Mr. Saad Beg, KIAMS alum, explains the “ins & outs” of Transfer Pricing, a field that he has made his forte

Mr. Saad Beg counts himself lucky that he found a campus placement with PriceWaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”). He admits that he received incredible support from faculty members at KIAMS, which made it possible to bag the job. They were there to guide him every step of the way, be it the interview stage or the video conference that sealed the deal for him. Mr. Beg started out as an Associate with the company in 2011 and hasn’t looked back since. He has found his strength in Transfer Pricing, a field he specializes in.

Talking about his current job profile, which has him based in the PwC office in Gurgaon, Mr. Beg says, “I work as a Transpricing consultant. The transfer pricing domain has gained impetus in the recent past especially due to globalisation of the Indian economy. A plethora of new companies are investing in India while several Indian companies are investing in subsidiaries abroad. At times like these the companies are required to price the inter group transactions, which is when transfer pricing as a domain gains importance.

He further goes on to add “The tax authorities of each of the countries want to ensure that there is no base erosion of the profits and that the appropriate income is being offered to tax. Considering the same, the transfer pricing regulations have been formulated. Our job as a transfer pricing consultant is to help the multinational groups to determine the arm’s length price (a price which would be charged between two independent companies which do not have any common control).”

There is definitely a lot to learn about  Transfer pricing market, and Mr. Beg doesn’t disappoint in his talk about the key aspects of his department: “There are three aspects involved: an annual compliance report that is a mandatory requirement prescribed under the Indian Income Tax Act, 1961;  Second, the assessment proceedings and the subsequent litigation that arises when the arm’s length price has to be justified before the revenue authorities; and  lastly, but the most important are the planning projects, wherein we helps the company in structuring a transaction, determine the billing models, setting up a pricing mechanism, etc.”

Over the years, Mr. Beg has worked with some top tier companies like Religare, Bain & Company, , Ranbaxy, Pepsi, etc. He worked in an industry that was vital to the transition phase of the Indian economy, and he has now seen the Indian economy come into its own on the global stage. But how will FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) affect the price regulation? He ponders the question before offering insight: “With the new Government, there are expectations and incentives for the manufacturing business, especially with FDI coming in and  we are hoping that there will be a growth in the market and economy.”

Price Transfer seems like a niche field, but Mr. Beg was drawn to it and has made it his own. For students who are interested in a career in the field, he has some valuable inputs. “It is an interesting profile; if you are looking for a consulting profile, then you get a feel for that” he says. “Transfer pricing might start out being about taxes, but it goes much beyond that and covers various aspects of business. It was earlier perceived that the job can be done by a CA, but that notion is changing globally and in India as well. There is a lot of scope.”

Mr. Beg has managed to win recognition for his work with the company. He was promoted within a year of joining PwC And, when asked what the companies  look for when recruiting, he says, “In addition to the academia, people who are dedicated to what they do and take responsibility for their work. .Candidates should have a ‘problem should have a problem solving attitude as it will take you far in your profession.”

These are some of the things he himself learned at KIAMS where he took on responsibilities like the role of Hospitality Representative. Mr. Beg not only turned things around for the department but for himself in the long run too. He says that he will always be appreciative of his education at the institute. In a concluding remark, he advises that all students and professionals should “Respect others and their opinions even when they differ from yours. You can’t make it an ego issue, instead, you have to come together and resolve it. That will not only help you get peace of mind, but it will also help you grow.”

Mr. Raj Vijayan talks about a career in Operations, urging students to focus on learning in the workplace rather than focusing on a placement with an established brand name.

Mr. Raj Vijayan is a KIAMS alum who, after dabbling in different fields for a time, eventually found his calling in Operations. He first gained exposure to the corporate world during his days at the institute through a three-month internship with Satyam Computers. He then earned a campus placement with Odessa Technologies, which, he admits, worked well for him. Reflecting on this experience, he says, “I had an engineering background, so I was looking for an opportunity where I could use both my degrees and deliver.”

