Please tell us a bit about yourself
I was born and brought up in New Delhi, India. I was fortunate that my parents sent me to one of the leading schools in India where school felt like a second home and my classmates and teachers felt like a family. During my early school years, my father introduced me to football which remains a passion of mine even today. I’ve always enjoyed taking ownership and leading teams and I applied these as a member of the school student council and captain of the school football team. During my undergraduate degree in Business Studies at the University of Delhi, I developed an interest in theatre and acted in several plays and even in a Bollywood movie!
Following my undergraduate degree in Business Studies, I made a conscious decision to work for early-stage technology ventures in an effort to get hands-on experience in building products and services that leverage technology to improve peoples’ quality of life. I have spent the last eight years in building and scaling products at start-up companies across fintech, hyperlocal logistics, and social media industries. As a former product lead at one of the largest neobanks in India, I have developed deep industry knowledge in digital banking platforms and I am particularly interested in technologies and products that promote financial health and literacy.
To rejuvenate from the hectic and fast-paced start-up life, I would often find myself in the mountains to find some peace and solitude. Regularly being up in the Himalayas led me to develop a passion for skiing, trekking and mountaineering, and in 2019 I summited Stok Kangri, the highest mountain peak (20,190 feet) in Ladakh, India, something I had never thought I’d be able to do!
Why did you choose to pursue the Oxford MBA?
I reached a point in life wherein I wanted to reflect on what I had done so far and how I could maximise the impact that I might be able to create going forward. I wanted to take a year off and be a part of a different and more international experience. Pursuing an MBA programme from a top global business school was something that made perfect sense so I took the plunge!
Having visited the University of Oxford in 2015 and having been enamoured by its rich history and strong traditions, I had yearned to come back to study at this prestigious university. When I decided to pursue an MBA, I instantly researched about the Oxford MBA and very soon decided that it would be my primary choice. A one year program to help accelerate my career, located in the UK - the hub of fintech in the world, the focus on sustainable and responsible business, the thriving ecosystem for transformational leadership, the truly diverse cohort, the large alumni base and the endless networking opportunities were some of the many reasons why I chose the Oxford MBA.
How have you been preparing to start the programme in September?
The first meet-up with Oxford MBA classmates that I attended was back in April! So for me the MBA program started around then. From attending meet-ups in India to interacting with classmates from all over the world over video calls to upskilling to reading books recommended by our SBS career coaches and fellow classmates to the pre-MBA trek to Edinburgh (which was so much fun!) to unofficial pre-MBA dinners at Oxford – it’s already been a great introduction to the year ahead!
What do you hope to gain from the Oxford MBA and what are you most looking forward to from the year ahead?
I hope to develop myself both as a professional and as a person during the Oxford MBA. Professionally I’d like to increase my awareness and knowledge of the global challenges that we face today and will face in the future and how we as global citizens can help combat these challenges. I’d also love to connect with people in the fintech industry, be it students, professors, or industry experts, to understand the challenges in facilitating financial literacy and how we could leverage new technologies and products to enable financial inclusion. Following the MBA, I would love to work in the rapidly developing fintech industry in the UK.
Personally, I am looking forward to interacting with my classmates from 70+ nationalities who come from different backgrounds and walks of life. I look forward to learning from their experiences, broadening my view of the world, and hopefully making some lifelong friends in the process.
What advice would you give to those who are working on their application?
First introspect! I think this part is often overlooked and applicants normally dive straight into the application questions. Try to have a very clear idea about who you are as a person, what are you passionate about, what do you want to do in life both in the short term and the long term, and how would you be able to contribute to the highly diverse cohort that you would be a part of if you’re selected.
Then while writing the application, be yourself; be authentic; be genuine. Do not try to be someone else just because it may sound extraordinary and fancy. Talk about stories and incidents in your life that have helped define who you are today and that you resonate with the most. Be confident about your story because no one knows you better than yourself!
