Paaras Bansal

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta

“Adventure-loving and detail-driven explorer with a boundless curiosity for the world around me.”

Hometown: Karnal, Haryana

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have been a well-recognized Geography buff among friends and family since my early school days, thriving on reading Atlases, navigating national and international maps, and idolizing Lonely Planet/Globe Trekker hosts such as Ian Wright, Justine Shapiro, and Megan McCormick.

Undergraduate School and Major: BTech. In Mechanical Engineering from DCRUST, Murthal

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Income Tax Department–Inspector of Income Tax

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of IIM Calcutta’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? As India’s pioneering business school and a member of the esteemed ‘Holy Trinity’ of IIMs, I had been hearing a lot about the rich learning experiences alums had from being taught by some of the country’s finest professors across interesting disciplines. Their transformative journeys have been truly inspirational. Apart from this, I was also impressed with the unmatched networking opportunities IIM Calcutta’s illustrious and industrious alumni base would provide.

What has been your favorite course or extracurricular activity at IIM Calcutta? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? My favorite course at IIM Calcutta has been Macroeconomics by Dr. Parthapratim Pal. The most important lesson from Sir’s classes has been that the macroeconomic policies of a nation such as India, when thought-out and implemented well, have an immense potential to bring about very tangible and perceptible positive impact in the overall lives of its citizens.

What has been the best part of studying business in Kolkata? To me, IIM Calcutta’s Seven Lakes campus lies at the intersection of academic rigor and natural serenity. The intensity of the MBA curriculum is wonderfully balanced by daily sightings of Monty (the famed monitor lizard), along with the campus’s adorable dogs, cats, and exotic birds.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Securing an All-India Rank of 297 and 99.98 percentile in the fiercely competitive Combined Graduate Level Examination, 2013 leading to my selection as an Inspector of Income Tax.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Coming from a government organization where Hindi is the predominant medium of verbal communication, I have overcome stage phobia and witnessed a marked improvement in my public speaking and presentation skills in English. This has been my biggest accomplishment as an MBAEx student so far.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? The Management Development Centre (MDC) Lounge, where my batchmates and I share cheerful moments over games of Foosball, Table Tennis, and Pool, while also hosting our illustrious alumni and celebrating birthdays with great enthusiasm.

What do you hope to do after graduation? Armed with an MBA from IIM Calcutta, I hope to further build on my vast experience in Revenue Policy implementation to contribute meaningfully to the growing field of Public Policy Consulting. Within this domain, I would love to take up projects that enhance education of underprivileged children, promote widespread adoption of renewable energy systems, and improve regional air connectivity for people in underserved areas.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT CALCUTTA MBAEX CLASS OF 2026

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.