Since his first job, Mr. Vijayan has built a strong portfolio for himself and today works as the Manager of Supply Chain Integrations at Flipkart. He had chosen Operations and Marketing for his PGDM and now is happy that he can follow his passion to the hilt with a big name company. “For me it wasn’t a market-driven decision to choose the subject at KIAMS; I have genuinely been interested in it, always,” he explains. “Operations management can be used across different functions of the organization and I was inspired by the scope it offers.”

Mr. Vijayan has good news for aspiring students. He believes that with several foreign companies setting up their base in India along with the expansion of Indian corporates, there will be a growing need for professionals who can manage the operations. He himself has worked with top brands like Lenovo and Adidas; however, he admits that being associated with Flipkart is the most exciting. “What makes it different is that I work for an end to end supply chain,” he says. “My role is to see technology and automation projects happening across Flipkart’s supply chain.. It has been a thrilling experience so far.”

Working with a brand like Flipkart offers Mr. Vijayan plenty of opportunities to learn, and as a manager he has to adapt with the changes the business demands. He admits that at the rate at which the industry is growing, they have to continually improve from  process and technology perspectives. It is hard work and, at times, fast-paced; but, he continues to look forward. This is clearly seen in the mantra that the successful manager follows: “My focus is on learning new things and being open to new technologies. I want to contribute in achieving Flipkart’s goals and be part of India’s e-commerce story.

In spite of his prolific CV, Mr. Vijayan is keen on learning every single day at work. And that’s what his advice is for young students who tend to focus on big brands, especially in the first phase of their careers. “At least in the first few years you need to focus on learning and adapting to the corporate environment, “ he advises. “If you have that opportunity with an organization, that should be good enough. Once you have that understanding, you can go for whichever brand you want to work with.”

Mr. Vijayan also recommends that management aspirants should find out more about the career they want, from the challenges to the responsibilities, before taking the plunge. “If you think that a particular field will give you enough opportunities that you will enjoy, be responsible and accountable; then go for it. Always follow your instincts,” he encourages. He agrees that student perspective  should be different, they should pay  more attention to the career opportunity; rather than too much of a focus on the brand name.

Looking back on his time at KIAMS, Mr. Vijayan has many fond memories. He remembers the moments shared with his batch mates, which is one reason why he feels a deep bond with the institute. He visits the campus twice a year and interacts with the faculty and students. Ask him about his biggest learning at the institute, and he quickly replies, “The importance of teamwork. We learned how to work together as a team and towards a common goal. That learning will always be with me for the rest of my career.”

Mr. Rajkumar, KIAMS alum, speaks about his impressive career in Banking and gives a lowdown on the industry

Mr. Rajkumar Vijayakumar, KIAMS alum from Batch 2006, has built a strong career in the banking industry over the past eight years. He got his campus placement with the prestigious ING Vysya Bank.. Having worked over a substantial period as the relationship manager for the bank in Kerala, Mr. Rajkumar felt all set in taking his career to a new direction.  That’s the reason he moved on to Dhanlaxmi Bank, and after a successful stint there, joined AXIS Bank in November 2011. He has consistently climbed up the ladder in the tricky banking sector, which in itself speaks a lot for his efforts and determination.

Today, Mr. Rajkumar works for the third largest bank in the country and handles the portfolio in Kerala SME proposals.  After being in the banking industry for many years, what is it about his job that he enjoys the most? “I am mostly involved in the examination for sanctioning loans based on collateral security,” he tells us. “This work is very different from finance in the corporate world. But, there is a lot of thought involved in maintaining the right balance and achieving the right parameters. Your practical experience comes into play, and most of the loans we have offered haven’t gone bad.”

However, one has to realize that the banking industry is target-driven, which includes its own set of challenges. Mr. Rajkumar though has a simple philosophy to cope with the pressure: “For me, the most important mantra is to not think about the targets. If you get daunted by the target, you will never achieve it. I break down the targets according to different quarters. When you break it down, it doesn’t seem too overwhelming.” And, smiling, he adds, “You need to have a plan for how you want to proceed. If something goes wrong, you should have a backup.”

