When you meet Jannat Chawla, you instantly notice two things — her calm confidence and her ability to connect dots across worlds that rarely meet. An MBA candidate at IIM Shillong, Jannat’s journey moves fluidly between technology, leadership, healthcare innovation, and sports. From developing 3D-printed cranial implants for surgery to founding a healthcare startup, from leading teams on the basketball court to representing India’s next generation of business leaders in Paris — her story is that of a professional who believes technology has meaning only when it improves lives. Scroll down to discover how Jannat’s path blends intellect, empathy, and drive in equal measure.
Build a real AI app, earn a certification in 21 days & stand a chance to win ₹2,00,000 — Join the challenge now!
Engineering Hope: When Technology Meets Humanity
Jannat’s proudest moment didn’t happen in a classroom or a corporate office — it happened in an operating theatre. As part of her research at the Design Innovation Centre, Panjab University, she helped design a customized cranial implant for a 21-year-old patient who had suffered severe head trauma. Using 3D modelling and printing, she contributed to creating a life-changing medical device that restored both function and confidence.
“Watching the surgery’s success unfold — knowing something I worked on was now part of someone’s healing — was beyond rewarding,” she recalls. “It showed me that technology becomes truly powerful when it’s personal.”
That project didn’t just change a life; it changed her direction. It also earned her research team ₹1.25 crore in funding from the Ministry of Education, validating the wider impact of their work. The experience laid the foundation for her lifelong goal — to use innovation not for novelty, but for tangible human impact.
The Builder’s Mindset: From Cranioplasty to Startups and Strategy
True to her roots in Computer Science Engineering, Jannat continued to explore where code, creativity, and compassion intersect. She founded Assist-o-care, a healthcare startup that develops sensor-enabled physiotherapy gloves to help patients regain motor function after injury. The idea came from the same principle that guided her early research — technology should empower recovery.
Her startup went on to secure ₹4 lakh in funding from the Ministry of Education, a milestone that reinforced her belief that meaningful innovation starts with empathy.
During her MBA, Jannat interned with Accenture Technology as a Technology Consultant, where she worked on projects in B2B marketing, customer data platforms, and agentic AI. For her, the internship was more than a professional stint — it was an opportunity to see how technology scales impact in business ecosystems. “AI can do incredible things,” she says, “but it still needs a human compass to point it in the right direction.”
She will soon carry that perspective to ISEG Paris as part of the Fall 2025 Exchange Program, broadening her global outlook and continuing to learn how different cultures approach innovation and leadership.
The Inner Core: Empathy, Resilience, and Leadership
At the heart of Jannat’s journey lie three defining strengths.
Empathy, for her, is not a soft skill — it’s a design principle. Whether she’s developing wearable health tech or leading teams, she begins by understanding the people her work will affect.
Resilience is her constant companion. Balancing academics, entrepreneurship, and national-level sports isn’t easy, but Jannat thrives in the stretch. She believes discipline and adaptability come from stepping out of comfort zones and pushing through uncertainty.
Her collaborative leadership comes alive in every arena she enters — from founding initiatives at work to captaining sports teams. As School Sports Captain, a member of IIM Shillong’s Sports Committee, and a national-level basketball player, she’s learned that true leadership is about consistency, communication, and earning trust. Winning Gold at Inter-IIM 2024 at IIM Bangalore stands as proof of her spirit both on and off the court.
The Employable Edge: Technology with a Human Lens
In today’s AI-driven business world, Jannat’s strength lies in bridging technology with human impact. She brings the rare ability to understand both the architecture of digital systems and the emotions behind user behavior.
At Accenture, she combined data analytics with marketing insights, using customer data platforms to shape more human-centered strategies. Through Assist-o-care, she demonstrated how innovation and empathy can co-exist — one powered by algorithms, the other by awareness.
“I love technology,” she says, “but I love what it can do for people even more.”
A Lesson in Selflessness: Beyond Research and Recognition
One of Jannat’s most humbling experiences came during her research at Panjab University, when she chose to dedicate extra hours to the cranioplasty project despite other academic opportunities. While peers pursued projects promising stronger publication credits, Jannat focused on the one that mattered most to her — helping a patient heal.
The long hours, repeated design trials, and coordination with doctors were challenging, but worth it. “There was no grade or promotion attached to that project,” she says. “Just the quiet knowledge that my work could make someone’s life better. That was enough.”
That experience reshaped her understanding of success — as something measured not just by output, but by impact.
The Road Ahead
Whether she’s in a lab, a boardroom, or a basketball court, Jannat Chawla operates with the same core values: empathy, precision, and purpose. Her path — from engineering innovation to business strategy — reflects a rare synthesis of technical depth, leadership strength, and social consciousness.
As she prepares to represent IIM Shillong internationally at ISEG Paris, she carries forward the same mindset that guided her through every chapter so far — that the best kind of progress is the kind that uplifts others along the way.
Jannat doesn’t just build systems or startups. She builds connections — between people, technology, and possibility. And that is what makes her truly employable in a world that’s constantly evolving.
