PLEASE DO NOT SHARE THIS DOCUMENT IN ANY FORM WITH ANYONE.

GMAT: 720 AWA ​3.0

College you went to: Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, University of Delhi
GPA at college: 75.6% ( will have to check GPA equivalent)
Work Ex: 6 years 9 months till April 1st 2020

Names of Companies you have worked for:

1. RITES Limited (a Ministry of Railways Undertaking): Aug 2013- Aug 2018
Designation: Assistant Manager
2. Ernst & Young LLP: Sep 2018 - Present
Designation: Senior Consultant

Re applicant: Yes

Schools applying to through Hash MBA consulting: ISB, IIMA, IIMB, IIMC

Instructions:
1. Do not delete or​ ​overwrite​ ​analysis written in Green.
2. Put up drafts for review in reverse chronology. Latest on top so that we have to scroll less each time.
3. Whenever you want a draft to be reviewed please ping us on ​[email protected]
4. Try and use different colours for different drafts versions
5. Do not hesitate to ping us if you are stuck and are unable to proceed.

IIM A

Essay 1:

Describe the most challenging situation you encountered in your career and how you
managed it. What were your learning's? ​ (500 words max)

Life is challenging for all of us and we all believe our battles have been the toughest.
Here IIM A has given you a chance to prove it.

They want you to pick up one of your most significant achievements and write about
how challenging it was to get there.

More importantly they want to understand what you learnt on the way and how will that
help you contribute to the class.
To sum it up, the primary focus of this essay is to communicate what you will be able to
contribute to the class with your unique learnings from the challenges you have faced in
life.

While there is no structure suggested for this essay, a story format should work well.

******

Your Thoughts on this:

Case 1: One incident having various downstream effects

Start with Access control --> describe challenges --> learning --> use of those learnings
at RITES --> as a concept foot in the door at EY

Case 2: One incident scenario

Focus of any one incident such as

1. Access control and challenges

2. EACS challenges
3. Some railway project situation

Edited: 402 words.

Challenges shape the intellect, bringing concepts to life. My first assignment was the
Biometric based Attendance Monitoring System, being monitored by the Ministry of
Railways. It was already delayed by a year, had a defiant contractor, unwilling
employees and aggressive top management.

Drive or be driven, that was the first thing I learned. Project was stalled. Contractor did
not heed the management, employees were sceptical and senior management was
furious. I immediately began written communication with the contractor and started
taking feedback on the stumbling blocks they were facing. With structured progress
reporting, I sought intervention of higher ups to resolve the road blocks. Eventually
things started moving and execution started.

Secondly, I learned that stakeholders are crucial to the success of any venture. On one
hand, employees were completely apathetic, while on the other hand higher
management was excessively involved. Periodic reporting catered the need of senior
managers. I organized awareness campaigns, set up a full-time help contact and
started propagating the idea during casual discussions. Slowly people were sensitized
and played an important role in phases like testing.

Micro negotiations have macro impact. That was the third realization. Every team
member is incessantly part of negotiations, such as technical structures, work
schedules etc. Such negotiations, though hardly noticed, have substantial impact on
project outcomes. In this project, I worked in close coordination with my seniors and
suppliers to ensure that the effect of such negotiations benefits the project.

Diffuse the disputes before they arise. Finally, I realized that projects and operations,
owing to multiple stakeholders and respective interests, are prone to disputes. Once a
dispute is formalized, attention from the job is diverted and the project suffers. I
proactively engaged with the contractor, from installation person to the national projects
head, to sense precursors to disputes. Similarly, I suggested workarounds to my seniors
to avoid such pitfalls.

With the effort of the team, we successfully delivered the project, ensured 100%
enrollment, integrated it with existing system and secured complete MOU credit from
Ministry of Railways. I was awarded for extraordinary performance. With these
learnings, I played a key role in securing new business for the firm, trained more than
30 engineers in supervision of such systems and managed other projects in a better
way. Thus, my distinctive experiences and the rigorosity of my work and education have
shaped me into an individual that can contribute constructively to the MBA class.
@@@@

Draft 2 of 377 words

Challenges shape the intellect, bringing concepts to life. My first assignment was the
Biometric based Attendance Monitoring System, being monitored by the Ministry of
Railways. It was already delayed by a year, had a defiant contractor, unwilling
employees and aggressive top management.

Drive or be driven, that was the first thing I learned. Project was stalled. Contractor was
not heeding the management, employees were sceptical, and senior management was
furious. I immediately began written communication with the contractor and started
taking feedback on stumbling blocks they were facing. With structured progress
reporting, I sought intervention of higher ups to resolve the road blocks. Eventually
things started moving and execution started.

Secondly, I learned that the stakeholders are crucial to the success of any venture. On
one hand, employees were completely apathetic, while on the other hand higher
management was excessively involved. Periodic reporting catered the need of senior
managers. Further, I organized awareness campaigns, set up a full-time help contact
and started propagating the idea during casual discussions. Slowly people were
sensitized and played an important role in phases such as testing.

Micro negotiations have macro impact. That was the third realization. Every team
member is incessantly part of negotiations, such as technical structures, work
schedules etc. Such negotiations, though hardly noticed, have substantial impact on
project outcomes. In this project, I worked in close coordination with my seniors and
suppliers to ensure that the effect of such negotiations benefits the project.
Diffuse the disputes before they arise. Finally, I realized that projects and operations,
owing to multiple stakeholders and respective interests, are prone to disputes. Once a
dispute is formalized, attention from the job is diverted and the project suffers. I
proactively engaged with the contractor, from installation person to the national projects
head, to sense precursors to disputes. Similarly, I suggested workarounds to my seniors
to avoid such pitfalls.