Mr. Rajkumar’s simple but effective strategies give you the impression that you are speaking to a man who has gained tremendous insight into the banking sector. Present day students can only benefit from his take on the changing scenario in the banking industry. He offers his valuable inputs, stating, “After Nationalization, banking has gone way beyond collecting deposits and lending money. There is a wide array of products, including insurance, which brings in a lot of money.” He further encourages students to gain experience in big banks in the private sector or some of the major nationalized banks for valuable exposure.

From his words you can tell that Mr. Rajkumar has always been passionate about Finance. In fact, he worked with UAE Exchange, handling transaction and accounts of their products before joining KIAMS. He believes that things took off on another level after his academic stint at the institute. “The third trimester in particular was helpful for my aspirations because we had a program called Management of Bank& Insurance Companies,” he reflects. “It was mostly taught by professionals who had experience in the field. That was truly helpful.”

Talking about KIAMS takes Mr. Rajkumar down memory lane. And, he admits that though he hasn’t been back to the institute, he stays in touch with his batchmates through social media. He also feels a bond with current students at the institute, for whom he has thoughtful advice: “Banking might seem boring, but it is a good career option. You have to be adaptable and flexible because managers keep changing, just like banking norms. There are several opportunities for you but it’s important to build your network once you are in the profession.”

KIAMS alum Ms. Saumya Manglik talks about what it takes for a woman to establish her name in Human Resources

When Ms. Saumya Manglik was pursuing her management dreams at KIAMS she had the unique distinction of getting a Pre Placement Offer during her internship with HUL. She was the only one in her batch to do so. According to Ms. Manglik, it put her in a position to be able to choose the companies she wanted to opt for during campus placement. She was offered a corporate position by Future Group. She let go of her PPO at HUL and joined Future Group, because of the profile that she was offered. That’s how her journey in the retail industry began, and now it still continues seven fruitful years later.

Looking back on the time gone by since her days at KIAMS, Ms. Manglik says, “It has been an amazing journey. I was handling the vertical for Human Resources for Future group. I was with them for 4 years and got promotions over the last seven years. Her achievements are noteworthy, especially when you consider her short stint with Larvij International in Moscow. “It was just a few months after my college and before starting my placement with Future Group. I had participated in a few management competitions and their COO of Larvij International invited me to Moscow to work on some projects with them,” she says modestly.

Ms. Manglik clearly was determined on making the most of the opportunities that were coming her way. And it’s this go-getter attitude that has enabled her to scale new heights of success. She was the Manager, of Human Resources at Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and will be shortly, taking a new profile with another giant in India. But, she is quick to assert that she only does a job she likes. “Yes, my seniors know that if they give me a job that I don’t like, it won’t go down well. The easiest way to get the best out of me is to give me something challenging,” she adds with a smile on her face.

Ms. Manglik admits that there are two things at the back of her mind when she decides whether or not to take up a task: “I am financially secured and I am a girl. This is a huge security net and an advantage that very few people may enjoy. If I don’t like something I can simply walk away, without thinking of the financial implications of it. Not everyone has this benefit and therefore for me, the key is whether I get to learn and grow in any project. This security net, actually makes me very good at what I do, because I am able to do it fearlessly and confidently”.

So, being a woman at the top of her game, what’s her advice to other young women who want to join hospitality industry? “You need to keep your head straight and have a value system in place,” she says. “You need to know what you want from life. The industry has matured enough to treat women at par; all you need to do is focus on your work and nothing will be able to stop you and get in your way, definitely not your gender. ”

Today, Ms. Manglik is in a position to hire “professionals”, but she insists that her company focus on looking for “right people” instead. She has an interesting philosophy: she believes that if you are a culturally fit person, you will turn out to be a good professional; but only a good professional might not always be a culturally fit person. Elaborating further, she says, “For me it’s 90% attitude and the rest is skill and knowledge. You can gain knowledge and skill over time, but it’s not the same with attitude. I love my team and I love to take care of each and every one of them. They are my biggest strength. In-fact, one of my ex-team members at Fairmont was also from KIAMS.”

