Indu Khemchandani

Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester

“Entrepreneur bridging business and technology through structured thinking, execution, and practical problem-solving.”

Hometown: Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India

Fun fact about yourself: From physiotherapy to tech founder wasn’t planned, but it became my most defining journey.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Founder and Director, Uplatz (EdTech company)

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? Independent Strategic Project at Uplatz (Manchester, UK/Remote)

During the summer period, I undertook a three-month independent strategic project within my existing business to apply MBA learning in a real-world context. I assessed core strengths and conducted market research to identify expansion opportunities in the AI space.

Having completed two out of three consulting projects during the MBA by that stage, I applied structured problem-solving approaches to analyse competitive positioning, identify product opportunities, and evaluate future growth directions in a live business environment.

Where will you be working after graduation? Founder & Director, Uplatz (EdTech & AI Platform)

I will continue building and scaling Uplatz while expanding into AI-driven products and consulting solutions. My focus is on developing practical, scalable applications of AI and enabling organisations to adopt these technologies effectively.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Represented Alliance Manchester Business School at the HEC Paris Flash Fashion Ideathon where our cross-institutional team won first place, demonstrating leadership and collaboration in a high-pressure setting.

Beyond the classroom, I took the initiative to organise informal women-only meet-ups. Here, I created a comfortable space for open conversations and peer support and currently mentor a first-year MBA candidate on career direction, problem solving, and adapting to the programme.

Drawing on my experience as a founder, I also supported budding entrepreneurs within the cohort, helping them think through ideas and navigate challenges.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? One of the achievements I am most proud of during my MBA was being shortlisted among the top four finalists in the Healthcare category at the Venture Further Awards, hosted by the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, the central hub for enterprise and entrepreneurship at The University of Manchester.

I have been working on a diabetes management solution. This competition felt very similar to an equity-free seed funding round, where I had to present the idea to a panel of senior leaders, industry experts, and members of the university’s leadership competing for a share of a £100,000 prize fund. The level of questioning pushed me to clearly articulate the problem, justify the solution, and demonstrate its practical and commercial viability.

It challenged me to move beyond having an idea and think more rigorously about structure, assumptions, and execution. I had to refine how I communicated the value of the solution and respond confidently to critical feedback. I am particularly grateful for the feedback I received, which encouraged me to build a prototype and take the idea further.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? It was building Uplatz into a global technology learning platform with over 300 courses, reaching 1.5 million learners across more than 50 countries is the achievement I am most proud of, and one I genuinely did not see coming when I started.

What makes it meaningful is not just the scale, but what it took to get there. I came from physiotherapy with no technical background. Moving into an entirely different field and then building something that helps others do the same was not straightforward. It required learning on the go, adapting constantly, and pushing through a lot of uncertainty.

At its core, Uplatz was built around a simple idea. People from any background should be able to access the skills they need to grow in their careers. That has stayed the same through every stage of building it.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Alliance Manchester Business School because of its emphasis on applied learning, and specifically the opportunity to work on live consultancy projects.

I was looking for more than theoretical knowledge. I wanted to develop a more structured and rigorous way of thinking, making decisions, and approaching problems that I could use.

The three live consultancy projects made that possible. Working on real business problems and applying what I was learning in the classroom at the same time made the experience far more meaningful. That combination of solid learning and real application is what made this the right choice for me.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I had the opportunity to learn from several excellent professors during the MBA, each bringing a unique perspective and teaching style. However, if I had to choose one, Reza Salehnejad stood out for me.

His teaching in Strategy and Competition was particularly impactful because of the depth he brought to each topic, combining theory with case studies and data to make the learning highly relevant and practical. He created a very interactive classroom environment and consistently encouraged participation, ensuring that everyone was engaged in the discussion.

I also appreciated how he connected traditional strategy concepts with emerging areas such as leadership in the age of AI making the sessions both current and forward-looking. His energy and enthusiasm made the learning experience intellectually stimulating and memorable.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Strategy and Competition was my favorite course during the MBA.

What made it particularly valuable was how it brought together different aspects of business from launching and scaling to pricing, competition, and long-term sustainability into a structured way of thinking. It also introduced me to areas such as intellectual property, team dynamics, and the broader competitive landscape, supported by practical tools and frameworks that could be applied in real situations.

From a personal perspective, the course helped me better understand and organise my approach to business decisions. It provided clarity on how to connect different elements of a business and approach them more systematically. I now find myself applying these frameworks when thinking about strategy, growth, and long-term direction in any business situation.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? One of the most memorable experiences for me was being at MBAT. Held at HEC Paris, it is a three-day event that brings together MBA candidates from top business schools across the world into a single shared experience, combining sports, team activities, competitions, and social interaction.

What stood out was how naturally connections were built, whether through sports, shared activities, or informal conversations. Being part of such a large and diverse group made it easy to interact with people from different backgrounds and experiences in a very open and approachable way.

For me, the biggest takeaway was the importance of building relationships beyond structured settings. The scale of the event, with over 1,500 participants, made it clear how valuable these connections can be – not just for networking, but for exchanging ideas and learning from others.

