Vrushali Agrawal

IIM Kozhikode  

“A small town girl making her mark in the world one step at a time!”

Hometown: Sangli, Maharashtra

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love poetry and have been part of various anthologies and open mics. Performing infront of 2,500 people was my biggest stage.

Undergraduate School and Major: MIT College of Engineering – Electronics and Telecommunications

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: BirlaSoft – Test Specialist

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of IIM Kozhikode’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? When I was submitting applications to different IIM colleges, I found that IIMK’s application process was distinct from the rest. While other colleges primarily emphasized career accomplishments and professional goals, IIMK took a step further by providing an opportunity to showcase my thoughts and ideas through creative writing essays. The interview process was also comprehensive, which reassured me about the inclusive nature of this college. Being a creative individual, it was crucial for me to find a platform where I could express my artistic side alongside gaining knowledge. This college genuinely offers opportunities in every aspect!

What has been your favorite course or extracurricular activity at IIM Kozhikode? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? As the elected leader of the Creativity Circle, my fellow members and I are responsible for planning and coordinating various enjoyable events such as Get-togethers, birthday celebrations, farewells, and more. These events breathe new life into our classmates, bringing them a sense of rejuvenation. Witnessing their stressed faces transform into expressions of enjoyment and happiness brings me a sense of tranquility. I have always had a knack for organizing events, and applying my past experiences to this role has made my responsibilities easier to handle. Every event teaches us valuable lessons; if there is no lesson to be learned, then we must be doing something incorrectly. This extracurricular activity has taught me significant lessons in time management, resource allocation, effective task execution, and ensuring the event’s objectives are successfully accomplished.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I spent nearly 4.5 years working with a prominent IT company, which is considered a significant duration for someone starting their career. I desired to switch jobs in order to advance my professional growth, but I faced difficulties in cracking interviews. I felt that my profile lacked uniqueness. However, everything changed when I encountered a particular interview where the interviewer questioned me about a skill that I had considered as secondary. Although I didn’t receive an offer from that interview, it altered my perspective on approaching subsequent interviews, leading me to successfully crack seven of them. I made my first transition to a new company, which provided me with valuable insights into how the IT industry operates. Subsequently, I made another switch and gained a much broader understanding of the industry. I began actively following the latest IT news, technologies, and various factors to keep myself up to date. I attribute this transformation to my initial job switch, which I consider my greatest achievement in professional terms.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: While casually browsing Facebook, I came across a video clip from the movie NH10 featuring Anushka Sharma’s character pitching an idea for a feminine hygiene product and explaining how she arrived at the product’s name. Surprisingly, that short scene encompassed everything I had learned thus far during my MBA studies. In that moment, I felt an immense sense of achievement because without my MBA education, those words would have simply been business jargon for me.

What has been your most memorable experience at IIM Kozhikode? Why was it so special? During our presentation on Communications for Business Transformation course, our team had the opportunity to present in the auditorium. As we delivered our presentation, we faced questions from both our classmates and professors regarding our research. Once we concluded our presentation, Dr. Deepa Sethi, course professor, praised me and even went as far as offering me a chocolate, stating, “You spoke like a TEDx Speaker.” Her words truly touched me and significantly boosted my confidence. This experience stands out as my most memorable moment at IIM Kozhikode thus far.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? After gaining 6.5 years of experience in the IT Services industry, I came to the realization that in order to become the best possible fit for a managerial role, I needed to pursue formal education. While it is true that you can learn many things through experience, having a formal education provides a solid foundation and a deeper understanding of the subject matter. It will enable me to start my managerial journey with a stronger base and a comprehensive grasp of the field.

By pursuing further education, I aim to justify the leadership positions that will be offered to me in the coming years. The concepts, theories, case studies, and research that I will engage with during my studies will undoubtedly prove beneficial. These academic pursuits will provide me with a broader perspective when approaching complex problems. Armed with this newfound knowledge, I am excited about the prospect of working in the domains of consulting and project management, where I can leverage my newly acquired skills and insights.

DON’T MISS: MEET IIM KOZHIKODE’S PGP-BL CLASS OF 2024