A Berkeley Haas MBA Vows To Keep His Wartime Promise

THE TRANSITION TO B-SCHOOL

Growing up in the Bronx, Lughmani says he never pictured himself in business school, nor did he ever think it would be a possible feat for him. However, he was driven by the impact he wanted to create. While he originally wanted to get into HBS, he ended up getting accepted to Berkeley.

“Everything happens for a reason,” he says. “Berkeley doubled down on blockchain and cryptocurrency years ago, and they were so far ahead of the game. That was the big draw for me. This is going to be my way of helping change the world.”

With the strong collaboration between the different disciplines and communities at Berkeley, such as the electrical engineering and computer science students, he’s eager to learn from others and gain a better understanding of how he can leverage these technologies for good.

THE POWER OF BEING IN THE ‘IN-BETWEEN SPACES’

Since being so heavily involved in the Afghanistan evacuations, Lughmani was honored by the Pat Tillman Foundation for his work. As one of 60 Tillman Scholars, he, along with Kate Hoit and Rick Schumacher, accepted the “Make Your Mark” award on behalf of the Digital Dunkirk organizers.

In his acceptance speech, Lughmani spoke about cultivating hope and the willingness to be in the ‘in-between spaces.’ “These spaces are matters of the heart; it’s where we develop compassion, empathy, and kindness for one another,” he says.

“We can’t look at this as a black and white issue, where the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan and people were left behind,” he continues. “That’s the grey space — the in-between space — where we simply must do what is right, regardless of the outcomes.”

THE FUTURE OF AFGHANISTAN

Lughmani says he will never forget the fall of Kabul. “Kabul is one of the most fascinating places in the world,” he says. “Newly built skyscrapers and blue-domed mosques adorn the city skyline with fading mountains in the background. It’s a city of poets and artistry, and remnants of over forty years of war are abundant.”

He says while no one can predict exactly what the future holds for Afghanistan, the first task is to get through the winter and take action on the humanitarian crisis that’s underway, as over half of the population may go hungry.

While Lughmani feels dismayed by the unwillingness of the government to accelerate the evacuation of Afghans, he says he continually comes back to a saying he heard by an Afghan commentator: “The spirit of America does not lie in its government, rather it lies in its lionhearted people.”

“Afghanistan faces an uncertain future,” Lughmani says. “I just pray that one day, it will be at peace.”

To make a donation to help Afghans in need, visit the GoFundMe page, From Heart to Hand: Feeding Afghans

DON’T MISS ‘I LOST SEVERAL FRIENDS’: MBA VETERANS REFLECT ON THE END OF WAR IN AFGHANISTAN and ‘THRIVING IN A COMPLEX WORLD’: GEORGETOWN’S NEW INITIATIVE & THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION