Suryank Gupta

Indian School of Business

Hometown: Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh

Fun Fact About Yourself: I once dreamt of representing India in Taekwondo, a sport that taught me resilience and discipline early on. Over time, my curiosity has become my biggest strength—I enjoy learning something new every day and connecting with people from different walks of life. 

Undergraduate School and Major: IIT Delhi (B.Tech -Mechanical Engineering); Young India Fellowship, Ashoka University (PGD in Liberal Arts)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Ministry of Railways, Govt. Of India; Assistant Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Indian Railways Service of Mechanical Engineers)

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Indian School of Business’ PGP programming that led you to choose this school and why was it so important to you? One of the most compelling reasons I chose ISB was the strength and diversity of its alumni network. With accomplished leaders spread across industries and geographies, the alumni community offers far more than professional connections—it is a source of mentorship, perspective, and inspiration. From structured guidance to informal conversations about career pivots, I’ve already benefited from their openness and willingness to share.

Equally impactful has been the opportunity to learn from ISB’s distinguished faculty. The professors here bring not only deep expertise in the fundamentals of business but also invaluable insights into leadership and life. These interactions have helped me connect classroom learning with broader personal growth. Together, this unique combination of alumni and faculty creates a powerful ecosystem—one that equips ambitious professionals like me with knowledge, guidance, and the confidence to take on complex challenges and create lasting impact.

What has been your favorite course or extracurricular activity at the Indian School of Business? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? My favorite course at ISB has been Leading Self and Teams (LSAT), and the highlight for me was the change management simulation. Having worked at leadership positions in Indian Railways, I knew firsthand how challenging it was to drive transformation in a large, complex organisation. The simulation in the course was eye-opening—it offered a structured lens to understand how change unfolds, the resistance it generates, and the levers leaders can use to influence outcomes. One of the most striking insights for me was the critical role of brokers—individuals who bridge across groups and networks—and how essential it is to drive change bottom-up by onboarding the right stakeholders through different approaches.

The most valuable lessons emerged when I reflected on my own experiences through the concepts discussed in class and in enriching conversations with the professor. Looking back at my wins and failures in the Railways with this new perspective, I could clearly see why some initiatives succeeded while others fell short. That ability to reinterpret past experiences with fresh insight has been invaluable, and it is something I will carry forward as I continue to grow as a leader.

What makes Hyderabad/Mohali such as great place to earn your PGP? Mohali is an excellent setting for the PGP because it offers the best of both focus and access. The campus provides a serene and close-knit environment that allows students to fully immerse themselves in academics and peer learning, while its proximity to Delhi ensures strong corporate exposure and career opportunities. Beyond academics, Mohali’s surroundings—whether it’s Sukhna Lake, the Shivalik Hills, or Chandigarh’s thoughtfully planned cityscape—create a refreshing backdrop for reflection, balance, and personal growth. This unique blend of calm and connectivity makes Mohali an ideal place to pursue the PGP.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: The biggest accomplishment in my career so far has been transforming the Wagon Maintenance Workshop in Vijayawada into a model unit for Indian Railways. When I took charge, the workshop was weighed down by outdated processes, low morale, and resistance to change—all in a culturally and linguistically unfamiliar environment for me.

I began by introducing simple process improvements, like reorganising work schedules, which quickly improved efficiency and gave people confidence that change was possible. Building on this momentum, I worked with a cross-functional team to digitise key operations through a customised system that gave us real-time visibility into manpower, materials, and wagon flow. Convincing staff and unions to embrace this change was a challenge, but persistent engagement and transparent communication won their trust.

The results were striking: turnaround times dropped, productivity rose, and the workshop became known as a benchmark for others. What I value most, however, was the attitudinal shift—we set up an innovation cell that empowered employees to drive 50+ grassroots improvement projects. For me, the accomplishment was not just about modernisation, but about proving that even a legacy-bound system can be transformed when technology, trust, and people’s ownership come together.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as a PGP student so far: My biggest accomplishment as a PGP student has been my work through the Experiential Learning Program with an international audit and professional advisory services firm. I had the opportunity to help set up and institutionalise the firm’s first knowledge management system in India. By designing the framework and piloting it with four critical teams, we built a system that reduced duplication of knowledge creation while streamlining access and retrieval in an organisation whose core business is knowledge. For me, the accomplishment was not just about the measurable impact, but also about applying classroom learning to a real-world challenge and creating a solution that will continue to add value beyond the project.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? My class’s favorite hangout away from school is Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh. It’s a peaceful spot that gives us a break from the fast-paced life on campus. We often gather there to unwind—whether it’s taking a stroll along the lake, enjoying the view of the Shivalik hills, or just sitting together to catch up outside of an academic setting. The calm atmosphere makes it a perfect place to relax, recharge, and bond as a class.

What do you hope to do after graduation? I wanted to pursue business education at ISB because I wanted to learn more about business—the core tenets of how it operates and the fundamentals of its different aspects. Through the PGP, my first goal is to build these fundamentals in areas like strategy, finance, operations, and leadership. Once I have that foundation, I want to apply and calibrate my learning in real-world contexts.

Consulting provides the perfect platform for this. It allows me to work across industries, solve diverse and complex business problems, and sharpen my structured thinking while gaining broad exposure. That’s why, after graduation, I hope to pursue a career in strategy consulting.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE INDIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS PGP CLASS OF 2026

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