Knowledge and skill are two things she gained in abundance during her time at KIAMS. But importantly, Ms. Manglik learned life lessons that she still relies on today. “Everything I learnt at the institute, I have managed to use in different aspects of my life,” she tells us. “Be it relationships, education, time management or professionalism. Everything you do in college, you do it again in the walk of your life,”

Little wonder, that she misses the institute and regrets not being able to go back. But she remains in touch with her batchmates as she makes a place for herself in the field of human resources.

Hear about the glam and glum of investment banking from alum Vishal Mohal

Vishal Mohal is a young and dynamic professional, serving as a Senior Associate in Investment Banking at Copal Partners. Vishal’s success began with a PGDM program at KIAMS in 2009. “My journey as an investor banker has been very rewarding; and KIAMS, with its perfect blend of theoretical and practical instruction, helped me realize my ambitions” he says. Vishal was always interested in Strategy Management and, as a motivated student, he interacted a lot with the faculty to learn and understand the nuances of the industry. “At KIAMS,” he tells us, “the faculty was very good and the kind of cases they made us go through were very insightful. They actually activated our thought processes and made us think about real-life scenarios, rather than only focusing on the theory”.

He is glad for the practical approach at KIAMS, since he believes it is extremely important in his field. “A business school, very often, teaches you only the principles and the formulas and how to calculate within certain parameters; however, this does not give you the experience and the exposure,” he says. “In India, the stress is on theory – developing a thought process about a task in the future is lacking as compared to other countries.” He also thinks that real-world, in-depth experience helps an investment banker understand his customers’ needs and fears: “The main thing for an Investor is that his investment should be secure and it should be able to generate profits. As an Investment Banker we always have to keep this in mind”. However, Vishal feels that, as a market, India is not yet prepared and presents many uncertainties; and, the Indian Economy, while much improved, still has immense potential to explore. “Theoretically, we are prepared but practically I would say we are not,” he continues. “We are not that strong and we need more people to take up investment banking as a career. It does take a lot of time, as you have to start as an Analyst, but, gradually, you move up the ranks. But, if you are humble and bright enough, then you may find yourself moving up the ladder rather quickly.”

Vishal, however, is a practical man who laughs when the ‘glamour’ of investment banking is brought up: “You might say that it is a glamorous job, but Investment Banking requires a lot of hard work and long hours. A successful investment banker works more than 65 hours every week –but, of course, there are lot of incentives, including the earning potential.”  Explaining his work more he says, “The most important aspect for an investment banker is to identify the right opportunity at the right moment and to assess it with full honesty. He should not be biased. You have to consider each and every factor and you have to determine the merit of that opportunity. That is the most important role and trait of an Investment Banker”.

KIAMS has given Vishal more than an opportunity to build his career – he also found his life partner at the institute. He loves his work life irrespective of the difficult time commitments and the challenges that he faces every day. He believes that the industry is growing in India and offers immense opportunities to youngsters who want to enter the field. Vishal is completely fulfilled and satisfied in his work; however, he believes he would want to come back to KIAMS someday and teach Strategic Management!

Mr. Gaurav Setia, KIAMS alum and Assistant Vice President, ICICI Securities, explains what it takes to survive and excel in the competitive financial sector

“For anyone to survive professionally, hard work is mandatory. Some choose to work hard right at the early part of the career and some in their latter; but everyone does. I chose to finish the hard work part at the start of my career.” These are the words of Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS)’s alum Mr. Gaurav Setia. Mr. Setia has worked hard in the tough financial sector, and has earned the title of Assistant Vice President and Team Leader at ICICI.

But Mr. Setia admits that he had to begin at the lowest level when he started out in the world of banking. “I started at the bottom after being placed with ICICI Bank as a senior officer,” he says, describing the beginning of his journey. “After working rigorously there for two years, I moved to HSBC where I had a stint for about five years. Then I returned to ICICI, in their Securities Ltd. division, as a Chief Manager for their Private Wealth Management vertical. Today I manage about 100 crores of their assets.”

