Lakshmikar Reddy “Lakky” Chitimireddi

Kelley School of Business at Indiana University

“Farmers’ son to IT employee, MBA grad student passionate about tech-driven products connecting farmers and consumers.”

Hometown: A small village – Chitimireddy Gari Palli, Madanapalle and Andhra Pradesh, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: With robust athletic skills, I swiftly pick up sports. I started with cricket at age 10, then represented my school and college in badminton, tennis, squash, basketball, and volleyball. Recently, I’ve also started playing pickleball since coming to the U.S.

Undergraduate School and Major: M. Tech in Software Engineering, VIT University Vellore

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Philips, Associate Product Manager.

In the second half of the year, you will be completing an Academy devoted to areas like Marketing, Finance, Operations, Digital Enterprises and more. Which Academy interests you the most and why? Looking forward to the Entrepreneurship Innovation Academy, I’m eager to explore a vibrant hub of creativity. This opportunity will deepen my understanding of diverse businesses. I also aim to present my agriculture business ideas for feedback from the academy director and venture capitalists tied to Kelley. As I transition to the next phase of my life, I believe the Entrepreneurship Academy will provide crucial knowledge and skills for raising funds, evaluating companies, and addressing industry needs. Learning from Kelley’s top-ranked entrepreneurship course excites me and is a major reason for joining.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Indiana Kelley’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Apart from my classmates, what really interests me is Indiana Kelley’s GLOBASE program. It’s about helping international businesses make a positive impact on communities. As someone who’s enthusiastic about entrepreneurship, GLOBASE is a great opportunity for me. It lets me directly work with CEOs and founders from different industries. I also get a chance to work on a new product through the lens of a new business challenge, which I find interesting. This is an MBA experience I’m really looking forward to.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Indiana Kelley? The Iconic Kelley Clap, a tradition initiated by Professor Walt Blacconiere, symbolizes unity and gratitude for learning. Every day after class, this tradition highlights the learning that has occurred. It strongly reminds me of valuing the educational chances at Kelley. As someone deeply thankful for the guidance of my mentors and teachers, I find joy in the Kelley Clap, using it as a heartfelt way to express gratitude towards our professors and the knowledge that they have shared with us.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: At the age of 23, I challenged conventional farming traditions in my village, embracing strategic, sustainable farming with a 3-acre dragon fruit venture. Raised by passionate farmers, I directly experienced the challenges posed by workforce and climate issues. This led me to study technology focusing on software engineering, aiming to seamlessly integrate technology with agriculture to make farmers’ lives easier – a decision that yielded remarkable results. I meticulously developed a comprehensive model for sustainable farming that revolutionized the approach by overcoming the traditional farming challenges. This achievement goes beyond personal success; it honors enduring wisdom while utilizing the help of modern technologies. My journey is a testament to trusting my instincts: blending age-old traditions with the sparks of technology to create something genuinely enchanting for the farming community.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? Fueled by my passion for innovation and creativity with a customer focus, I’m motivated to tackle real-world challenges through product management. Post-graduation, I aspire to lead end-to-end product development, from ideation to delivering a flawless Minimum Viable Product (MVP) in one of the top tech companies.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Indiana Kelley’s MBA program? To gain admission to Indiana Kelley’s MBA program, start by clearly defining your objectives for both the MBA program and the business school itself. Conducting a thorough self-reflection exercise can prove immensely beneficial. Once you’ve established a clear direction for your future, boldly showcase your authentic passions and ambitions in your application.

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