Kanuka Mareddy

Indian School of Business

“Explored 50+ cities worldwide, always pausing to admire the design of their skylines.”

Hometown: Hyderabad, Telangana

Fun Fact About Yourself: Show me a bridge, and I’ll tell you the city it belongs to!

Undergraduate School and Major: Mahindra University, Hyderabad – Civil Engineering

Graduate School and Major: Columbia University, New York – Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: PSCC, Florida – Project Engineer, Operations

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? ISB’s focus on experiential learning made all the difference for me. The ability to work on live projects with companies, alongside structured classroom learning, ensures I graduate with both the tools and the practice of applying them. For me, this balance of theory and action was essential as I looked to transition into consulting.

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? Being part of the Student Life Council has been my highlight. From organising campus-wide celebrations for Onam and Ganesh Chaturthi to planning Bollywood Night, I learned how community building is as much about small details as it is about vision. I realised that the real magic of ISB lies in the memories created outside classrooms.

What makes Hyderabad such a great place to earn your PGP? Hyderabad is home to me, so being here makes this journey even more special. But what makes it truly great is the exposure, balancing the rootedness of being in a familiar city with the fresh perspectives brought in by classmates from across India and the world. It’s the best of both worlds.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest career accomplishment has been excelling in construction, an industry where women represent less than 2% of the workforce. Taking this non-traditional path in the US came created added challenges: overcoming cultural differences, breaking stereotypes, navigating language barriers, and proving myself in a male-dominated environment.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as a PGP student so far: Participating in my very first case competition and emerging as a campus finalist has been my biggest accomplishment at ISB so far. Beyond the recognition, it pushed me out of my comfort zone, working under pressure, and learning to think like a consultant.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? Our class’s favorite hangout is Peanuts, especially on karaoke nights. It started as an alumni suggestion and quickly became a tradition. Every Thursday, you’ll always end up bumping into ISB students there, unwinding, singing together, and turning random performances. It’s where the week’s stress dissolves into laughter and music.

What do you hope to do after graduation? After graduation, I hope to pivot into consulting to build breadth across industries and sharpen my problem-solving toolkit. In the long run, my goal is to return to my roots by starting my own construction company, combining my technical foundation, the management perspective I’m gaining through MBA, and the strategic experience from consulting to redefine how infrastructure is built and managed.

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

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