As a Private Banker, Mr. Setia’s days are packed with meetings and client lunches and dinners. These important meetings take up most of his time, leaving little room for a personal life. He is quick to remind youngsters that there’s no such thing as work-life balance at the start of one’s career. But he is enthusiastic to add, “Most of the time, a happy professional life automatically results in a happy personal life.” And as a professional, Mr. Setia has some noteworthy achievements to his credit. In his professional career, he has moved up six levels in nine years. He also acknowledges the fact that assets managed by him have grown from 2 to 100 crores. That wouldn’t have been possible without having the requisite skills for his job, which is something that he points out: “Excellent relationship skills, knowledge and advice. All three skills are interlinked and you can’t move forward without the others.”

Luckily for Mr. Setia, he developed these skills during his time at KIAMS. But, according to him, two of the most important skills he gained at his institute are presentation skills and problem solving: “I’ve always had an upper hand with my colleagues in these two aspects. We had to go through hundreds of presentations at KIAMS and our problem solving skills were tested during Pragati(the rural marketing fair at the institute). It taught us how to break down our problems into smaller parts and solve them.”

He also remains aware of the importance of theory lessons learned at the institute and asks today’s students to pay attention to them. He recommends relating a concept learned to a real world problem because that’s what companies are looking for today. He believes there is a place for young professionals who can apply their theoretical knowledge into practice as they can be assets to the organizations they work with.

Not only has Mr. Setia been put through the paces in the industry, he has also seen setbacks like the global meltdown in 2008. But he has been through it all and has carved a place for himself in the industry today. However, his advice to youngsters who want to make it as professionals is rather simple and practical: “Sometimes all it takes to sail through tough times is to put your head down and keep working hard.” That’s exactly what he has done with great success.

“The Corporate world has many possibilities – you need to be flexible,” says entrepreneur, recruitment manager and KIAMS alum Mr. Bharat Bagaria

“My professional journey has been a rollercoaster ride, but my days at KIAMS prepared me for it,” says Mr. Bharat Bagaria, who made the transition from a student hoping to be recruited in a top firm to being a recruitment manager himself. He owns a venture called Ratan Dialectrics and handles several responsibilities as an entrepreneur. He looks back on his journey from KIAMS to being a successful entrepreneur, and shares his valuable experiences.

“I joined the corporate world with a lot of dreams and expectations,” he says. “I got a campus placement with People Consulting, and I stayed with the company for about six months. I then moved on to ABC and Foundation Systems.” Clearly, his career is remarkable for the amazing ease with which he has weaved his way through different industries.

Talking about his entrepreneurial venture, which was a dream come true, Mr. Bagaria says, “Being in the recruitment world, revenue generation is important. You have to constantly meet deadlines and be able to interact with different kinds of people on a regular basis.” He believes that his stint at KIAMS prepared him for most of these responsibilities, especially when it came to interacting with people from different socio-economic and geographical backgrounds.

Mr. Bagaria believes that running your own business is a tightrope walk. And, expectations are high when you have to deal with 20 stakeholders who are also your direct customers. He shares his advice for managing his life and work, stating, “It’s important to know when and how to say ‘No’. I make it a point to not bring work home because your personal life is as important as your professional one. And there can be no compromises on that front.”

Given that he works in the recruitment industry, Mr. Bagaria is the best person to talk to concerning what he looks for in future professionals. Does he find any quality missing in the graduates of today? He thinks carefully and says, “Today’s generation is more street smart than we were. Students are choosier and think about money and job profile, while for my generation it was only about starting our careers. I think students need to drop these stringent criteria while looking for a job. Be more flexible. There are several options in the corporate world.”

Mr. Bagaria remembers that he benefited a great deal from the learning experience he had at KIAMS and now he is willing to offer his insight into the industry to others. “I have had many ups and downs in my career and I could cope with them because of my learning at KIAMS,” he says. “We were taught life skills, which can see you through any tricky situation. And that’s what I would like to tell the students; Time to work hard is gone, it’s time to work smart.”

Since he values the contribution KIAMS has had in his life and career, it’s only natural that he maintains a bond with the institute today. Mr. Bagaria says that he is in touch with his classmates and also visited the campus in Harihar last year. He likes reliving the memories of his student days, and he shares one of them. “It was our seniors’ farewell and they were given a sugarcane and green chilly to eat. It was a lot of fun,” he laughs. The memory in itself describes well how students like him were prepared for bittersweet experiences to come.

