Abhishek Batra

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

“I chased smugglers, grilled CXOs and championed forgotten kids and animals. Call me a storyteller.”

Hometown: Kashipur, Uttarakhand

Fun Fact About Yourself: My professional journey is as diverse as it gets, I’ve been an IT professional, a school teacher, a businessman, a social worker, a law enforcement officer and a chief of staff. Confusion has been the only constant. Naturally, I now want to be a corporate leader.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Delhi, B.Sc. (Hons.) Computer Science and Mathematics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:

1. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence | Intelligence Officer (Commercial Frauds and Narcotics)
2. Khwaahish, Co-founder and Vice President

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of IIM Ahmedabad’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The Maverick Fellowship by IIMA-Ventures. It’s crucial for me because it provides a structured ecosystem for the entrepreneurial spirit I’ve pursued throughout my career. From co-founding my NGO, driving the migration to paperless offices and purely online appraisals across GST offices of Northeast India, I have consistently sought to build something new from scratch. The fellowship offers the mentorship and support to transform my next ground-breaking idea into a scalable venture, all within the red bricks of IIMA.

What has been your favorite course or extracurricular activity at IIM Ahmedabad? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? It was campaigning for and winning an Executive Council seat in the IIMA Student Council. And then leading the Social Impact Committee in a CXO-style fashion, complete with coordinators, cell heads and volunteers who show up every day – and also every time there is an animal or welfare emergency. Shoutout to all the teammates of Social Impact Committee!!

Key Lesson: True leadership isn’t about micromanaging, it’s about curating the right team, trusting their expertise, and empowering them to own their roles. By honouring their time and intelligence, I’ve learned that delegation doesn’t dilute impact, it multiplies it.

What makes Ahmedabad such a great place to earn an MBA? Ahmedabad is a fantastic city for an MBA because it offers the perfect mix of top-tier education and real-world experience. You are in a city buzzing with business, from historic industries to a growing startup scene. You can also witness the future of finance taking shape at nearby GIFT City. On top of all that, the city’s amazing culture, food and heritage make it a truly great place to live. It’s a complete ecosystem for growth.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Beyond the cases I cracked, contraband I seized, and animals I rescued, one deeply human achievement stands out. As assistant to the Chief Commissioner, I received an appeal from a constable who’d been dismissed for allegedly aiding the theft of seized Red Sandalwood worth $200,000. Upon reviewing the departmental investigation, I identified significant procedural flaws and realized that he was being “presumed guilty”, even by the police. Recognizing that his dismissal was nothing less than a “professional death sentence” for both him and his family, I dug into the facts, built a legally- and logically-sound case for his exoneration, and drafted a reinstatement proposal that was ultimately approved. As I see the constable proudly donning his uniform to work, it feels surreal to be empowering him fight the system within the system.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Un-wearing the hat of a regulator. It was in the Firms and Market course taught by Prof Vishwanath Pingali that I was forced to step away from seeing business purely through the lens of regulation or non-compliance.

The professor, especially in my answers pointed that I must see “why” businesses need a room to make profits and justify their prices owing to their R&D costs — and that the aggressive efforts that they have put into the product should earn them some premium. My biggest accomplishment therefore is learning to balance social welfare with shareholder interests.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? Any café or restaurant that gives me student discount becomes my favourite hangout away from school.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

– Shawshank Redemption

I love organisations that work beyond profits and towards a goal larger than one man’s vision. My time building Khwaahish, sponsoring 200 students, rescuing 3000 strays and setting up animal shelter and a

veterinary hospital proved that real change happens when you marry “compassion with action”.

I was equally passionate about guiding the corporate with my experience in Financial Crime Investigations, regulations, and compliance so that they don’t get visitors like me on their front doors on a “Saturday morning”.

IIMA, with its amazing courses and professors, made me fall in love with HR strategy as well. I feel excited about understanding the subjective nuances of the workforce, beyond mere appraisal numbers, and use the HR tools to align them with the goals of the business. I’ve always been a field guy working with real humans and for real humans. The classes here reminded me of my stint as a Chief of Staff. I was the SPOC for 1,200+ officers—handling disciplinary matters on one extreme and appraisal and growth on the other. What an adventure it was!

At the same time, I’m perfectly comfortable not having a neatly defined map. What truly excites me is joining a mission-driven team, whether in social impact, financial-crimes advisory, or people strategy. It would be a team that keeps hope alive and sparks real change.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into IIM Ahmedabad? Reach out! Attend sessions by the professors and connect with current or past students who come from a similar profile as yours. Don’t underplay yourself just because you come from a non-traditional background. IIMA not just welcomes but celebrates diversity. I was lucky enough to even be awarded an entry scholarship. May the force be with you too.

 

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