With the effort of the team, we successfully delivered the project, ensured 100%
enrollment, integrated it with existing system and secured complete MOU credit from
Ministry of Railways. I was awarded for extraordinary performance. With these
learnings, I played a key role in securing new business for the firm, trained more than
30 engineers in supervision of such systems and managed other projects in a better
way.

Draft 1 of 449 words

Challenges  shape  the  intellect,  bringing  concepts  to  life.  My  first  assignment  was  one 
such  experience.  It  was  Biometric  based  Attendance  Monitoring  System.  Project  was 
being  monitored  by  the  Ministry  of  Railways.  It  was  already  delayed  by  a  year,  had  a 
defiant contractor, unwilling employees and aggressive top management. 

Drive  or  be  driven  by  the  situation,  that  was  the first thing I learned. Project was stalled. 
Contractor was not heeding the verbal warnings, employees were sure the project would 
fail,  and  senior  management  was  furious.  I  was  thorough  with  the  contract  and 
immediately  began  written  communication  with  the  contractor  and  verbally  started 
taking  feedback  on  stumbling  blocks  he  was  facing.  I  began  structured  progress 
reporting  and  sought  the  intervention  of  higher  ups  to  resolve  issue  faced  by  the 
contractor whenever needed. Eventually things started moving and execution started. 

Secondly,  I  learned  that  stakeholders  are  the  most important ingredients for success of 

any  venture.  The  current  project  was  suffering  on  one  side  from  complete  apathy  from 
the  employees  to  excessive  involvement  from  senior  management  on  the  other.  By 
initiating  structured  and  periodic  reporting,  I  tackled  the  challenge  with  the  senior 
managers.  To  take  care  of  the  other  end  of  the  spectrum,  I  organized  awareness 
campaign,  set up a full-time help contact and started propagating the idea during casual 
discussions.  Slowly people were sensitized and played an important role in phases such 
as testing etc. 

The  universe  of  micro  negotiations  is  always  at  work.  That  was  the  third  realization. 
Every  team  member  is incessantly part of miniscule negotiations, such as what network 
structure  to  use,  what  should  be  the  work  schedule  etc.  Such  negotiations,  though 
hardly  noticed, have substantial impact on project outcomes. In this project, I suggested 
various  design  changes and worked in close coordination with my seniors and suppliers 
to ensure that as a whole the project delivers the best value for all. 

Diffuse  the  disputes  before  they  arise.  Finally,  I  realized  that  projects  and  operations, 
owing  to  multiple  stakeholders  and  their  respective  interests,  are  prone  to  disputes. 
Once  a  dispute  is  formalized, whole attention from the job is diverted elsewhere and the 
project  suffers. I proactively engaged with the contractor, from installation person to the 
national  projects  head, to sense precursors to disputes. Similarly, suggested my seniors 
work arounds to avoid such pitfalls. 

With  the  effort  of  the  team,  we  successfully  delivered  the  project,  ensured  100% 
enrollment,  integrated  it  with  existing  system  and  secured  complete  MOU  credit  from 
Ministry  of  Railways.  I  was  awarded  for  extraordinary  performance.  With  these 
learnings,  I  played  a key role in securing new business for the firm, trained more than 30 
engineers in supervision of such systems and managed other projects in a better way. 

Essay 2:
Describe a situation where you demonstrated your leadership abilities.
(500 words max)

This essay may look very similar to the previous essay but it is inherently different.

Leadership has many definitions and you must choose the one that suits you best.
Think of a time when your abilities impacted or influenced the work of many others.

Then choose an event where you can showcase your Leadership in such a way that it
makes interesting reading.

Again there is no structure recommended here but a reasonably gripping narrative will
help.

******

Your Thoughts on this:

I have following structure in mind:

1. Situation -- demonstrating initiative, taking higher responsibility etc

2. Once in that situation what were the challenges faced
3. Solutions
4. Learnings
5. Change of outlook

Some incidents:

1. Presiding officer in the general elections

2. Business diversification bid (if we use this then we can not use case 1 for the
essay 1)
3. Project leadership
Edited: 395 words.

Life gives you many chances to step up and I like to take mine more often than not.
Leadership is clarity of purpose, creating shared goals, empowering people, fostering
trust and taking bold actions.

One such opportunity came when I joined RITES as a trainee in 2013. When people
were excusing themselves from the election duties, I volunteered. I was appointed
Presiding officer and made in-charge of a polling station in Haryana. Leading a team of
4 polling officers, responsible for 1000 votes and ensuring peaceful conduct of election.

Team was composed of senior officials and I sensed a natural discontent because of
being led by a person half their age. To lead, I needed to be competent in the processes
and technicalities. I studied the systems thoroughly and gained intellectual authority.
Further, I defined roles for each member, with complete authority in their assigned
tasks. Things were to be escalated only as a last resort. Everyone felt like a leader.

Meanwhile, people started shouting near the polling station. Apparently, the booth level
officer had failed to distribute the voting slips in the area, leading to discontent amongst
voters. Though the BLO was not in my jurisdiction, yet I took the lead and informed
people about the procedure to download their voting slips from election commission
website. With the solution, crowd dissipated. Communication saved the day.

During the day, we solved many challenges from forged identities to multiple voting
attempts. I did not have substantial authority over the team, no time to bond, no
commonality of backgrounds and experiences, yet the team was standing together
straight 42 hours after we took charge and went on the field. Team felt empowered and
satisfied.

By the end of the day we had successfully facilitated 800 voters voice their opinion.
Other stakeholders such as political party representatives, district administration, police,
were satisfied. I understood that to drive people, we not only have to define a shared
goal but take genuine interest in team members and empower them. Sometimes there
is no right way, however action brings clarity and inaction has its price.

