Manish Kohli

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

“The yearning for learning new things never ceases.”

Hometown: Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

Fun fact about yourself: During my tenure in Army Aviation as a helicopter pilot, I once flew into a thick cloud, completely losing orientation (worst feeling a pilot could get). Those were the most savage 30 seconds of my life where I almost said, “Hello! God!”

Undergraduate School and Degree: B Tech (Electronics & Communication), Agra University

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Indian Army, Director (Strategy, Planning & Operations)

Where will you be working after graduation? Eli Lilly

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Having served the Indian Army for two decades, leadership is something that comes naturally to me. The great organisation taught me the ropes and how to handle difficult situations. The leadership roles in the Indian Army came coupled with the community work that I did for the villages in remote locations in terms of education for underprivileged kids, medical camps for the elderly and needy, provision of clean drinking water etc.

At IIMA, I decided to lead the Placement Committee as the Recruitment Secretary of the batch. I was once again humbled when my cohort reposed trust in me by electing me to lead the effort. I took charge and with meticulous planning, flawless execution and unstinted support of my team was able to coordinate a successful placement season for the PGPX that actually made a lot of difference to the lives of my batchmates.

In addition, I was also a part of the basketball and squash teams where I represented the section and participated in intra-IIMA competitions.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Studying at IIMA is dream come true for most of the students and I had not imagined myself to be in IIMA doing MBA two years back. So, when I received the Entry Scholarship, it was the proverbial ‘icing on the cake’ for me that gave me a lot of confidence. It also made me overcome the imposter syndrome and made me feel that, indeed, I do belong to this place.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? They say you always pass failure on your way to success. The most challenging appointment in any army officer’s life is that of a Commanding Officer (CO) of a unit. I took over command of my new unit and was bubbling with enthusiasm, armed with the knowledge obtained through various courses and experiences. I hoped to be an excellent CO, but within 3-4 months I realized that things were not going the CO’s way. This was because after some minor back-to-back setbacks came a rude shock of losing two of my soldiers to non-operational reasons.

After much deliberation, I realized that I was leading the unit strictly by the book. I was making almost no effort to connect with my command or empathize with them. Realizing my mistake, I decided to connect with my troops and Viola! things began improving.

In Aug 2020, my unit was ordered to mobilize amidst a national emergency. The unit was operationally ready within no time. The infectious enthusiasm led the advance party covering 50 Km to join the battle. However, they were stopped enroute to avoid escalation. The unit’s operational readiness was commended by all in the hierarchy and was a litmus test for the CO.

What had changed from a command failure to this success? The learnings were clear, when one is leading a team, s/he cannot be mechanical and treat people like robots. The leader needs to empathize with them both personally and professionally. Also, in the initial six months, I was trying to copy my predecessors and follow their style of leadership. I learned that one cannot simply cut, copy, and paste a template. You need to devise your own methods in order to succeed.

Why did you choose this business school? When I grew up, the MBA in India was only synonymous with IIMA. Nothing comes close to this school when we talk management. That’s what resonated with me while I planned my transition from the military and PGPX was ranked numero uno in terms of career transition. In turn, what makes IIMA so special is the faculty and the professors, period!

After joining IIMA, I realized very soon that every day in the morning, I look forward to every class where the professor stands in the well of the class and opens his bag of erudition in the most eloquent and fathomable ways. The ever-so-elusive concepts of finance, management, and marketing get unraveled in a scrutable manner through the case-based pedagogy. The academic rigour and the challenge to internalize new things every day indeed gives a new high and the aroma of IIMA is fraught with such situations. Continuous learning has been my mantra and I have always tried to learn new things. Therefore, I truly relish this environment every day. For me, the yearning for learning would only cease with my last breath.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Vishwanath Pingali. It was remarkable how Vishy (as he likes to be called) managed to pack in so much rich learning into every class. He is always so prepared to not only run a captivating class, but also supplement it with real life lessons that are thoughtfully curated and indexed. We take back numerous learnings not only in Microeconomics, but also how the Economics delivers to the society. Finally, his analogy of peacock feathers that come with the IIMA MBA has left an indelible mark on the minds of most of the cohort.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? I had never thought that I would be studying Bhagvad Gita during the MBA. This was something which my grandma had taught me when I was entering my teens. However, the Understanding Bhagvad Gita course at IIMA, came with a twist of learnings for managers and leaders. Moral hazard is cited as one of the most serious challenges in organizations in such competitive business environment – and the importance of leadership and ethics in organizations cannot be understated. The course was absolutely not a religious sermon, as the name suggests, but a superlative management course with deep inner learnings. It suggests powerful ways to promote management practices that are consistent with business models and yet ethical. The most astounding part of the course was the manner in which logic was strewn to every verse of the Gita, which made a lot of sense to the MBA grads who look for one.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? ‘A’ in IIMA stands for Academic Rigour”.