Mr. Piyush Kumar Aggarwal talks about his time at KIAMS and how it moulded the successful professional in him

“During my two years at KIAMS I learned a lot through summer internships, workshops, presentations and lectures. We learned how to deal with real life situations in the work place and I rely on those skills today.” These are the words of alum Piyush Kumar Aggarwal, who has built a strong portfolio as a management professional, working with names like ICICI Bank, Cummins Ltd. and now Bajaj Auto. He believes KIAMS set him on the right career path and since his time at the institute, he has managed to scale new heights of success.

Elaborating on his professional journey so far, Mr. Aggarwal says, “I got my campus placement with ICICI Bank where I was handling retail accounts with Wealth Management. I worked with the company for more than three years and learned a lot about Account Management and Sales. After that I moved to Cummins Ltd. where I worked as a Business Development Manager.” It was at Cummins Ltd. that he won acclaim for his work and even bagged the Cummins Managing Director award in 2012.

Mr. Aggarwal is presently working with Bajaj Auto where he is handling a new project titled I60, a novel concept for four wheelers. It’s the first project of its kind in India, and he is happy to be a part of a groundbreaking initiative. In fact, he explains, that’s defined all his career choices till date: “When I worked with ICICI, I was in the service industry, where I learned an incredible amount about the business world. Then I moved to the manufacturing industry and had a very different profile, which excited me. I want to keep growing and learning in my work sphere, otherwise I’d feel stagnant.”

His appetite for learning has continued to grow after his stint at KIAMS, and Mr. Aggarwal uses the skills he learned at the institute in his professional life. “I applied my learning from KIAMS at work to perform under pressure and flourish,” he says. “At the institute they would give us assignments that would have to be completed in a day or two. It taught us how to work against deadlines and handle stress, which has helped me till date. At times it’s difficult to maintain the professional and personal life balance, but you have to cope.”

Mr. Aggarwal attributes a lot of his success in his eight year career to his time at KIAMS. Over the years his bond with the institute has only gotten stronger, and he is also the founder member of the KIAMS Alumni Association. “I have been involved with the institute since I graduated from it,” he tells us. “We interact with the college management and have discussions. It feels great that our input is taken on board – the idea is to work together and further enhance the learning experience for students.”

So, drawing on his own experiences, does Mr. Aggarwal have any advice for students at the institute today? He ponders for a moment and then says, “Your basic concepts should definitely be clear but you also have to have good communication skills to express them when needed. When you start your professional journey, spend some time to learn before looking to build on your experience. Interact with your seniors because they have gone through what you have and can guide you.” Words of wisdom from an accomplished KIAMS alum!

Mr. Sambit Mohanty, Class of 2005, KIAMS travels through different industry segments to chart an unusual roadmap to success

Since completing his PGDM program from KIAMS in 2005, Mr. Sambit Mohanty has had a diverse but equally interesting and successful career. He started out as a Regional Sales Executive at Force Motors before moving on to being a Sales Executive at Career Launcher India Ltd. Franchisee. These were highly enriching experiences according to him, and they led to his job at Cummins Turbo Technology. He joined the renowned company in 2008 as a part of the power generation business unit before climbing up the ladder to be the Strategic Account Manager, the position he holds today.

That’s definitely an interesting and inspiring career graph for management hopefuls. Mr. Mohanty sheds light on this journey, saying, “For me it was never about sticking to one sector of the industry. As long as the job is exciting and rewarding, I don’t mind moving to different sectors. I don’t think it has hampered my career growth in anyway.” It certainly hasn’t and it’s a career that he can certainly be proud of. He also seems to be right about the rewarding aspects of his job, something he experiences in his current position every day.

Mr. Mohanty has been working with Cummins Turbo Technology for six years now, and he was recently given the opportunity to draw up the defence business strategy for four different units at Cummins. He grabbed this opportunity with both hands and made it count: “The idea was to incubate the defence business and subsequently create a business unit, which would become a single window for all defence customers. So, after that particular exercise and the handover that took place, I moved to this role where I take care of certain key accounts and their development”.