Finally, I realized that I was not only leading a team of 4, but I was leading the whole
process, comprising a 1000 people and various stakeholders, right in the first 6 months
of my job, it helped me grow into a much more mature professional.

@@@@@

Draft 2 of 394 words

Life gives you many chances to step up and I like to take mine more often than not.
Leadership is clarity of purpose, creating shared goals, empowering people, fostering
trust, and taking bold actions.

One such opportunity came when I joined RITES as a trainee in 2013. When people
were excusing themselves from the election duties, I volunteered. I was appointed
Presiding officer and made in-charge of a polling station in Haryana. Leading a team of
4 polling officers, responsible for 1000 votes and ensuring peaceful conduct of election.

Team was composed of senior officials, and I sensed a natural discontent because of
being led by a person half their age. To lead, I needed to be competent in the processes
and technicalities. I studied the systems thoroughly and gained intellectual authority.
Further, I defined roles for each member, with complete authority in their assigned
tasks. Things were to be escalated only as a last resort. Everyone felt like a leader.

Meanwhile, people started shouting near the polling station. Apparently, the booth level
officer had failed to distribute the voting slips in the area, leading to discontent amongst
voters. Though the BLO was not in my jurisdiction, yet I took the lead and informed
people about the procedure to download their voting slips from election commission
website. With the solution, crowd dissipated. Communication saved the day.

During the day, we solved many challenges from forged identities to multiple voting
attempts. I did not have substantial authority over the team, no time to bond, no
commonality of backgrounds and experiences, yet the team was standing together
straight 42 hours after we took charge and went on the field. Team felt empowered and
satisfied.

By the end of the day we had successfully facilitated 800 voters voice their opinion.
Other stakeholders such as political party representatives, district administration, police,
were satisfied. I understood that to drive people, we not only have to define a shared
goal but take genuine interest in team members and empower them. Sometimes there
is no right way, however action brings clarity and inaction has its price.

Finally, I realized that I was not only leading a team of 4, but I was leading the whole
process, comprising a 1000 people and various stakeholders, right in the first 6 months
of my job, it helped me grow into a much more mature professional.

Draft 1 of 443 words

Life  gives  you  many  chances  to  step  up  and  I  like  to  take  mine  more  often  than  not. 
Leadership  is  clarity  of  purpose,  creating  shared  goals,  empowering  people,  fostering 
trust, and taking bold actions. 

One  such  opportunity  came when I joined RITES as a trainee in 2013. When people were 

excusing  themselves  from the election duties, I volunteered, as I believed it to be a great 
learning  experience. ​I  was  appointed  Presiding  officer  and  made  in-charge  of  a  polling 
station  in  Haryana.  Leading  a  team  of  4  polling officers, responsible for 1000 votes and 
ensuring peaceful conduct of election. 

Team  was  composed  of  senior  officials,  and  I  sensed  a  natural  discontent  because  of 
being  led by a person half their age. It was clear that to lead I needed to be competent in 
the  processes  and  technicalities.  I  studied  the  systems  thoroughly  and  immediately 
gained  intellectual  authority.  Further,  we  discussed  various  roles  and  after  it  was 
decided,  I  put  my  trust  in  the team. It was decided that each member will have authority 
in  their assigned task and things will be escalated only as a last resort. Everyone felt like 
a leader. 
Meanwhile,  people  started  shouting  near  the  polling  station.  Apparently,  the booth level 
officer  had  failed  to  distribute  the  voting  slips  in  the  area,  leading  to huge discontent in 
voters.  Though  the  BLO  was  not  within  my  jurisdiction,  yet  it  was  affecting the conduct 
of  election.  I  took  the  lead  and  informed  people  about  the  procedure  to  download  their 
voting  slips  from  election  commission  website.  With  the  solution,  the  crowd  quickly 
dissipated and voting continued. 

During  the  course,  we  solved  many  challenges  from  forged  identities  to  multiple voting 
attempts.  By  the  end  of  the  day  we  had  successfully  facilitated  800  voters  voice  their 
opinion.  Other  stakeholders  such  as  political  party  representatives,  district 
administration,  police,  were  satisfied  with  the  conduct  of  the  election  at  our  polling 
station.  I  did  not  have  substantial  authority  over  the  team,  no  time  to  bond,  no 
commonality  of  backgrounds  and  experiences,  yet  the  team  was  standing  together 
straight  42  hours  after  we  took  charge and went on the field. Team felt empowered and 
satisfied. 

I  understood  that to drive people, we not only have to define a shared goal but genuinely 
take  interest  in  team  members and empower them. Sometimes there is no defined right 
way,  however  action  brings  clarity  and inaction has its price. Finally, I realized that I was 
not  leading  a  team  of  4,  but  I  was leading the whole process, comprising a 1000 people 
and  various  stakeholders,  right  in  the  first  6  months  of  my  job,  it helped me grow into a 
much more mature professional. 

IIM Bangalore/ Calcutta SoP :

The SOP needs to contain 3 elements:

Who you are?

Where do you want to go?

And how does the MBA from the school fit into the scheme of things?

Ideally this document should not exceed 500 words unless the school has specifically asked for a
longer one.

The SoP is like the goals essay for all practical purposes. Which means you need to start it with a
vision, then follow it up with a mission, then the current situation, followed by the constraints
and how the MBA will help you resolve the problems you are facing and get to your goal.
You need to be clear in your mind what you want from the MBA and express it in the SoP then
let them know what you bring to the table.

The length of the resume has seldom got anything to do with its quality but expressing it right is
very important.

