Essay 1: If we were to admit just one more student, make a compelling argument as to why that student

should be you by describing an (only one) achievement in your personal / professional life that you are
most proud of. What did you do that sets you apart from others? What did you learn? (400 words max)

The achievement I wish to narrate was the first instance when a woman from our family went beyond
the confines of domestic responsibility and took up a challenge for the community. In 2013, I won the
CASE Grant competition, which looked to identify innovative solutions for problems in the community. It
was organized by Enactus & C2P Foundation (USA). My inclination towards applying classroom learning
into development of real time solutions prompted me to participate; little had I known then that
winning the competition and the grant was not the real prize that I had acquired, rather I was richer
with myriad experiences & emotions, and more importantly led into the path of self-discovery.

Brought up in a staunch Hindu family the value of food being verily an aspect of Brahma was ingrained in
me. On the other hand as a resident of a hostel, I would see food wasted everyday which would leave
me perturbed. This gave rise to ‘Project Annapurna’, an outreach programme designed to supplement
the food and nutrition requirements of over 50 families of a local community. My four member team
including I developed and presented a model for redirecting waste food from hotels and hostels to
Dayabasti.

Beyond the nerve cracking brainstorming sessions and heated discussions lay the real challenge of
stepping out of my comfort zone, convince stakeholders and deliver outcome. While I was persuading
chefs and hoteliers, I was also dealing with Daya-basti dwellers. This required me to develop versatile
thinking and speaking abilities. From evolution to culmination, each step facilitated development of
deeper investigative acumen. Every failed attempt to convince a hotel owner for support only pushed
me harder to reassess and recuperate. The art of multitasking acquired at boarding school and my spirit
to never quit finally bore fruits. As I reflect back, what truly worked for us (and has been my guiding
principle in life) was our passion and honesty of our intent.

This was unlike the case competitions I had participated in. It made me realize how powerful toolsmy
knowledge & skills are to help diagnose social sector problems, design potential solutions, and
implement themin the most impactful way.

If ISB has to admit one more student to make a leader, it should be someone with a head for business
and a heart for the world; I would bring in this invaluable blend to my class.
Essay 2: Describe a (only one) situation in your personal / professional life when you had to interact with
people from diverse backgrounds. How did it affect you and what did you learn?(300 words max)

My recruitment with Barclays Bank under their coveted Global Finance Graduate Programme, gave me
an opportunity to meet and interact with the Global ‘Class of 2014’ graduates at a Training Programme
in London. The opportunity to be in a competitive environment alongside the brightest minds in itself
gave me an adrenaline rush. I was introduced to a batch of over 500 graduates from across 50
nationalities, working at different locations in the numerous divisions of the bank.

At the programme, I had the opportunity to work on a Social Project for the “East London Black
Women's Organization” (ELBWO), together with my diverse team. ELBWO had lost its chief operational
location in a fire, leading to a host of troubles.My team devised the best possible solution for them.

Each interpretation from every individual member seemed to reflect a distinct perception of the
problem. Leaving the rest to wonder how they could have missed to see that. Each solution proposed
was a product of exposure to different cultural traditions, educational qualifications, nationalities, life
experiences, and social & political views. Each brain storming session would incite dissimilar responses. I
fondly remember my reaction to one of my team member’s idea of collaborating with the Government
Social Housing department for reclamation of ELBWO’s land. My past exasperations in dealing with
Government Departments here had made me averse to the idea, only to gradually realize that it could
potentially solve much of ELBWO’s problems.

As my team finally presented an innovative solution to the ELBWO representatives, I realized how my
past helps in shaping the decisions I make. Thereby making it imperative for an aspiring transformational
leader to take into account diverse views and look beyond predispositions. Not only embracing what
diversity has to offer but also evolving as we imbibe.
Essay 3: What are your post ISB career plans and how will your past experiences and the Post Graduate
Programme in Management (PGP) contribute to taking you there? (300 words max)

Having pursued my graduation in commerce and working in a finance division, my opportunities of

gaining holistic business acumen have been limited so far.

Post ISB, I aim to work for global organizations and development consultancy firms working towards
development of the world’s underprivileged. I want to collaborate with communities thereby partnering
significantly to establish good governance and improve the quality of life.

My experience in the financial services sector has developed my ability to examine complex problems,
weigh risks, and assessfinancial feasibility. It has exposed me to the important domain of Project
Management dealing with multiple stakeholders. Apart from teaching me the dynamics of collaborative
team work, I was put on the hook to develop creative solutions with minimum resource utilization.
These skills lie at the heart of formulation and implementation of successful social sector projects.

The intriguing & executive education at ISB will help me further develop and hone my managerial,
analytical and critical reasoning skills, based on the in-depth understanding of organizational behavior.
This would aid me in developingsound strategy and facilitate impeccable execution. The multi-
disciplinary & extensive coursework in the programme would be a holistic and extraordinary academic
experience. An encouraging environment, like yours, with its vision to develop thoughtful leaders would
boost my future endeavors.

A diverse classroom and access to some of the finest faculty across the globe would expose me to a
swarm of new ideas and distinct opinions. Thereby helping me ideate, innovate and inspire. In the long
run, I would want to pursue my entrepreneurial aspirations and set up a development focused
consulting firm. As I aspire to leave a profound impact on the bottom of the Pyramid where I certainly
believe fortune lies, and living up the motto sown in me to ‘Let there be Light.’