Kartik Bhatia

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

“WINGED with instinct to learn, grow and excel; GROUNDED with humility, integrity and values.”

Hometown: Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a big foodie. I love exploring local cuisines of any new place that I travel to.

Undergraduate School and Major: Chartered Accountant (CA) , The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Assistant Manager, McKinsey & Company

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of IIM Ahmedabad’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? IIM Ahmedabad’s distinctive style of management education, which relies on classroom discussion of ‘cases’ (real-life business situations) was a crucial aspect that led me to choose this business school amongst others. The program immerses the students in the case situations, allows them to discuss the approaches adopted by them first in their Syndis (small student groups from varied backgrounds), and then in classroom with the professors. Learning by defending and modifying decisions that have been taken, the students develop their analytical and critical thinking skills. In one session, you become the CFO of an Airline organization, while the other session makes you analyze the case as a CMO of a FMCG giant. They groom you to become able leaders in futures.

What has been your favorite course or extracurricular activity at IIM Ahmedabad? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? I was lucky to be a part of the Campus Heritage Walk that was organized by Virasat (The Heritage Club Of IIMA). It was a captivating journey through the rich history and cultural heritage of our campus. I saw the first handwritten case study on Air India that was taught in the institute in the 1960s and scripts of eminent personalities associated with the institute like Mr Vikram Sarabai. It provided me with a deeper understanding of the institute’s journey over the years & celebrate it.

What makes Ahmedabad such a great place to earn an MBA? Ahmedabad is a true reflection of Vibrant Gujarat & Growing India. An enterprising and business-oriented society with cultural richness (electrifying atmosphere during Dandiya festival) and mouth-watering local cuisines (Khaman Dhokla & Fafda Jalebi), you will fall in love with the city at once. The city has a natural business acumen and sense and is a perfect blend of modern & traditional thinking.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I have been a chartered accountant working with Big4s in core audit and advisory profile before transitioning to tax strategy and US GAAP analysis role with McKinsey. I feel elated that I was able to effectively handle the job requirements entrusted on me. At McKinsey, I was a part of the core team that was assigned with the job to transform the existing transfer pricing mechanism of the organization followed worldwide across all entities and help it successfully transition to Global profit split (GPS) method. This rich learning experience remains special to me, as I got a chance to engage with the top leadership in US & UK and develop a holistic view of business problems.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: The MBA program at IIMA within a span of four months has given me an opportunity to interact with eminent personalities. From hosting the US Ambassador to India to meeting the business heads of startups like NoBroker and Blusmart, it provided me with unparallelled perspective and direction. It is surely inspirational to meet such personalities and instils in me the confidence to believe in my dreams and have faith that they can come true.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? I am a big Bollywood fan. Watching movies In Ahmedabad One Mall near the campus surely has become a weekly ritual for a pack of Bollywood fans like me in the Cohort. Looking at the spirit of the batch, the Cultural Committee of PGPX, IIMA also organized a movie night at the campus.

What do you hope to do after graduation? Post graduation, I wish to assume impacting roles in management consulting domain. I see myself widening my potential as a finance professional and assisting in creating a positive, enduring change in the world. Perspectives build through this program will make me more agile to respond quickly and creatively to finding responsible and sustainable solutions.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into IIM Ahmedabad? IIM Ahmedabad looks for candidates who are proactive in their approach and demonstrate a clear desire for intellectual growth. Each applicant is unique in his own ways and has experiences, both professional and personal, that are peculiar. One should introspect and look for such instances and try to highlight the same in the application and interview process.

Further, my advice would be to be honest with yourself. Honesty, integrity and humility is what makes all the difference. This will help you to identify your strengths more clearly and give you guidance to improve your shortcomings. Hence, it will facilitate your personal growth. It is this self-introspecting and evaluation attitude that will make you successful.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AHMEDABAD MBA CLASS OF 2024