Ramesh Prasad

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta

“An inquisitive lifelong learner–passionate about helping teammates succeed in their endeavors; A husband, father, former Indian Army officer, now on a transformative journey at IIM Calcutta.”

Hometown: Nalanda, Bihar

Fun Fact About Yourself: I love to explore the pristine nature. It drives to wake up early every morning, and run through the nearby scenic spots. Besides, as an avid mountain trekker, I enjoy climbing and jogging down the slopes.

Undergraduate School and Major: B Tech – Telecommunications & IT Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Colonel in the Indian Army

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? Standing tall as India’s finest business school, IIM Calcutta has, over the last six decades, charted an envious path to excellence. The institute’s legacy, accomplished faculty, salubrious climate, and alumni network motivated me to apply to the MBAEx program. With a significant emphasis on case-based pedagogy to drive home the lessons, the program provides me with an ideal precursor to pivot from the military arena to the corporate world. Its emphasis on bringing the entire classroom learning to practice through an innovative ‘Live Project Module’, serving as a hallmark for other Institutes to emulate, needs a specific mention. Possessing a significant experience of serving in the Indian Army, I chose the 1-year MBA over the traditional 2-year MBA, thus also providing myself an opportunity to learn from an experienced cohort.

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? The campus of IIM Calcutta symbolises pristine natural beauty, as it is home to seven lakes within its premises. Beyond the rigorous academic schedule, I enjoy daily morning runs along the boundary wall, simultaneously enjoying the diverse flora and fauna. Simultaneously, it also provides me quality time to engage in self-reflection as well as bird-watching. It has cultivated within me an exploratory outlook and respect for the diversity – indeed an integral part of our nature.

What has been the best part of studying business in Kolkata? The multicultural environment at Kolkata (formerly called ‘Calcutta’) has embraced the likes of Swami Vivekananda and five Nobel Laureates Rabindranath Tagore, C.V. Raman, Mother Teresa, Amartya Sen, and Abhijit Banerjee. The location enhances my cultural competence immensely, as I view that a cultural understanding of the stakeholders is a deep ‘enabler’ for effective collaboration amongst diverse teams as existing in the present-day global markets. Simultaneously, the easy accessibility of IIM Calcutta’s campus to the metropolitan city provides the Institute an integral connection to Industry as well as several prominent business leaders, who are frequently invited as guest speakers, thus providing us the desired industry outlook.

Describe the key accomplishments in your career so far: During my career in the Indian Army and through several deployments in difficult and challenging scenarios, I had the opportunity to specialize in a field where human relationships are a priority. I had the privilege of working with extraordinary individuals, each of whom helped me grow in their own way. I also feel deeply indebted to the Gorkha soldiers who served alongside me and taught me the perseverance needed to weather the complexities of the dynamic environment and to respond effectively through a structured response matrix. Beyond the operational results, I deeply value the quality relationships I have been able to build over the past years in uniform.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Through the multiple events besides the regular classes at the IIM Calcutta, I have had opportunities to connect and learn from my peers belonging to different cultural and professional backgrounds that are so distant from my experiences in the military. In regards to the curriculum, the impactful operations research, finance, organizational behavior, and public speaking lessons have strengthened me to develop necessary skills to engage with, analyze, and thereafter solve business problems. I wish to make a specific mention of the innovative exercise, aptly titled ‘Startup Garage’, which deeply tested the entrepreneurship skills, as I along with my team members developed a Renewable Energy-focused innovative idea and planned its implementation framework.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? After our daily classes, the cohort frequently gathers at the living accommodation’s lounge premises to engage in indoor games, and casual interactions. The free-flowing atmosphere during such gatherings and celebrations like festivals and birthdays bring us together and strengthen the cultural bonding. Such interactions fuel an increased appreciation of each other’s diverse perspectives as well as serve to deepen the camaraderie within our cohort.

What do you hope to do after graduation? Post-MBA, I aim to leverage my work experience along with the business acumen fostered at the IIM Calcutta to build a career in strategy consulting. I plan to combine analytical rigor with strategic thinking to help businesses grow, transform, and create long-term value for all its stakeholders. I feel especially drawn to roles that are positioned at the intersection of operations and mass impact, since they shall provide opportunities to leverage my cross-cultural perspective, innovative problem-solving skills, change management strategies, and disciplined work ethic in order to transform livelihoods amidst the dynamic and uncertain global environment.

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

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