Being a good academic student throughout, academic rigour, which IIMA is so proud of, resonated with me perfectly in the beginning. But when I was donning the hat of the Recruitment Secretary, the academics many times came at loggerheads with the placement activities and I felt Academics should be at the back burner when it comes to placements because that is what MBA grads come for in a premier Institute. Though, I realized at the end of the course that it was indeed this Academic Rigour that makes this institute so special.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I came to IIMA with a clear focus that I wanted to pursue tech. Now, when asked to change something, I feel I should have dipped my feet into the investing world (PE/VC). During the MBA, as I got exposed to the investing side of tech, I got very interested in it. I would have loved to plan my courses so that I get a hands-on experience in the PE/ VC space.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Myth – There are three seasons in Ahmedabad hot, hotter and hottest. Yes the summers were indeed very hot (May- July), but I felt the weather from October-March was a bliss. Truth – For someone who comes from the hills and having spent winters on the snowy peaks (in the Army), the winters here are super smooth and the cool breeze, as opposed to the bone chill in the North, are a blessing to die for.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? The school offers a number of avenues of leveraging AI in our learning process. There are a number of courses that are offered to leverage AI in our careers like Gen AI for Business or Data Science for Business. I took the DSB course and it has completely changed my outlook towards business. I have realized the potential of data and more importantly tech that can have on businesses. We can piggyback on the tons of data and leverage it using technology to focus on the customer perceived value and strategise to become market leaders by unlocking sustained competitive advantage.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Aashruth Rangarajan is a Restaurateur, entrepreneur, and investor who took a leap of faith to do the MBA while being in a flourishing business. I commend him for taking a break from a profitable business and concentrate on the classes and not be wired to his business all the time. He is indeed one of the most intelligent blokes of the cohort (most likely a medalist) and is also seen at the gym and on the games field representing his section or cohort. He is also an ardent well-wisher who is always ready to offer help when needed. He was not a part of the Placement process for obvious reasons, but was always present to assist in preparing batchmates for interviews and helping in the administrative processes. I always thought that I had taken a leap of faith at this by doing the MBA at this age and stage of my career, but Aashruth stands much higher on this pedestal.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. My short-term goal is to head a tech team and enhance revenue generation. I wish to eventually drive the business revenue and growth at a global scale.

2. I believe in what Bhagvad Gita says – ‘If we do not give back to the Mother Nature and society, we will be considered thieves.’ Therefore, I want to spearhead community-driven initiatives and oversee the business’s impact on the society. I want to give back to the society and Mother Nature in whatever manner I can.

What made Manish such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“If there’s one person who can navigate a high-pressure placement season with the same composure as flying a helicopter in zero visibility, it’s Manish Kohli. From his distinguished career in the Indian Army to leading PGPX placements at IIM Ahmedabad, Manish has seamlessly translated his military precision, strategic thinking, and ability to handle crises into the corporate world.

As the Recruitment Secretary (RS) for the PGPX Class of 2025, Manish didn’t just “manage” placements—he owned the entire process, ensuring that every student had the best shot at securing the right opportunity. He combined ruthless efficiency with genuine empathy, working tirelessly to expand recruiter relationships, unlock roles, and align student aspirations with industry needs. Even in a fiercely competitive hiring landscape, he found a way to make things work.

What truly sets Manish apart is his ability to command trust and respect effortlessly. Whether it was negotiating with recruiters, calming down anxious batchmates, or handling last-minute curveballs, he was always there. His calm demeanour, sharp negotiation skills, and infectious confidence made him the go-to person for both students and corporate partners.

Beyond the spreadsheets, emails, and late-night calls, Manish has been a pillar of support, a strategic mastermind, and, let’s be honest, the reason many students are now sitting comfortably in their dream jobs. If you’re looking for someone who can lead with integrity, execute with precision, and maybe even land a helicopter in your office parking lot (not recommended, but possible), Manish is your guy.”

Prof. Viswanath Pingali
Chairperson Placements and Professor of Economics at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA)

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