Akshita Sahni
- Having completed your BSc in Mathematics, with two years of previous work experience in corporate advisory, what inspired you to pursue an MBA?
In my professional experience with Arete Advisors, I have come to understand the criticality of education in management. My workplace played a big role in motivating me to prepare for MBA since most of my peers were graduates from premium B-Schools. Working with management graduates as part of consulting team, I have learned and have been inspired by their output management during the crunched timeline, ability to structure interactions with various stakeholders along with providing good quality output.
I believed I was at a stage in my career where I was in a position to contribute as well as learn from a diverse peer group and experienced faculty that I would have access to at a B-school. I could leverage my consulting experience in various industries (healthcare, skilling, building construction, etc.) to contribute to class discussions. At the same time, I was eager to develop an understanding of operations, supply chain, marketing, and many more subjects taught at a B-school.
- Take us through your interview experience with SPJIMR. What were the questions asked to you based on your profile?
I had my interviews on 4th Feb in Delhi. The first round started with an introduction, giving them a peek into my journey till now. I spoke about table tennis, undergraduate experience, and my work experience. Following were the questions asked as a response to that –
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- Why did I choose table tennis and how has it helped me mould my personality?
- Why did I have a successful career in table tennis?
- Why am I not pursuing MSc Maths after graduating from St. Stephens’ College?
- Explain my favourite project I executed during my work-ex
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- As a national level table tennis player, what according to you, are some of the lessons from the game which hold value in a business setup?
I started playing Table tennis at the age of 11 as just a hobby. In the initial 2-3 years of playing TT, I hardly had any significant achievement, but my coach, my team, and my parents showed enormous trust and faith in me. My team was my biggest motivation during my failures. It made me realize that even if you are a team, each of your team members could have different motivation to achieve a goal. As a team leader/captain it is important to identify motivation and work with each member on that. My goal to represent Delhi at Nationals motivated me to work harder each day. I could finally taste success after 4 years of determination, perseverance, and hard work. Also, TT has taught me the art of balancing. I was taught to maintain the right balance between sports and academics which would be synonymous with having a “work-life” balance. Thus, my coach and parents had ensured I was not deprived of success in either field.
- How has your learning experience been so far, especially for the subjects you are coming across for the first time at SPJIMR?
The journey at SPJIMR so far has been quite fruitful. SPJIMR offers a wide range of options to choose from. Being from a non-commerce background, I was quite apprehensive about handling subjects like accounting, corporate finance, etc. Thankfully, SPJIMR offers a PFC course before the commencement of the MBA program to provide a heads up to all the participants. That course helped me build a base for subjects like accounting. It was quite overwhelming in the beginning since we had a time crunch. But I had my peers who were ready to dedicate time and efforts to make sure I am not lagging. Moreover, the teachers are quite approachable and helpful. They understand that all of us are not at the same level and try to bridge the gap by taking doubts even after the classes.
- Tell us more about your experience with the batch diversity at SPJIMR. How has it been working on group projects?
Batch diversity at SPJIMR has been always been one of the USPs. When I had joined SPJIMR, I was a little apprehensive about being the odd one in my batch (non-engineer and pursuing operations management). I was surprised to find people with such diverse backgrounds, which was quite comforting. Working on group projects has been the best of the journey till now as each person brings a very unique perspective to the table. Given the variety of projects that we work on, it is difficult for one person to be a master of all. As a group, we always divide the projects letting the best person in that subject take a lead and guide others. This is possible only because most of us have very different journeys and experiences.
- How are you now planning to shape your career?
“Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost”. This quote perfectly describes my journey till now. I have always come to the right path after getting lost a little. After having experience in management consulting for 2.5 years, I want to explore different opportunities. Currently, my objective is to maximize my learning, build some strong connections, enjoy my campus life during my MBA journey. I want to try different roles like Product Management, General Management before settling for a permanent career. With my prior experience at Arete, I have realized it's important to work where the firm’s goals align with personal goals. Thus, along with my role, I also want to explore the work style and culture of different companies. Thus, it would be a path of exploring and trying to find a “near” perfect match.
Pratishtha Rustagi
- You are a B. Com undergraduate, having worked as an analyst for almost three years at McKinsey. How did you make this decision to pursue an MBA?
McKinsey gave me exposure to varied functions and sectors in the country. During my first year only, I started developing an interest in one of the sectors. After serving a couple of clients in that sector, I realized I wanted to be on the other side of the table. In addition to this, when I worked with Partners and Engagement Managers, I got inspired by the way, they used to approach the problem statement and problem-solved it in a structural manner. I realized an MBA would help me achieve both these aspects – going in the area of my interest and having an organized way of thinking.
- Take us through your interview experience with SPJIMR. How was your selection process shaped?
I would say that my GI-1 was not merely an interview but an interesting conversation between the faculty interviewer and the set of candidates. All the candidates were asked one topic they would like to be interviewed on. Basically, we were given the chance to select our own interview questions. This is the part I loved the most because they wanted us to speak out and tell us who we were in reality.
I selected a topic related to a project that I was a part of for the last 3 months. I was asked the key insights that I learned, how the industry is developing and what is the future ahead. Not only that, my question was linked to a question that was asked to another candidate. So being an active listener was equally important.
My GI-2 experience has to be one of the nicest experiences I have had in an interview/discussion. Dr. Ranjan Banerjee, our dean was one of the panellists. The questions revolved around the ethical dilemmas, how you feel about the environment, and the values you imbibe. It was unlike any other interview I had given because the institute was not just interested in academics and work-ex but how a person genuinely is – do they have enough compassion; do they have the right attitude and so much more.
- You were the President of the Commerce Society at the Hindu College, Delhi University, and led a team of 34. What were your major learnings from this experience, which you now implement at your business school?
A key takeaway for me was to deal with different people differently. Each member works in a different manner. While some prefer complete independence, few others want to have mid-way check-ins. Giving them the space is crucial. At the same time having common goals is important too. While people can work in isolation, the direction has to be one. I try to follow this as much as I can.
- How has your virtual learning experience been so far at SPJIMR?
To be honest, I was a little skeptical about the online experience, but it turned out way better than my expectations. The faculty has done justice to the subjects and has taken every possible step to make the experience as smooth as possible. The pedagogy is unique and indulges you in the learning process; from case studies to simulations to stories of real-life experiences, all tools help in understanding what happens in the practical world, a step forward from the theory we read. Additionally, there are subjects that make you introspect. These subjects have taught us to be managers, who are empathetic and mindful. Something that we forget in the journey to life. I cannot wait to experience it offline too.
- Tell us more about your experience working with your peers
SPJIMR is full of diversity. From class division to academic groups to clubs and societies, each member has her/his own story. This gives you a sneak peek into the different cultures we have in the country. We celebrated Onam one month and Ganesh Chaturthi the other. One of the best experiences I have had till now is working on group projects with my academic group. These projects are a combination of both learning and having fun. With one person being good at something and the other at something else, we all complimented each other and learned a lot in the process. We were miles apart but found our comfort on zoom calls. Waiting to meet them all on campus soon!
- What is your vision for your career ahead?
After graduating from SPJIMR, I would like to enter the sector of my interest and develop a deeper understanding of it. Explore the various functions that are involved for a couple of years, to finally build on to one. I believe, while your expertise is in a single domain, it is equally important to have knowledge about other related domains, because everything is interlinked.
We wish both Akshita & Pratishtha all the very best in their future endeavours.
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