Shriram

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

“A first-generation learner whose life transformed through access to quality education.”

Hometown: Bhiwani, Haryana

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a Bollywood masala movie buff who designs and rocks my own custom t- shirts.

Undergraduate School and Major: St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi & B.Sc. (Honours) Chemistry

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: WisdomCircle & Product Manager

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of IIM Bangalore’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The International Immersion program was the deciding factor for me in choosing the IIM Bangalore’s EPGP program. Having worked primarily in domestic markets, I recognized that one of my biggest growth area was understanding how business operates across different economic and cultural contexts. International Immersion isn’t just a study tour, it’s a structured curriculum designed to broaden our understanding of economic, political, social, and cultural dynamics through a global lens. This matters to me because my long-term goal is to lead product development that creates meaningful impact at scale. Products that change millions of lives don’t succeed in isolation, they need to work across diverse markets, cultures, and economic conditions.

What has been your favorite course or extracurricular activity at IIM Bangalore? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? My favorite course has been Designing Organizations with Professor Abhay Ojha. I initially thought management was straightforward where you set targets, measure performance, and hit numbers. This course completely shifted that perspective. Professor Ojha taught us that employees and society matter as much as revenue and profits.

The biggest revelation was understanding the human side of management. We studied cases where companies failed not due to bad strategy, but because they ignored their workforce’s emotional and cultural needs. I learned that effective management requires emotional intelligence and recognizing that diverse employees bring different sensitivities and motivations.

The key lesson? Management is fundamentally about people, not just processes. You can have perfect strategy, but without connecting with your team as human beings, execution fails. This insight has already changed how I approach group projects and will shape my future leadership style.

What makes Bengaluru such as great place to earn your MBA? Bengaluru makes MBA life both survivable and inspiring in ways other cities simply can’t match.

Let’s start with the essentials: those sleepless nights and last-minute submissions demand copious amounts of coffee, and Bengaluru’s legendary filter coffee is a godsend. It’s not just fuel; it’s part of the learning experience.

But what truly sets Bengaluru apart is that innovation happens everywhere. Walk into any chai tapri, coffee shop or coworking space and you’ll find someone building the next big thing. You don’t need to fly anywhere to be at the center of it all. Where else will you find entrepreneurs solving ambulance logistics sitting next to VR gaming developers, both happy to share their insights over evening coffee?

Your MBA becomes more than coursework, it becomes real-world exposure to every kind of problem- solving happening right outside your classroom door.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: During COVID, I worked with the government of Haryana to implement the “Ghar Se Padhao” program. I created bilingual daily lessons for Grades 9-12, shared them with lead teachers, and tracked clicks, homework, and quiz data each week. Clear, weekly reports let officials fix gaps quickly and lifted quiz participation five-fold in three months. The state then rolled the model out to Grades 1-5. The work sharpened my data analysis, stakeholder-management, and remote-team skills and showed me how fast feedback can turn low uptake into real learning.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: My proudest win isn’t a resume line; it’s learning to thrive in the swirl of cases, clubs, outings, and constant FOMO. In the first few weeks I tried to attend every class, workshop and social event, but quickly realised that “always on” isn’t sustainable. Now I start each week jotting down the events ahead, asking myself do I genuinely care about. This small habit has helped me trade FOMO for focus, making the moments I do choose far richer and more meaningful.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? The campus is so beautiful that our class doesn’t like to step out of the campus. When the deadlines loosen their grip and we want to step outside, you’ll find us at Mykos or URU Brewpark. Both are close to campus, offer plenty of space to pull tables together, and serve good food that let us relax and talk. It’s an easy spot to unwind, catch up, and share ideas before the next round of assignments.

What do you hope to do after graduation? Post-MBA, I want to lead products at a mission-driven tech company where I can drive growth and innovation at scale. Long-term, I want to build and lead teams that create products with global reach and genuine societal impact. Having worked at the intersection of social impact and cutting-edge technology before my MBA, I’ve seen how technology can transform lives when it’s designed with purpose.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into IIM Bangalore? Start with clarity, understand yourself (skills and strengths) and know exactly why you want an MBA and how IIM Bangalore fits your goals. This foundation shapes everything else. Invest heavily in your Statement of Purpose. It’s your most important submission, so articulate your journey authentically, your achievements, setbacks, and what makes you unique. IIM Bangalore values diverse perspectives over cookie-cutter profiles.

Connect with a diverse group of alumni and current students early but filter their advice. Everyone’s path is different, and you need to carve your own.

Beyond strong test scores, develop deep knowledge of your industry and your role in the organisation. The interview process tests both domain expertise and broader business understanding.

Most importantly, come prepared to unlearn. IIM Bangalore thrives on peer learning, so be ready to challenge your assumptions and embrace new perspectives. Your openness to growth matters as much as your achievements.

DON’T MISS: MEET IIM BANGALORE’S EPGP CLASS OF 2026

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