1. Vision
2. Mission - Short term goal
3. Situation - Convey diversity, what kind of work you bring to table, what can my peers
learn from me. How all this add up to the goal and how does all this inspire you to your
vision
4. Constraints
5. What do you want from IIM B/ C?

******

Your Thoughts on this:

Draft of 478 words:

After the MBA, I want to join the transportation practice at EY itself or a similar firm as a
Manager. Soon I hope to lead a transportation team at a global technology firm (like
Siemens), gravitate to a strategy role and influence the growth of the transportation
sector.
Having started as an Executive Trainee at RITES, progressing to Assistant Manager
and Project Manager, I have played a key role in several large-scale projects. Notable
was the EACS project for ONGC where I managed a team of 35 engineers, 2 works
contractors and reported to CxOs. I managed Railway works (Visakhapatnam Steel
Plant), contributed to DPRs (Semi-High-Speed Railways) and was awarded for
exemplary performance. After 5 years with government, I explored opportunities in the
consulting space to diversify my role and sector portfolio and thus joined EY as a Senior
Consultant. The transition was challenging but I quickly adapted. Within a year, I
delivered a DPR for Smart-Yard Integration Platform (Indian Railways), drafted RFP and
function requirements for Digi-Yatra Identity Platform (Bangalore International Airport),
contributed to Port Community System (Indian Ports Association), worked on Automatic
Fare Collection (Bangalore Metro) and bagged the “Kudos” award. To gain strategic
perspective, I worked with a Partner in delivering a knowledge paper (Indian railways:
Fostering symbiotic industrial growth) and contributed to business efforts by drafting
proposals like Single Window for Government of Bangladesh. I believe my experience
along with an MBA will enable me to become a manager immediately after the MBA.

The transportation industry is going through a revolution which is visible in the advent of
electric mobility, ride sharing and many other initiatives. Transportation is a growth
imperative and I aspire to shape the development of ​transportation towards a
sustainable future in the long term.

Courses on financial reporting and analysis would allow me to explore transaction

advisory practice; courses on competition, strategy and decision science will catalyze
my transition to top management. I believe that credibility, a composite of experience,
attitude and education is paramount to leadership. An MBA at a top notch school like
the IIM will enable me as a more effective change-maker. Finally, a leader is as good as
her/his team and being an MBA would not only assure the senior alumni of my all-round
capabilities but it would also empower me with a strong base of the best minds when I
reach the higher echelons of industry by 2030.
As I conclude, I recollect my childhood in the village comprising of school days studying
English in Hindi to securing an admit at one of the best colleges and joining a topnotch
Public Sector Unit. Transitioning from the public sector to consulting, failing multiple
times and winning some accolades along the way, I believe, I should be in the class not
just for the contender mindset but for the distinctive experience and effective
transferable skills.

ISB essay 1:

There will be 900 students in the class of 2021. Why should you be one of them?
(xxx words max)

This is the 'UNIQUENESS' essay.

The primary focus of this essay is to communicate what you will be able to contribute to
the class at ISB with your unique learnings so far in life.

People usually depend on their competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Attitude) to show
how unique they are. However your background, upbringing, early experiences,
challenges, achievements, goals, understanding of things, qualifications and even the
way in which you react to situations and take on leadership roles can provide you good
instances that will help you differentiate yourself.

Remember that the more differentiating your uniquenesses are the better are your
chances.

Caution: Don't make it look like you are bragging.

 ******

Your Thoughts on Essay 1:

1. On ground led big capital projects.. lived through the whole project management
cycle..
2. Government is a major client for various businesses in India..it is important to
understand the public sector decision making mindset… this I will bring to the
class
3. From sector perspective, transportation is an integral part of many businesses, in
the form of logistics etc. From sustainable development point of view,
transportation is going to be a major factor.. I have experience in railways, ports,
aviation which will enrich the class
4. First hand to go up. Impact.
5. Rural origins.. realised importance of motivation..

DRAFT 3 of 404 words:

Edited: 399 words.

As I introspect, I recollect my childhood in the village comprising of school days studying

English in Hindi to securing an admit at one of the best colleges and joining a topnotch
PSU. Transitioning from a public sector to consulting, failing multiple times and winning
some accolades along the way, I believe, I should be in the class not just for the
contender mindset but for the distinctive experience and effective transferable skills.

6-year experience in public sector with RITES and clients like ONGC, NTPC, Bangalore
Metro, AAI enabled me gain process and functional expertise, made me adept at
identifying key stakeholders and influencers. It also included drafting effective notes,
communication, pre-empting dispute prone situations, building relationships, and
avoiding process pitfalls.

From sector perspective, I have worked extensively in transportation involving railway

infrastructure (Signal, IoT applications), digital transformation of airports (IT strategy),
passenger experience (Digi Yatra), business process re-engineering, IoT and
blockchain solutions. I have learned how digital transformation translates on the ground.

6 years of project management with engagements ranging from project worth INR 450
crore, spanning across India with 350 work locations to railway works with complex
decision-making processes and stakeholder dynamics, I have gained practical skills like
agile decision making, micro negotiations, dispute resolution and creating wonderful
teams.

Having technology-centric approach, I obtained AWS Cloud Architect Associate license,

worked on IOT solutions and was nominated as the IOT SPOC for transport team EY.
Further, I have a strong inclination towards business development and expansion.

I have been the first mover, learning and growing out of comfort zone, while remaining
humble, motivating others and developing relationships. I am a natural at making
decisions and then following through. Colleagues know me for being a great team
builder. I have good cultural awareness and a knack for motivating people irrespective
of function and role.

