Suparna Chopra
Class of 2006
Entrepreneur



Previous Occupation: Project Manager, RAO-UES; Director, The Royal Time Machine (my entrepreneurial venture)
Present Occupation: I am now working on a new venture in the sports space.
Sector:  Sports
Work Experience: 7 years
Interests – Professional/Personal

Professional: Marketing, Business Development and Design.
Personal: Fine arts and creative pursuits.


Can you tell us a little about your family background/ history?
I was born and brought up in Delhi as part of a very loving family. My father is a first-generation entrepreneur with concerns in various fields, including hydro/thermal power development, financial advisory services, infrastructure development, management consulting, etc. He is an IIT-IIM graduate. My mother is a theatre artist with a long association with television and the stage and she has an interest in varied fine arts. She actively devotes herself to social causes, working with organisations like All India Women’s Fund Association (AIWEFA), Goonj, Vidya, etc. I have an elder sister whom I am very close to. She is a Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) graduate. I have learnt a lot from my family, and it is both my strength and my weakness.

Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards/ special projects)
Professionally, I am passionate about three fields – travel, sports and education. Post-ISB, I set up my own venture in the travel sector and am now working on a sports venture. Both these ventures have been close to my heart and are rewards in themselves.
My work has been recognised and appreciated. I was listed by the Wall Street Journal among the “Top 50 Corporate Women of India.” Business Today rankings put me in the “Top 5 Women Entrepreneurs” of the country.

Tell us about your profile pre-ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB, including your career progression.
Pre-ISB, I did my B.Tech in Chemical Engineering in Delhi. My work experience was short – just a couple of months – during which time I worked as Project Manager with the Russian firm RAO-UES, one of the biggest power companies in the world. I then joined ISB where I majored in Marketing and Finance.
After graduating from ISB, I started my entrepreneurial venture, The Royal Time Machine, a pioneering concept in the luxury travel, hospitality and entertainment sector. I worked on the marketing and business development side of the company. The venture received a lot of recognition, and last year, I made a successful exit from it. I am currently working on a new venture in the sports domain, which aims at emphasising mass sports in our country.

Describe your fondest memory at ISB.
Memories from ISB are many, and they are among the fondest ones in my life so far. From all-nighters spent studying to all-nighters spent partying, marketing games to solstice, from CP to sleepy, exams to Holi, from worrying to knowing it will all work out – all were part of the cherished experience of being at ISB!

In your personal life, how have you changed post-ISB? Do you see yourself doing something differently because you went to ISB? What has left a lasting impression?ISB has impacted me greatly – personally and professionally. I was pretty much an introvert and a passive learner but the ISB experience changed that. The institute made me realise the importance of a network and its diversity, which has helped me grow as a person. The bond formed with friends through ISB is a very precious one.

How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
ISB has contributed to my career growth substantially. It has done so by way of giving me the courage to leap into entrepreneurship, structuring my thoughts and sharpening my business acumen. Admittedly, the brand name has helped, with people placing their trust in me and making my journey easier. The importance of the ISB network and the stress-busting supportive friends group can’t be emphasised enough.

If you have to sum up ISB in one word:
Inspiring.

What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
Quality faculty and a great peer group.

Word of advice for the current class?
Focus on learning, not grades.
Don’t worry too much. Do what you are there for and things will work out perfectly for you.
Value the ISB network and invest due time in it.

What was your favourite course/ class at ISB and why?
Consumer Behaviour. When I took up the subject, I thought it would all be “general gyaan.” But it opened up a whole new way of analysing consumer choices and further readings on the subject only made it more interesting.

Was there anyone during your time at ISB who acted as a mentor for you? Tell us a little about this relationship and why it was valuable.
I was fresh out of engineering with very little work experience before coming to ISB and needed guidance from time to time. A number of friends at ISB stepped up and helped me through. They are my biggest takeaway from ISB!

What are the areas that you can contribute in to ISB?
Marketing ISB to potential students, admissions, info-sessions, and entrepreneurial guidance.

What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
Any new venture involves developing a concept and then watching it grow from scratch. This gives one an all-time high; it is very satisfying! The work exposure is immense too.

What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you can see?
The venture I am currently working on is looking at setting a new trend in the sports domain in India. It involves activating sport at the grassroots level.