pairs the analytical rigor of a process engineer with the high-impact communication of a Distinguished Toastmaster. He brings strategic thinking, proven resilience, and a deep-seated empathy to the table. Managers can count on Harsh to not only understand complex systems but to connect with the people who run them, driving transformation with both data and dialogue.