Expansion mindset with a grounded philosophy of life, public-private edge experience

and my journey from grassroots posit me at the cusp of great experience and high
growth potential. Being a part of ISB would be a humbling experience. It would not only
be an opportunity to learn from the faculty and peers, but an opportunity to share and
enrich my experiences and learnings drawing better insights from them.
@@@@@

As I introspect to find the answer, I recollect my childhood in the village, school days
studying English in Hindi, securing admit to one of the best colleges, joining a PSU with
rank 2, transitioning from public sector to consulting, failing many times and winning
some accolades along the way. I believe, I should be in the class not only for the
contender mindset but also for distinctive experience and effective transferable skills.

My 6-year experience in public sector with RITES and clients such as ONGC, NTPC,
Bangalore Metro, AAI, gaining process and functional expertise, made me adept at
identifying key stakeholders and influencers, drafting effective notes and
communication, pre-empting dispute prone situations, building lasting relationships,
interpreting intentions and avoiding process pitfalls.

From a sector perspective, I have worked extensively in transportation involving railway

infrastructure (Signal, IoT applications), digital transformation of airports (IT strategy),
passenger experience (Digi Yatra), business process re-engineering, IoT and
blockchain solutions. I have learned how digital transformation translates on the ground.

In addition, having lived project management for 6 years with engagements ranging
from project worth INR 450 crore, spanning across India with 350 work locations to
railway works with complex decision-making processes and stakeholder dynamics, I
have gained practical skills, such as agile decision making, swift communication, micro
negotiations, dispute resolution and creating wonderful teams.

Having a technology centric approach, I obtained AWS Cloud Architect Associate

license, worked on IOT solutions and was nominated as the IOT SPOC for transport
team at EY. Bringing these solutions to client, I have a strong inclination towards
business development and expansion.

From academics to profession, I have been the first mover, continuously learning and
growing out of my comfort zone, while remaining humble, motivating others and
developing lasting relationships. I am a natural at making swift decisions and then
following them through. Colleagues know me for being a great team builder. I have
good cultural and diversity awareness and a knack for motivating people irrespective of
their function and role.

Expansion mindset with a grounded philosophy of life, public-private edge experience,

and my journey from grassroots posit me at the cusp of great experience and high
growth potential. Being a part of the ISB PGP would be a humbling experience. It would
not only be an opportunity to learn from the faculty and peers, but an opportunity to
share and enrich my experiences and learnings, and to draw better insights from them.

DRAFT 2 of 403 words:

As I introspect to find the answer, I recollect my childhood in the village, school days
studying English in Hindi, securing admit to one of the best colleges, getting rank 2 to
join a PSU, transitioning from public sector to consulting, failing many times and winning
some accolades along the way. I believe, I should be in the class not only for the
contender mindset but also for distinctive experience and effective transferable skills.

My 6 year experience in public sector, gaining process and functional expertise, made
me adept at identifying key stakeholders and influencers, drafting effective notes and
communication, pre-empting dispute prone situations, building lasting relationships,
interpreting intentions and avoiding process pitfalls.

From a sector perspective, I have worked extensively in transportation involving railway

infrastructure, digital transformation of airports, passenger experience in aviation and
railways, business process re-engineering, IoT and block chain solutions. I have learned
how digital transformation translates on the ground.
In addition, having lived project management for 6 years with engagements ranging
from project worth INR 450 crore, spanning across India with 350 work locations to
railway works with complex decision-making processes and stakeholder dynamics, I
have gained practical skills, such as agile decision making, swift communication,
leading micro negotiations, dispute resolution and creating wonderful teams.

Having a technology centric approach, I obtained AWS Cloud Architect Associate

license, worked on IOT solutions and was nominated as the IOT SPOC for transport
team at EY. Bringing these solutions to client, I have a strong inclination towards
business development and expansion.

From academics to profession, I have been the first mover, continuously learning and
growing out of my comfort zone, while remaining humble, motivating others and
developing lasting relationships. I am a natural at making swift decisions and then
following them through. Colleagues know me for being a great team builder. I have
good cultural and diversity awareness and a knack for motivating people irrespective of
their function and role.

Expansion mindset with a grounded philosophy of life, public-private edge experience,

and my journey from grassroots posit me at the cusp of great experience and high
growth potential. Being a part of the ISB PGP would be a humbling experience. It would
not only be an opportunity to learn from the faculty and peers, but an opportunity to
share and enrich my experiences and learnings, and to draw better insights from them.

DRAFT 1 of 507 words:

“First hand to go up!”, someone uttered, as I stood in the centre of a large hall with 250
senior consultants during excellence program at EY. Eventually others gained
confidence and participated, this precipitated good participation in the group. This is not
an exception​ ​. I believe that a small move can create a movement.

To answer the question fully, I re-collected my childhood in the village, school days
where we studied English in Hindi, how I secured admit to one of the best colleges,
secured rank 2, to join a PSU, transitioned from public sector to consulting in a Big 4,
failed many times and won some accolades along the way. I should be in the class not
only due to the contender m
​ indset but also because of my distinctive experience and

effective transferable skills.

Today, public sector may be competitor or partner, but it cannot be ignored.

Compliance, regulations, business opportunities are various facets of public -private
interaction. I have demonstrated my understanding of government sector many times
such as when a drafting paper on Railways and industry relations at EY.

In this time of disruption, differing industry perspectives are enlightening. Irrespective of

the sector, industry, country, people and goods need to move in smart, efficient and
economical way, making movement an essence of economy. I have worked in mobility
domain covering railways, ports, aviation. Mobility is changing. The one who knows the
background of change would better understand the implications, challenges and
opportunities of it.

Though I have not studied project management, I have lived it for 6 years. Being
involved in engagements ranging from INR 80 lakh inhouse project with more than 1000
stakeholders, project worth INR 450 crore, spanning across the length and breadth of
the nation for ONGC, railway works with complex decision-making processes and
stakeholder dynamics, has given me practical insights​[AS4] .​ ​[AS5] Functionally from
solutioning to measuring the cable trench depth at sites, I have held various helms.

