Meet Ivey’s MBA Class of 2020

Prateek Chhikara

Ivey Business School at Western University                             

Soldier and student for life”

Hometown: New Delhi, Delhi

Fun Fact About Yourself: I always wanted to be a Bollywood playback singer, despite having no singing talent. Given a chance, I still might try!

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor of Business Administration, Symbiosis International University, Pune

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Instructor, Special Forces, Indian Army

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Opting for Special Forces is not easy for any soldier in any Army. These units have a specialized training or probation for 90 days with dropout rates as high as 85%. During training, I remember doubting myself constantly and was always unsure if I would be able to complete the training. However, I not only completed the training but achieved the highest grading in the course. This made me realize that (a) It is very easy to doubt yourself, even when we have no reason to; and (b) We are capable, both physically and mentally, of achieving anything we put our minds and hearts to doing.

Describe your biggest accomplishment at Ivey so far: Contributing to the rich classroom discussions is an achievement in itself. However, getting to know everyone in my cohort and appreciating the diversity of the class is to be my biggest achievement at Ivey. The school really focusses on bringing in students from all walks of life together and this reflects in the discussions in every class.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? “DRIVEN”. Richard Ivey Business School offers a very holistic MBA program. Even though it is a one-year program, every second at Ivey is a unique learning opportunity. Ivey’s class of 2020 is motivated and determined to change the world for the better and the school, with its strong academic curriculum and extensive alumni network, is enabling them to do so.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Ivey’s Case-Based Methodology was one of the key decision-making factors for me. Coming from a military background, I wanted to learn in an environment that encourages discussions and debates. Through cases, we not only study academic principles but also how they apply in the context of many firms and industries.

What club or activity have you enjoyed the most at Ivey so far? I lead the Operations Club at Ivey. The club allows me to combine my passion for operations with knowledge from SMEs. We are fortunate to have individuals with in-depth operations knowledge and experience as our members and we thrive to leverage these in house resources. Collaborating with some of the best minds at Ivey through this club has been an incredible experience.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Having served my country for eight years, I developed strong skills in operations management, human resources, crisis management, and leadership. I wanted to transition out of the Army to seek new leadership opportunities in the business world while maintaining more autonomy over my career and personal life. To achieve this goal, I wanted to augment my experience with business strategy, financial planning, operations management, and marketing skills. An MBA program would have taught me to think about business and help me adapt my military skills and experiences to a business context.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to Rotman and Ivey.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I spoke with current students and alumni to determine my fit with Ivey. Ivey has a ‘Pay-it-forward’ culture and I found it very easy to reach out and connect with the Ivey family. I highly encourage anyone interested in understanding more about the school to reach out to current students or alumni.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? During my United Nations peace-keeping tenure in Lebanon I saw first-hand the atrocities and hardships the locals in the area faced. I would often find schools and roads closed due to terrorist threats and I observed the impact it had on the psychology and the economy of a country. I opted for the Special Forces upon my return to India to play a more proactive role in fighting global terrorism. I wanted to leave a palpable impact on the society and didn’t want to see any more children deprived of education or patients denied their treatments due to the fear of terrorists. I was fortunate to serve in the anti-terrorist establishment and safeguard the rights of the citizens.

Where do you see yourself in five years? WITHOUT STUDENT DEBT! But in all honesty, I see myself still learning and contributing to the society in any way that I can. A wise millennial once said “You have one life to live” and I want to make this one really count.

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