Besides the mastery over his professional domain, Mr. Mohanty also speaks seven different languages. And he uses this skill at work by speaking to people he interacts with in their native language. There are many who have gone through training under him and consider him a mentor in their professional lives. It not only says a lot about his leadership qualities but his interpersonal skills as well. “What can I say, if I get good feedback then I must be doing something right,” he says with a smile.

 Speaking of training, Mr. Mohanty went through a rigorous training program at KIAMS. According to him, it’s the learning at the institute that has held him in good stead till date: “Team building is the strongest take-away I have had from KIAMS”, he tells us. “If you want to grow in your career and be a leader, you have to ensure that your team is on the same page as you, in spite of the differences. Everyone is working towards the same goal rather than one person having wild ideas. It’s something that was drilled into me at the institute”.

Mr. Mohanty also talks about the innovative teaching pedagogy employed by his institute as a smart way of grasping a subject. He mentions the rural marketing class, in particular, where rather than relying on books, students were asked to come up with ideas that they believed would work. For Mr. Mohanty, it was an eye opener because it showed the disparity between how we see things and the way they actually are. KIAMS campus is filled with many such memories for him, which is why he visited it with a group of friends few years ago.

As he takes a trip down memory lane, we wonder what Mr. Mohanty finds lacking in the present and future management professionals. After all, he has a solid eye for what works and what doesn’t in the industry. “Many of them are not sure what they are trying to do. Young professionals have to understand that shortcuts don’t work everywhere and you have to find your way to the top steadily,” he says calmly. Clearly, that’s one thing he knows a thing or two about given his own stellar career graph.

“Your commitment to do what you are doing decides a lot for your future,” says alumnus Rachit Shyam, working with Ernst &Young as a Data Analytics and Financial Professional.

Let’s get to the backstory first – then we can get to the meat of the story. Mr. Rachit Shyam, a former student at KIAMS, is currently employed at Ernst & Young as a Data Analytics and Financial Professional.

Mr. Shyam was a Batch 4 student at PGDM, recruited directly from campus by Kirloskar Group. He believes that staying at Kirloskar was a beneficial transition in his early career. This experience made it easier for him to gain acceptance at Kirloskar Group. “That acceptability helped me to learn slightly more as compared to my peers,” Mr. Shyam tells us. “The acceptability also helped me get more exposure as compared to my peers and that helped me to come to where I am now.”

From there he moved into the hospitality industry at Mahindra Holidays, where he spent two years as Executive Assistant to the Managing Director and six months in credit control.

When asked to think of one piece of advice or attribute learned at KIAMS that has benefited him in his career, he almost instinctively replies, “Commitment”. He continues: “One of the qualities that the Directors used to teach us was to remain committed to our work. You are at KIAMS to fulfill a purpose. So, commit to it and fulfill it – then things will fall in place. That has helped me reach this point in my career.”

Mr. Shyam has another pertinent piece of advice: Networking. Having interacted with numerous B-school students on placement, Mr. Shyam believes that majority of students are letting themselves down by not actively engaging enough with employers or people who could help them in their careers. He says: “I have interacted with several juniors across B-schools who have approached me for summer or final placement, or projects or advise, and what I have seen is that after this initial interaction, the students generally do not keep in touch with the same gusto. I urge them to stay connected with their mentors and seniors. It will come to their help in the long run.”

He is also asked for his thoughts on how often people should move companies. He acknowledges that this is a difficult question, one that is full of variables and subjective to the individual: “I would say that a person should be true to his profession. If he is in marketing he should be true to that profession irrespective of the Company for which he works”.

Mr. Shyam elaborates by saying that he believes an individual should be concerned with working for a company in a role that they are skilled and talented in: “It can be any company, but he should excel in his profession. There is no answer as to whether a person should stick to a company for a longer time, or if they should change companies frequently. If he excels in his work it is of no importance whether he stays in the company for a longer time or not.”