In addition, I have always explored new opportunities. I quickly identify expansion

opportunities, for instance I led service expansion at RITES, successfully converting a
INR 15 crore consulting order, augmenting department revenue by 100%. Key idea here
is to have a client centric approach, solving clients’ problems and identifying
improvement areas.

In sync with the future, I obtained AWS Certified Cloud Architect Associate license and
worked on solutions for various mobility sub sectors leveraging IOT. Recognizing the
contribution, I was nominated as the IOT SPOC for mobility sector at EY. Further, I am
exploring applications of blockchain to the problems of mobility sector.

Aspiration is contiguous. I have my feet firmly grounded and eyes set on the horizon.
Expansion mindset with a grounded philosophy of life, public private dichotomy, and my
journey from grass roots posits me at the cusp of great experience and high growth
potential. As ISB PGP will be the most suited program for me, I will be undoubtedly a
suitable candidate for the cohort.

ISB Essay 2:
What will you be doing in 2025 and 2030? How will the ISB PGP programme help you to
achieve these goals?
(xxx words max)

ISB rarely focuses on the long term goals of the candidate. However, in the last few
years the school has received feedback from its stakeholders about 'the lack of vision' in
its class. Thus this essay is the school's attempt to find 'Ethical Global Leaders for the
next Decade'.

For all practical purposes this is still the 'where do you want to go' or the ‘GOAL’s’
essay.
The essay reader is expecting you to upfront state where do you plan to go after ISB but
also outline a somewhat vague Vision for 2025 to 2030.You may spend the rest of the
essay explaining the why and how of it but the emphasis is clearly on a logical
sequence that can be defended at the interview. The fundamental is to keep it
extremely frank and lucid for the reader.

Structure wise start by stating your vision for 2025- 2030. Then tell them very clearly
what kind of a job are you looking for immediately after your MBA. Then fill in details
about what makes you believe that you qualify for the goal you have set for yourself.
Finally put in why only the MBA forms the missing link that connects you to your goal.
You may also put in a line or two about what inspires you towards your vision.

The key is to connect your future ambitious to your past and present decisions.
Remember according to the ISB Adcom, you can only do something in the future if you
have been planning to do it since you began your career and the MBA is a vital means
to that end.

Write this essay first.

******

Your Thoughts on Essay 2:

DRAFT 3 of 419 words:

Edited: 400 words.

After ISB, I want to join the transportation practice at EY itself or a similar firm as a
Manager. Soon I hope to lead a transportation team at a global technology firm (like
Siemens), gravitate to a strategy role by 2030 and influence the growth of the
transportation sector.

Having started as an Executive Trainee at RITES, progressing to Assistant Manager

and Project Manager, I have played a key role in several large-scale projects. Notable
was the EACS project for ONGC where I managed a team of 35 engineers, 2 works
contractors and reported to CxOs. I managed Railway works (Visakhapatnam Steel
Plant), contributed to DPRs (Semi-High-Speed Railways) and was awarded for
exemplary performance.

After 5 years with government, I explored opportunities in the consulting space to

diversify my role and sector portfolio and thus joined EY as a Senior Consultant. The
transition was challenging but I quickly adapted. Within a year, I delivered a DPR for
Smart-Yard Integration Platform (Indian Railways), drafted RFP and function
requirements for Digi-Yatra Identity Platform (Bangalore International Airport),
contributed to Port Community System (Indian Ports Association), worked on Automatic
Fare Collection (Bangalore Metro) and bagged the “Kudos” award.

To gain strategic perspective, I worked with a Partner in delivering a knowledge paper

(Indian railways: Fostering symbiotic industrial growth) and contributed to business
efforts by drafting proposals like Single Window for Government of Bangladesh. I
believe my experience along with an MBA will enable me to become a manager
immediately after the MBA.

The transportation industry is going through a revolution which is visible in the advent of
electric mobility, ride sharing and many other initiatives. Transportation is a growth
imperative and I aspire to shape the development of ​transportation towards a
sustainable future in the longterm.

Courses on transaction analysis and modelling would allow me to explore transaction

advisory practice; competitive strategy and statistical methods for management
decisions will catalyze my transition to top management. I believe that credibility, a
composite of experience, attitude and education is paramount to leadership. An MBA at
a top notch school like ISB will enable me as a more effective change-maker. Finally, a
leader is as good as her/his team, being an MBA would not only assure the senior
alumni of my all-round capabilities but it would empower me with a strong base of the
best minds when I reach the higher echelons of industry by 2030.
@@@@

After PGP, I would join transportation practice at EY (similar firm) as Manager. In 2025,
I hope to lead transportation team at a global technology firm (such as Siemens), rise to
top strategy role by 2030 and influence the growth of transportation sector towards a
sustainable future.

