Previous Occupation: Entrepreneur in Retail domain
Present Occupation: Management trainee at GSK Pharma
Sector: Pharmaceuticals
Work Experience: 3 and half years
Interests – Professional/Personal:
Professional: Business development, strategy, new market development.
Personal: Dancing, Painting, badminton and swimming.

Can you tell us a little about your family background/history?
A true nomad, I was born in a small town in Andhra Pradesh- Anantapur and raised in Mumbai and Chennai with a brief stint at Silchar, Assam. It became natural to change schools every few years and I got used to change. Constant travelling got me to adapt to changes quickly. My dad is the General Manager at ONGC and my mom is a homemaker. Being the only child, I am lucky to get undivided attention of my parents and I am completely pampered!

Briefly describe your personal and professional achievements (including recent awards\special projects)
I was awarded the Torch Bearer Award at ISB. I led the team for Mercado, Retail conclave at ISB.

Tell us about your profile pre-ISB, and recap your professional life after ISB including your career progression?
Pre-ISB: I was an entrepreneur in the retail domain and dealt in the personalized gifting space. I coordinated with about 200 artisan groups across India, to produce innovative handmade gifts. My creations were featured in the International Trousseau exhibition held at Singapore. Though, the venture does not exist formally anymore, it still caters to informal requests from known clients, family and friends.
Post ISB: I have joined GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals as a management trainee. I am finally doing something related to what I have studied in my under graduation- BTech in Biotechnology from SRM University, Chennai. Currently, working in the Oncology segment and I am finally able to connect science with business management.

Describe your fondest memory at ISB
Every day at ISB was cherishable. Sunrise parties, morning classes, 2 am study group meetings, 5 am assignment submission deadlines, late night jamming sessions- it has been a year I wouldn’t mind reliving again!

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 am more structured in the way I look at issues. I do not jump to conclusions immediately nor do I lose my trail of thoughts. This organized approach is definitely a result of my learning at ISB.

How do you think ISB has contributed to your career growth?
Apart from the regular job which I think all of us would have post ISB, I feel the greatest asset I have received is my friends. With a well-networked peer group, I am always able to get insights into any issue that I face at work. Be it discussing work or bouncing off ideas for the next venture, I have found like-minded people at ISB.

If you have to sum up ISB in one word:
In true HIMYM style “ LEGEN- wait for it- DARY!!!”

What was the main highlight of your programme at the ISB?
Listening to world class professors, interacting with highly talented peers over study group sessions and case study discussions are surely the highlight. There is no dearth of super talented people at ISB.

Word of advice for the current class?
There is so much to do at ISB. While being focused on studies, it is good to explore something new- be it sports or learning a new language with international students or writing a research paper.

What was your favourite course/class at ISB and why?
I enjoyed Mr. Bhagwan Chowdhry’s Corporate Finance classes. I never had finance exposure before and was always apprehensive about it. His approach to Finance concepts made me consider majoring in Finance along with Marketing!

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.
True to the name, one year at ISB is a roller-coaster ride! And it is important to have your support systems in place to help you stride along. I was lucky to have my ‘quaddies’ as my support system. I shared a close bond with them and always looked up to them for advice and help.

What are the areas that you can contribute in to ISB?
I am actively involved in resume reviews and general placement advice for current students. Going forward I would like to engage in more alumni events and make the ISB alumni network even stronger.

What do you enjoy most about your current career position?
Oncology, the vertical that I am currently working on is a growing segment in GSK Pharmaceuticals. It is almost like a start-up culture, about 40 employees all over India, within the company. The learning curve is very steep and you get to work on establishing systems right from scratch. For example, I worked for four months trying to establish GSK Oncology brand in unexplored territories and design optimal business systems for the same. Another element I enjoy in my vertical is the access to senior management. The business head of my vertical knew every metric I had established as part of my stint!

What is the next new thing in the industry or vertical you are working in? Any trends that you see?
Oncology market in India is growing at a fast pace. At GSK, we are expecting two new launches this year. The market is flooded with both branded and generic drugs. This establishes a challenging environment to work in. With several new launches coming up in the industry, the market is poised for accelerated growth.

© 2013 Indian School of Business, Disclaimer.