Meet the PGP-BL Class of 2025: Nrusimha Vikram Bhavanibhatla, IIM Kozhikode by: Jeff Schmitt on January 07, 2025 | 324 Views January 7, 2025 Copy Link Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit Nrusimha Vikram Bhavanibhatla Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode “Three Cs guide me: Curiosity in exploration, Courage in decision-making, and commitment in facing challenges.” Hometown: Hyderabad, Telangana Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve shed over 30 kgs of weight twice in my life, and now I’m gearing up for the third time. Sometimes I wonder if this shows my determination or if it just makes me a fool for letting the weight creep back on twice! Still figuring that part out, but hey, at least I’m persistent!” Undergraduate School and Major: Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Osmania University Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Deloitte Financial Advisory Services – Solution Delivery Advisor 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? Choosing the PGP-BL program at IIM Kozhikode was influenced by several compelling factors, each crucial in my decision-making process. Primarily, it was the rigorous curriculum, densely packed with the content typically spread over two years, that drew my attention. I thrive under pressure, and the prospect of balancing intense studies with a plethora of activities was exactly the challenge I sought to test my capabilities. Moreover, the program’s one-year duration was particularly appealing, allowing me to swiftly return to the workforce—a setting I find as enriching as the academic environment itself. This balance between learning and doing resonates deeply with my career aspirations and personal growth objectives. Additionally, the admissions process itself, with its exhaustive list of essays demanding creative ingenuity, confirmed my belief that IIMK was where I could both foster and challenge my abilities. Each element of the program reassured me that IIM Kozhikode was the perfect fit for me, aligning impeccably with my academic pursuits and career goals. 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? My role as a member of the Insights and Social Media Circle has easily become the part of my IIM Kozhikode journey that I enjoy the most, outside of academics. Being part of this circle means juggling a variety of tasks—photography, digital content creation, editing, interviewing industry experts, and absorbing their wisdom, even getting involved in designing and delivering merchandise to the cohort. When I step back and take a bird’s-eye view, it’s everything I could have hoped for—a perfect blend of academics and extracurriculars, some of which have been my passions long before I joined. In a way, it’s like dancing on fire, balancing so many things at once. But the thing is, I’ve always loved dancing, and this challenge fuels me. Every step, no matter how intense, pushes me forward, teaching me resilience, time management, and the joy of doing what I love. It’s been an incredible journey of learning and growth, and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I used to think I wasn’t cut out to be a good teacher. Despite being an extrovert and someone who communicates well, I struggled to keep people engaged during conversations. My confidence in this area was pretty low. But then, Deloitte changed that perception entirely. Remember one of the ‘C’s I mentioned earlier? Courage is what defines me. And with that courage, I never hesitated to take on roles that pushed me out of my comfort zone—whether it was hosting events, networking, leading knowledge transfer sessions, pitching ideas, or conducting training seminars. At first, I failed—often. I couldn’t hold people’s attention for long, and it was frustrating. But I kept going. With time, patience, and a lot of resilience, I began to improve. Slowly but surely, I found my rhythm. The transformation wasn’t immediate, but over time I evolved into someone who could engage and captivate an audience for hours. It’s a skill I once could only dream of having. And now? Hosting seminars, leading training sessions, and sharing knowledge feels second nature to me. But I’d be foolish to take all the credit. I owe much of this success to the opportunities and platform Deloitte provided me—the space to fail, learn, and grow. Without that, I wouldn’t have reached the level I’m at today. It’s been a journey of growth, and it’s one of my proudest accomplishments. Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: One of my proudest moments as an MBA student has to be getting elected into the student-driven Insights and Social Media Circle. The selection process was rigorous—more so than I expected—and it became even more challenging when I realized this circle is actually a combination of three separate clubs that had been running independently until last year. So, the workload essentially tripled overnight! But being the determined person I am, I threw my hat in the ring. The competition was fierce, with so many passionate and equally capable peers vying for the same spot. I won’t forget the anticipation, the tension, and then that exhilarating moment when I heard my name in the results—it felt like a major accomplishment. What makes it even more special is not just getting in, but being able to successfully run this circle so far, balancing the added responsibilities with the never-ending MBA workload. It’s been a test of resilience and leadership, and to see how far we’ve come makes me realize just how much this experience has shaped me What has been your most memorable experience at IIM Kozhikode? Why was it so special? I remember one of my professors quoting, ‘You’re not here to learn MBA principles and run organizations with them. You’re here to learn about yourself and run organizations your way.’ That one line changed how I see my time here. Every day at IIM Kozhikode has been about more than just academics. It has been a journey of understanding my strengths and what I prefer to call my ‘areas of improvement.’ I have been living on this serene, resort-like campus, watching nature reveal its different moods, sharing late-night food and deep conversations with friends who feel like family and above all, learning how to handle stress by dealing with tons of tasks every day with limited time. Every experience adds something to my story. It’s not just a place, it’s an experience I’m living by, and it feels special in every way. What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? Pursuing an MBA was not a spontaneous decision for me; it was the culmination of years of determination and repeated efforts. My relentless enthusiasm for administration and a deep-seated desire to channel my creativity led me to try again and again, despite earlier setbacks. The thought of building a network with like-minded individuals, experiencing first-rate education, and learning from teaching stalwarts fueled my persistence, finally earning me a place at IIMK. As I look to the future, my ambitions are clearly aligned with the skills and insights I am gaining. After graduation, I aspire to become a product manager in a leading e-commerce company. In this role, I plan to fully apply my philosophies, past work experience, and the comprehensive training from my MBA to innovate and drive the development of new products, features, or services. DON’T MISS: MEET IIM KOZHIKODE’S PGP-BL CLASS OF 2025