I appreciate Alliance Manchester Business School being a participating school in this event, as it reflects its strong focus on community and global engagement. It showed that the MBA is not just about academic or professional development, but also about the network and relationships you build along the way.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? One thing I would do differently is engage earlier with the broader research community at the University of Manchester.

Towards the later part of the programme, I began connecting with PhD researchers and realised the depth of knowledge and potential for collaboration that exists within the university. These interactions opened new ways of thinking about applying research to real-world problems, particularly in areas aligned with my interests, and I wished I had explored this sooner.

That said, I have not let it stop there. I am continuing those conversations beyond the MBA and actively exploring how these connections can translate into real collaborative work.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? What I loved most about Manchester was the energy it carries as a city. It is diverse, fast-moving, and genuinely welcoming which made it easy to feel at home from early on.

What stood out for me personally was the growing startup and tech ecosystem. There were frequent events and opportunities to connect with professionals across different industries which made it possible to extend learning well beyond the classroom and stay close to what was happening in the real business world.

But Manchester is also just a great city to live in. The mix of cultures, music, food, and events happening throughout the year gives it a character that is hard to find elsewhere. And yes, football is everywhere, but even for someone who does not follow it closely, the atmosphere it creates adds to the city’s unique energy.

It is a city that combines real opportunity with a rich everyday life, and that balance made the MBA experience more enjoyable.

What business leader do you admire most? One business leader I admire is Richard Branson. It is not just for what he has built, but for how he has remained relevant across different industries over time while keeping a strong focus on people and experience.

What I find particularly interesting is his willingness to step outside his original space and take bold decisions. Starting with Virgin Records and then moving into aviation with Virgin Atlantic shows a very different kind of thinking. Even the way he tested demand by selling tickets before fully committing reflects a practical and confident approach to risk.

I also appreciate how he has been open about failures and continues to build despite them. Beyond business, his involvement in philanthropic initiatives and his support for entrepreneurs show a broader sense of purpose, which I value.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI?
AI was integrated into the programme through both strategic learning and practical exposure. An AI masterclass helped me understand how different industries are adopting AI and what future business leaders should focus on. This was further supported in the Strategy and Competition course, where we discussed leadership in the age of AI and its impact on decision-making.

On the practical side, one of the electives focused on agentic AI and its real-world applications. I also attended a workshop organised by Google using Google AI Studio, where we built AI agents, which gave me hands-on experience of how these systems work.

What I found most valuable was using AI to support my thinking rather than replace it. It helped me structure ideas and explore different perspectives, but the key insight was that AI works best as a complement to human judgment. Outputs need to be validated and knowing when to use it and when to question it is what makes it truly effective.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? One MBA classmate I respect is Antonio Piazza.

I worked with him on a consulting project, where I saw his work ethic and discipline first-hand. He consistently brought strong ideas to the table, was willing to deep-dive into problems, and openly shared his knowledge and experience with the team.

What stood out to me was how he managed multiple commitments at the same time. Alongside academics and sports, he was actively involved in organising sports-related activities within the MBA cohort and was someone people could rely on.

From working with him, I learned the importance of being consistent, dependable, and willing to contribute beyond your immediate responsibilities.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?
One of the top items on my professional bucket list is to diversify my current business. This was one of my primary motivations for pursuing the MBA, and through the knowledge and skills gained during the programme, I now have much greater clarity on how to approach this. It has become a key priority for me to expand into new areas and build additional solutions that can scale effectively, growing Uplatz into a broader technology and learning platform.

The second is to work closely with businesses to help them adopt and apply emerging technologies, particularly AI, in a structured and outcome-focused way. I am especially interested in making these technologies more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises, not just large corporates, and ensuring they are used to solve real problems and create measurable value.

What made Indu such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“What has made Indu an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026 is the scale of impact she has achieved whilst fully engaging in the MBA experience.

As the founder of an EdTech venture that has reached over 1.5 million learners globally, Indu entered the programme with a clear sense of purpose – to apply MBA learning to her existing ventures, expand access to technology education and empower individuals to succeed. She applied MBA learning directly to grow her business ventures, whilst continuing to contribute to the MBA community.

And her entrepreneurial achievements extend beyond EdTech. Indu was named a finalist in the Healthcare category at the Venture Further Awards 2025, hosted by the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, for her AI-powered diabetes management platform, DiabetesCareAI. This recognition highlights her commitment to applying technology to meaningful, real-world challenges.

Indu has also made a strong contribution to the wider MBA community. At MBAT 2025 (hosted by HEC Paris), she was part of the winning team in the Flash Fashion Ideathon, securing first place with an innovative, sustainability-focused concept. Indu enriched her experience (and that of others) by attending the Dubai Study Tour, creating supportive peer networks (including female-only) and she continues to play a key role in supporting others through a Buddy Scheme, mentoring incoming candidates in the Class of 2027.

Indu is an excellent ambassador for the MBA programme. She combines entrepreneurial drive with a collaborative and supportive mindset, consistently encouraging others whilst pursuing ambitious goals of her own. Her ability to translate ideas into impactful ventures, while contributing meaningfully to the cohort experience, distinguishes her as a truly outstanding member of the Class of 2026.”

Michelle Morrison
MBA Assistant Director (Interim)

DON’T MISS: THE 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST MBAS: 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.