Previous Occupation: Regional Sales Head at Asian Paints [auto refinishes], Mumbai
Present Occupation: Director, Learning Spiral Pvt Ltd (a leading provider of services and solutions targeted at digital publishing and management of high stakes examinations and assessments); Director, Rotocast Industries Ltd (India's largest provider of steel abrasives for surface finishing and peening applications); and General Manager, Strategy, Salasar Steel & Power (an enterprise involved in power generation and steel manufacturing).
Sector: Information Technology, Manufacturing
Work Experience: 12+ years experience in IT, entrepreneurship, manufacturing and marketing and 12+ years in sales.
Interests – Professional/ Personal: Sketching, painting, card modelling and reading.

Can you tell us a little about your family background/ history?
I come from a Kolkata-based joint business family with roots in Rajasthan. My father is a gold medallist (MSc) from BITS, Pilani and a first generation industrialist/ technocrat. I was born in Kolkata and did my early schooling there. I went on to earn a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering. I was featured amongst the youngest entrepreneurs by Business World in 2000 in connection with the launch of India's first student-focused portal, www.buckleyourshoe.com and a SaaS platform for online applications under www.UCanApply.com.

Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards/ special projects).
I led the structuring of our 65 MW power generation business and I also head the state-level power producer association's regulatory and legal activities. I played a critical role in nurturing the growth of my IT / ITES division dealing in e-publishing and secured high stakes examination solutions for the education sector. I also forged an international joint venture (JV) with a global major in our steel abrasives business.

Tell us about your profile pre-ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB, including your career progression.
Pre-ISB I had floated an IT start-up which created a student portal and got first stage funding.
Post-ISB I had worked for 3 years with Asian Paints, Mumbai, India as Regional Manager Sales and a year in Marketing.
I shifted back to my family business thereafter and was involved in the setting up of a green field thermal power generation unit at Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. This was commissioned in 2006.
Since the last 5 years I have been involved in the strategic management of our Industrial operations, power sale, and the management and growth of my IT operations wherein we are seeing rapid growth and huge potential.

Describe your fondest memory of ISB.

• Sand duning behind the under-construction ISB campus at Hyderabad
• A cup of coffee at the central library
• All out parties around the reflection pools at the student residential blocks

5.   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?
I have learned to greatly appreciate and accept diversity and contrarion opinions. I have also developed a structured thought process for looking at business decision making.

How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
ISB has provided immense value as a brand [more so today than even then!] and allowed me to get a fantastic exposure to the Indian corporate world, which was essential but would not have been possible for me otherwise.

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

What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
The extremely rich and diverse student community.

Word of advice for the current class?
Work hard and make the most of the networking opportunities available to you. Also, absorb the sheer energy, enthusiasm and diverse thought processes around you.

What was your favourite course/ class at ISB and why?
Organisational Behaviour and Marketing & Strategy.

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.
No, not really. But there were many people in my batch who were always there to offer me a frank and unselfish opinion.

What are the areas in which you can contribute to ISB?
Admissions, mentoring, family business and entrepreneurship

What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
The ability to lead from the front, to dream and think big and then work to make those dreams a reality.

What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you can see?
The power sector is in a mess and will witness a carnage with banks losing money. I predict that digital publishing (especially e-publications) is going to become very popular in India. I also believe that online processes and solutions are going to be the way forward in high stakes examination management in India in the next five years.

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