My journey gives me confidence. Starting as Executive Trainee at RITES, progressing

to Assistant Manager and Project Manager, I played key roles in several large-scale
projects. Notable was EACS project for ONGC, where I managed a team of 35
engineers, 2 works contractors, and reported to CxOs. Besides, I managed Railway
works (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant), contributed to DPRs (Semi-High-Speed Railways)
and was awarded for exemplary performance. After 5 years with government, to
diversify role and sector portfolio, I explored opportunities in the consulting space and
joined EY as Senior Consultant. The transition was difficult, however, I quickly adapted.
Within one year, I delivered a DPR for Smart-Yard Integration Platform (Indian
Railways), drafted RFP and function requirements for Digi-Yatra Identity Platform
(Bangalore International Airport), contributed to Port Community System (Indian Ports
Association), worked on Automatic Fare Collection (Bangalore Metro), and bagged the
“Kudos” award. To gain strategic perspective, I worked with a Partner in delivering a
knowledge paper (Indian railways: Fostering symbiotic industrial growth) and
contributed to business efforts by drafting proposals such as for Single Window for
Government of Bangladesh. I believe, my experience strengthened with PGP will
enable me to achieve a manager position in EY (or other big 4). I believe
transportation industry is going through a revolution which is visible in the advent of
electric mobility, ride sharing and many other initiatives and sustainability - economic,
environmental and social, will drive this revolution. Transportation is a growth imperative
and I aspire to shape the development of transportation towards a sustainable future.

PGP will provide me strong education and practice foundations. Course on transaction
analysis and modelling would allow me to explore transaction advisory practice;
competitive strategy and statistical methods for management decisions will catalyze my
transition to top management. I believe that credibility, a composite of experience,
attitude and education is paramount to leadership. PGP and an impeccable reputation
of ISB will enable me as a more effective change-maker. Finally, a leader is as good as
her/his team, being a PGP graduate would not only assure the senior alumni of my
all-round capabilities while approached for opportunities, it would empower me with a
strong base of the best minds when I reach the higher echelons of industry by 2030.

DRAFT 2 of 409 words:

After PGP, I would join transportation practice at EY (similar firm) as Manager. In 2025,
I hope to lead transportation team at a global technology firm (such as Siemens), rise to
top strategy role by 2030 and influence the growth of transportation sector towards a
sustainable future.

My journey gives me confidence. Starting as Executive Trainee at RITES, progressing

to Assistant Manager and Project Manager, I played key roles in several large-scale
projects. Notable was EACS project for ONGC, where I managed a team of 35
engineers, 2 works contractors, and reported to CxOs. Besides, I managed Railway
works (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant), contributed to DPRs (Semi-High-Speed Railways)
and was awarded for exemplary performance. After 5 years with government, to
diversify role and sector portfolio, I explored opportunities in the consulting space and
joined EY as Senior Consultant. The transition was difficult, however, I quickly adapted.
Within 6 months, I delivered a DPR for railways (Smart-Yard Integration Platform),
drafted RFP and function requirements for aviation client (Digi-Yatra Identity Platform),
contributed to port domain (Port Community System) and bagged the “Kudos” award.
To gain strategic perspective, I worked with a Partner in delivering a knowledge paper
(Indian railways: Fostering symbiotic industrial growth) and contributed to business
efforts by drafting proposals such as for Single Window for Government of Bangladesh.
I believe, my experience strengthened with PGP will enable me to achieve a manager
position in EY (or other big 4). I believe transportation industry is going through a
revolution which is visible in the advent of electric mobility, ride sharing and many other
initiatives and sustainability - economic, environmental and social, will drive this
revolution. Transportation is a growth imperative and I aspire to shape the development
of transportation towards a sustainable future.

PGP will provide me strong education and practice foundations. Course on transaction
analysis and modelling would allow me to explore transaction advisory practice;
competitive strategy and statistical methods for management decisions will catalyze my
transition to top management. I believe that credibility, a composite of experience,
attitude and education, is paramount for leadership. PGP and an impeccable reputation
of ISB will enable me as a more effective change-maker. Finally, a leader is as good as
her/his team, being a PGP graduate would not only assure the senior alumni of my
all-round capabilities while approached for opportunities, it would empower me with a
strong base of the best minds when I reach the higher echelons of industry by 2030.
DRAFT 1 of 370 words:

After PGP, I would join transportation practice at EY (similar firm) as Manager. In 2025, I aim to
lead transportation solutions team at a global technology firm (such as Siemens), rise to top
strategy role by 2030 and influence the growth of transportation sector towards a sustainable
future.

My journey gives me confidence. Starting as Executive Trainee at RITES, progressing to

Assistant Manager and Project Manager, I played key roles in several large-scale projects.
Notable was EACS project for ONGC, where I managed a team of 35 engineers, 2 works
contractors, and reported to CxOs. Besides, I managed Railway signaling works
(Visakhapatnam Steel Plant), contributed to DPRs (Semi High-Speed Railways) and was
awarded for exemplary performance. After 5 years with government, to diversify role and sector
portfolio, I explored opportunities in the consulting space and joined EY as Senior Consultant.
The transition was difficult, however, I quickly adapted. Within 6 months, I delivered a DPR for
railways (Smart Yard Integration Platform), drafted RFP and function requirements for aviation
client (Digi Yatra Identity Platform), contributed to port domain (Port Community System) and
bagged the “Kudos” award. To gain strategic perspective, I worked with a Partner in delivering a
knowledge paper (Indian railways: Fostering symbiotic industrial growth) and contributed to
business efforts by drafting proposals such as for Single Window for Government of
Bangladesh. I believe, my experience strengthened with PGP will enable me to achieve a
manager position in EY (or other big 4). I believe transportation industry is going through a
revolution which is visible in the advent of electric mobility, ride sharing and many other
initiatives and sustainability - economic, environmental and social, will drive this revolution.
Transportation is the growth imperative and I aspire to shape the future of transportation in a
sustainable way.

However, before one can lead, one must have strong business understanding. Besides,
knowledge and practice are the foundations of confidence. ISB will provide me both. Course on
transaction analysis and modelling would allow me to diversify my consulting role from business
advisory to transaction advisory. Case study method, competitive strategy and statistical
methods for management decisions will put me on a strong footing for the top management role
that I aspire to achieve by 2030.
ISB Essay 3: (For reapplicants only)

Please use this space to explain any significant improvements in your profile since your last
application (re-applicant) (200 words max)

In case of re-applicants this essay will be read first and should include not just what has
changed but also how are you better prepared this time.

