Meet the MBAEx Class of 2023: Ankit Baid, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

Ankit Baid

Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta

“Empathetic, patient, and inquisitive, with a hunger for continuous learning and growth.”

Hometown: Purnia, Bihar

Fun Fact About Yourself: My family was initially opposed when I joined the Indian Military. They wanted me to work in the IT industry, where I was selected during graduation. As a curious soul and adrenaline junkie, I wanted to experience the military interview process and accompanied a friend who desired to join. The comedy of errors is that my friend got rejected while I got selected in the end. This is what I call a fortunate stroke of serendipity.

Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelors of Engineering in Information Science from Visvesvaraya Technological University, Bengaluru

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Indian Navy; Deputy Director – Information Technology (rank: Lt. Commander)

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of IIM Calcutta’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? When it comes to India’s oldest and finest B-School, IIM Calcutta does not need any introduction. The name speaks for itself. The brand value, the legacy, and the rich alumni network motivated me to take a leap of faith and apply to IIMC’s MBAEx program. Apart from case-based pedagogy, what sets aside IIMC from its counterpart is its emphasis on mathematical and practical-based approaches to studies. Another new initiative in the program is the Live project component that helps students apply the learning in the real world and assist students looking for a change of role. Coming from an Armed forces background, I was looking for a change of role, and I believe a 1-year MBA made more sense for a professional with ten years of experience such as myself. The opportunity cost of a 2-year MBA also seemed way too high to warrant consideration.

What has been your favorite course or extracurricular activity at IIM Calcutta? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? I have completed my Term II out of the complete VI terms in the program. The range of courses offered until now has been very diverse, so choosing one is a difficult choice. Coming from a 10-year of experience in the IT domain, I believed I had much experience in Management for IT, but then comes the famous Information Technology course taught by Prof. Debashis Saha. The classes were a long marathon of case studies, frameworks, and models focusing on Digital Transformation, which is the industry’s need after the onset of COVID. The importance of asking “why” questions have never been so engraved in the classes as done in the IT class. The course breaks away from traditional classroom programs, where the professor focuses on teaching. Here on day one, we were told by the professor that he is just a facilitator, and we need to learn on our own or from experiential learning from the cohort. The course is an experience, and the notes and marking on the case book will remain my guiding light and fallback option during the time of need.

What has been the best part of studying business in Calcutta? Kolkata (formerly called “Calcutta”) is among India’s top metropolitan cities. It has been the intellectual capital of India for generations. I feel honoured to accelerate my learning curve in a land that was once embraced by the likes of Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, and Satyajit Ray, to name a few.

The campus’s easy accessibility to the city provides the institute with an easy connection to Industry and prominent leaders. Other than IIM Calcutta’s rich legacy, beautiful campus and world-renowned faculty, what attracted me to this program was the emphasis it puts on handling various initiatives by the students. This not only enables students to share their learnings among their peers but also helps them develop necessary skills in leading and managing team members. One such student-run initiative is the MBAEx magazine committee, of which I am one of the member.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In 2020, the pandemic jeopardized the Indian Navy’s nationwide recruitment examinations. This crisis could have led to the loss of one full intake cycle and a severe long-term impact on the Indian Navy’s workforce, especially on warships and frontline platforms. Taking the initiative to find a solution, I examined alternatives and, after extensive effort, devised a statistical solution using Normalisation to select officer candidates for Interviews. I ensured that my solution was validated by academicians and data analysts from the industry.

The next challenge was to convince the Navy’s HR division about this departure from convention and convert it into a policy that would impact lakhs of candidates across India. With time running out, I worked on the last four years’ recruitment data to support my argument. After necessary approvals, the process was implemented in June 2020. Apart from the satisfaction of successfully overcoming a challenge that had a nationwide impact, most importantly, the Navy’s officer selection process continued largely unhindered during the pandemic.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: IIM Calcutta is not just about academics, but about exploring yourself. It throws a plethora of opportunities in front of you. The environment created on the campus has motivated me to take part in diverse fields. In just two months, I have participated in various case competitions, stood for two elections, performed a skit, public speaking, and many more. For me, the biggest accomplishment has been exploring my limits and field of interest. Joka is the name of the place where IIM Calcutta campus is located, and it is famously said that “Joka is not a place, it is an experience”.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? My journey in the Indian Navy – from serving in an operational training unit to one of India’s frontline warships to Naval Headquarters, has been professionally challenging and personally satisfying. During my career thus far, I have had experiences in collaborating with various external organisations and entities such as UIDAI, DigiLocker, CSC e-Governance Ltd, NIC, NAD, SBI, etc. I learnt from these interactions, while closely observing the functioning of these organisations and their client-facing managers. Putting myself in their shoes, I realised my strengths and identified areas that needed improvement. A formal and relevant education in business management is the largest tool missing from my kit. Quality business management education will help me bridge the gap between my abilities and professional aspirations. To fulfill these requirements, I planned to take up this one-year full time MBA program at IIMC so as to equip myself educationally and place my first foot on the corporate ladder in the best way possible.

Belonging to a small town, I have experienced the barriers that students face to access quality education. My beliefs have only been strengthened during my recruitment and interview-related visits in various cities across India. I have a deep desire to utilise technology to reduce or eliminate educational inequalities. I wish to gain relevant managerial skills in MBAEx and eventually move up to the leadership role in the Ed-tech domain.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into IIM Calcutta? Being a “Jokar” (a name given to all students of IIM Calcutta) is an honour and a privilege, and it opens doors in areas where no doors may exist. There is very much a camaraderie within the institution. I strongly recommend all the potential applicants be authentic about their stories and experiences. The college highly values your unique story and how you navigated various phases of life. So be confident about your abilities and tell the absolute truth. Along with this, I think a clear answer to the question as to how this MBA would help them reach from point A (where they are at present) to point B (where they want to be) would allow the candidates to refine their thought process and they would be in a much better shape to project their candidature.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT CALCUTTA MBA CLASS OF 2023

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