Elsa Paul

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

“High on energy, rich in perspective, grounded in the present, and always joyful.”

Hometown: Ernakulam, Kerala

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve explored India from the heights of Khardung La, Ladakh, to the depths of the Andaman Sea through scuba diving.

Undergraduate School and Major: NIT Calicut, Mechanical Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: CNH, Vehicle Design Integrator

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of IIM Bangalore’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? What drew me most to IIM Bangalore was the quality of its faculty and the classroom learning experience. For me, the classroom is my favourite mode of learning, and the professors have consistently exceeded my expectations. Their depth of knowledge, combined with their ability to explain complex business concepts in an engaging and relatable way, makes every class feel like an eye-opener.

What I value most is their emphasis on practical application. Rather than teaching concepts in isolation, they connect them to real business situations through case studies, simulations, business games, debates, thought-provoking videos, and interactive discussions. This not only makes learning enjoyable but also helps me understand, retain, and apply the concepts beyond the classroom.

What has been your favourite course or extracurricular activity at IIM Bangalore? What has been the most important lesson that you have learned from it? My favourite extracurricular activity at IIM Bangalore has been the Toastmasters Club. It has taught me how to make even complex or seemingly mundane topics engaging through storytelling, vocal variety, and effective body language. I realized that great communication is not just about what you say, but how you connect with your audience.

An added benefit has been the opportunity to network with IIM Bangalore alumni from diverse industries, gaining valuable insights into leadership and career growth. The biggest lesson I have learned is that even the best ideas create impact only when they are communicated clearly and compellingly.

What makes Bengaluru such as great place to earn your MBA? Bengaluru is the perfect city to complement an MBA experience. As India’s startup and technology hub, it offers unparalleled access to industry leaders, entrepreneurs, global companies, and countless networking opportunities, bringing classroom learning to life.

On a personal note, many of my friends and cousins live in Bengaluru, so I get to spend quality time with them beyond academics. The city’s pleasant weather, lush greenery, and clean air make it easy to step out at any time of the day. It has the charm of a tourist destination while offering the opportunities of a thriving business hub, making it an ideal place to learn, grow, and create lasting memories.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of my biggest career accomplishments has been becoming the first woman inventor at CNH. More than that, I was the sole inventor to file a patent for an innovation that improves fuel storage efficiency in alternate-fuel tractors. The idea addressed a critical engineering challenge while contributing to more sustainable mobility solutions, reinforcing my passion for developing innovations with real-world impact.

This achievement was built on over eight years of experience in product design and development across Honda, Hero MotoCorp, and CNH. It also contributed to my accelerated career growth, culminating in a double promotion within two years and making me one of the youngest professionals to reach the Professional grade, a milestone that typically takes around ten years to achieve.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: My biggest accomplishment at IIM Bangalore has been learning to connect the dots of how businesses create value. Coming from an engineering background, I gained a holistic understanding of how economic forces shape the business environment, and how strategy, competition, finance, organizational design, and culture work together to drive business outcomes. I also learned to make decisions backed by data and analytics rather than intuition alone.

Most importantly, live consulting projects reinforced that the essence of every successful business is creating value for customers by solving real problems. This shift in mindset, from designing products to understanding the broader business ecosystem and the customer at its center, has been my most valuable takeaway from the MBA.

What is your class’s favorite hangout away from school? Why do you gather there? Our class’s favorite hangout away from campus has to be Chai Scene, where countless chai pe charcha sessions unfold. It’s more than just a tea spot. We gather there to unwind, reflect on our experiences, exchange ideas, and discuss our future aspirations and how to achieve them. Some of our best conversations and strongest friendships have been built over a cup of chai.

On a personal note, I live off campus with my family. After the intensity of MBA life, the highlight of my day is going home to my 10-month-old. No matter how demanding the day has been, spending time with my baby is the perfect way to recharge and reminds me of what truly matters.

What do you hope to do after graduation? After graduation, I hope to build my career in consulting, helping organizations solve complex business challenges. I want to leverage my unique combination of engineering and business expertise, along with my analytical mindset and broad perspective, to develop practical, data-driven solutions that create lasting value for clients.

What excites me most about consulting is the opportunity to work across diverse industries and tackle problems from multiple angles. I aspire to help organizations navigate today’s volatile and uncertain business environment by delivering holistic strategies that balance customer needs, operational realities, and long-term business goals.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into IIM Bangalore? Prepare well, but don’t let the process overwhelm you. Most importantly, be authentic and stay true to yourself. In an era where AI can help craft polished responses, IIM Bangalore values the human intelligence, curiosity, and authenticity behind them.

Be well-informed about current affairs and developments in your industry. Go beyond understanding what is happening, try to understand why it is happening and how it impacts the broader business landscape. If you can connect the dots across technology, business, and customer value, you’ll be able to have meaningful conversations and present your unique perspective with confidence.

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