The Re Applicant's Essay usually has 3 parts:

1. Expressing Anguish and Disappointment on the Rejection but showcasing Resolve and commitment.

2. Talking about what has changed in your profile and by how much. You may also want to explain why
certain things like the GMAT have not changed or changed. Work responsibilities and nature of
assignments you have consciously picked up to help you move towards your eventual post MBA Goal can
be highlighted here. Any additional MooCs or Certifications can be mentioned here.

3. Many people forget to close the loop by not explaining how you have prepared differently this time for
the application process. The Schools Admissions marketing team conducts a lot of events like the
Infosessions, Feedback mailers and Alumni networking opportunities. They love being appreciated for
their work and thus you writing about how this benefited you while applying again will get you closer to
that interview call.

Write this essay last.

******

Your Thoughts on Essay 3:

Changes from last application:

Tangible/ verifiable changes:

1. GMAT - Improved AWA from 3 to 5 and IR from 6 to 8

2. Job change - from public to private sector - towards my post mba goal
3. Function change - from project management to management consulting - shows
achievability of the goal
4. Industry change - from Railways signal to broader transportation covering
aviation ports etc -- to be better placed in industry
5. Certification - AWS and WB Contract management - to be in sync with the
change and stay relevant

intangibles

6. Goal Clarity -- last ​year's goal​ was to reach partner position in consulting such as
bain etc, now I understand that profile is better suited to industry
7. Info Sessions (planning to attend in August)
8. Alum connect (to better understand what to expect from ISB)
9. Working on developing industry connects, involved in ​startup​ ecosystem

DRAFT 3 of xxx words:

DRAFT 2 of 212 words:

Edited: 194 words.

Despite a strong GMAT and profile, rejection at ISB came as a shock and reality check
ensued. I critically examined my application and other aspects of my profile.

I realized that my AWA score was low, took the GMAT again and improved my AWA
from 3 to 5 and IR from 6 to 8. Secondly, to improve career prospects post MBA, I
underwent a complete professional transition from a public-sector company to a
multinational private firm. Functionally, I shifted from project management to consulting
to gain more functional understanding. My erstwhile domain was niche and limited to
railway signaling, I took the opportunity to broaden my domain expertise by joining
transportation practice at EY. I now have projects in aviation, ports, metro alongside
railways. I also obtained industry relevant certifications to meet the demands of dynamic
business ecosystem. Further, to gain a better understanding of the PGP @ ISB, I
attended information sessions, webinars and connected with alumni.

I firmly believe that over the course of two years I have improved considerably in
academic and professional spheres and will be able to learn more from the program and
contribute better to the class of 2020.

@@@@@

With strong GMAT and profile, I was certain of making it to ISB in 2017. Rejection came
as a shock and reality check ensued. I critically examined my application and other
aspects of my profile.

I realized that my AWA score was low and was not representative of my writing abilities.
I reappeared in GMAT and improved my AWA from 3 to 5 and IR from 6 to 8. Secondly,
to improve career prospects post MBA, I undertook complete professional
transformation. I transitioned from a public-sector company to a multinational private
firm. Functionally, I shifted from project management to consulting to gain more
functional understanding. In addition, my erstwhile domain was niche, limited to railway
signaling, I took the opportunity to broaden my domain expertise by joining
transportation practice at EY. Now I have projects in aviation, ports, metro alongside
railways. Also, I obtained industry relevant certifications to meet the demands of
dynamic business ecosystem. Further, to gain a better understanding of the PGP and
ISB, I attended information sessions, webinars and connected with alumni.

I firmly believe that over the course of two years I have improved considerably, in
academic and professional spheres, and will be able to learn more from the program
and contribute better to the class of 2020.

DRAFT 1 of 209 words:

With a strong GMAT and profile, I was certain of making it to ISB in 2017. Rejection
came as a shock and reality check ensued. I critically examined my application and
other aspects of my profile. I also contacted senior ISB alumni to really understand the
cause of rejection.

I realized that my AWA score was low and was not representative of my writing abilities.
I reappeared in GMAT and improved my AWA from 3 to 5 and IR from 6 to 8. Secondly,
I undertook complete professional transformation. I transitioned from a public-sector
company to a multinational private firm. Functionally, I shifted from project management
to consulting to gain more functional understanding. In addition, my erstwhile domain
was niche, limited to railway signaling, I took the opportunity to broaden my domain
expertise by joining transportation practice at EY. Now I have projects in aviation, ports,
metro alongside railways. Also, I obtained industry relevant certifications to meet the
demands of dynamic business ecosystem. Further, to gain a better understanding of the
PGP and ISB, I attended information sessions, webinars and connected with alumni.

Overall, I took rejection as an opportunity to introspect. I substantially improved my

GMAT AWA, achieved better industry positioning and gained broader functional and
domain understanding.
If you are applying to schools other than ISB and have Signed up with me for a
multiple school program please append the names of the schools here along with
details such as deadlines and essay questions.

1. IIM-A PGPX:

Application Close date: 27 August2019

Essay Submission: 9-14 September 2019

Essay Question: To be released on 9th September

2. ​IIM - B EPGP:

Application Close Date: 29 August 2019

Essay Question: Statement of Purpose

3. ​IIM - C MBAEx:

Application Close Date: 15 September 2019

Essay Question: Statement of Purpose

This should include an objective and clear statement on why you want to join the MBAEx programme?; what
qualities, experience and achievements do you have to justify your admission; what types of jobs and at
what level do you expect after successful completion of MBAEx? (word limit 500 words)

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