Ritish Kumar: Best 50 | India's Most Promising Incoming MBA Students 2025 | FMS, Delhi
Ritish Kumar is an engineering graduate with a strong academic record and a drive to stand out beyond the classroom. He was one of just 8 students selected from 16,000 applicants for the prestigious IET India Scholarship. In college, he consistently ranked among the top 3 in his department and received a merit scholarship in his third year. He blends academics with creativity, winning the National Solo Acting Championship in 2021 and finishing runner-up in a national drama competition the following year. A curious mind since school, he secured a Zonal Rank 9 in the National Science Olympiad. At American Express, he took initiative beyond his role, hosting the company's first Sports Quiz with over 100 participants, leading Olympics-themed engagement campaigns, and launching a reverse mentoring program where Gen-Z mentored senior leaders. Ritish's journey reflects a balance of intellect, leadership, and a genuine passion for learning and contributing.
One achievement Ritish is proud of is winning the IET India Scholarship in 2021, where only 8 students were selected out of 16,000 applicants across the country. The process began with a tough academic-based test, followed by submission of a detailed PPT on an engineering solution, and finally a live presentation in front of senior industry leaders. The win gave him confidence that his technical skills, clarity of thought, and ability to communicate ideas effectively stood out on a national stage. It remains a defining moment in his academic and personal journey.
At American Express, Ritish worked in the Product Development team, focusing on tools used by customer care teams globally. He designed the Premium Indexing Logic from scratch, a system that flags premium card interactions in real-time to enable faster and more personalised service. He also owned the Premium Card Member module, which differentiated premium from non-premium customers using multiple card attributes. This helped streamline workflows and improve targeting accuracy for premium services. His work directly impacted operational efficiency and customer experience, earning appreciation from stakeholders across markets. He was also responsible for documenting logic and ensuring smooth handovers across teams.
What sets Ritish apart is his unique mix of creativity, initiative, and consistency. While many focus only on academics or work experience, he has constantly pushed boundaries across fields. From winning a national-level solo acting championship to driving leadership initiatives at American Expresslike hosting the company's first Sports Quiz or running a reverse mentoring program. He brings both imagination and execution to the table. He doesn't just participate. He builds things from scratch and takes ownership. Whether it's scripting a performance or designing engagement campaigns, he blends logic with storytelling. Ritish also carries a learner's mindset, always open to feedback and growth. This blend of analytical thinking, creative expression, and initiative gives him a perspective that's both grounded and refreshing, something that will add value in any MBA cohort or team.
Ritish brings a strong mix of analytical thinking, communication skills, and initiative, making him a well-rounded asset to any employer. His experience at American Express helped him understand how large organisations work, and he actively went beyond his role, driving pan-India engagement campaigns, managing events, and working with senior leaders on reverse mentoring. He's comfortable with both data and people, able to break down problems logically, yet also connect with stakeholders through clear communication. His academic background, national-level scholarships, and leadership in college events show consistency and drive. He's also someone who builds from scratchbe it a quiz with 100+ participants or a mentoring initiative with multiple cohorts. Ritish adds energy, ownership, and structure to whatever he works on, and is always looking to learn and improve. These traits make him not just a good team player, but someone who helps move the team forward.
One skill Ritish is actively working on is structured communication. While he has always been confident while speaking, he realised that clarity and structure are equally important, especially during high-stakes meetings or presentations. At American Express, he often worked with cross-functional teams, and sometimes ideas got lost due to lack of crisp framing. Since then, he has been learning frameworks like STAR and practising regularly through mock presentations and feedback sessions. Improving this skill is helping him convey his thoughts more effectively, especially in leadership settings where time is limited and impact matters.
One unique part of Ritish's journey is how he blends performance and public speaking with his professional life. Coming from a small town, he started solo acting as a personal interest but later won the National Solo Acting Championship at the Gandhi Research Foundation. Performing powerful monologues on social themes taught him how to connect emotionally with an audience, a skill that's helped him in product presentations, stakeholder meetings, and mentoring sessions. This creative outlet also keeps him grounded and balanced. It is where he builds confidence, storytelling, and stage presence, skills that go beyond any classroom or corporate training. For Ritish, it's not just a hobby, but a space where he discovered his voice, and that ability to communicate with impact is something he brings into every room he walks into.
We are back this year again so register now for: