Colleges like the IIMs are often mistaken to be the home-planet for geeks. But, the reality is far from general perception. This year’s batch at IIM Ahmedabad includes Akanksha Choudhary, a 20-year-old model and the winner of Miss India Elite 2016, who is all set to represent India internationally. A graduate from Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi, Choudhary enrolled in the two-year PGP programme after cracking CAT 2016.
But does being a pageant queen allow Akanksha enough time to dedicate towards her MBA dream? It requires effort and dedication, right from the CAT preparation, personal interviews and written tests to competing with the best brains across India to secure an admission in IIM-A, she adds “Every step of this journey has stretched my mind and helped me see a situation from all perspectives, and helped me understand the best way to approach a problem. I have developed the ability to select, organise and analyse information in the most efficient manner because of this.”
To ensure that she didn’t lag behind, Akanksha made sure to study and keep herself abreast with global scenarios. This required the Rajasthan-born to study constantly, even when on the move. “I have an affinity towards numerical subjects. Thus, for the quant and logical reasoning section, I first cleared my foundation basics and for the English section, I ensured that I read two newspapers everyday and at least two monthly magazines,” she says.
Staying dedicated, Akanksha not only managed to secure herself a spot at IIM-A, but also stayed focused on her passion and hobbies. While weekdays are meant for studying, weekends are chalked out for extracurricular activities likephoto shootss and fashion shows. “I ensure that my diet remains healthy and I hit the gym at least four days a week. Given the tight schedule I can expect in September, I have already started studying,” she says.
In terms of career, Akanksha is working towards becoming an ace consultant. “It is an area where I can use my analytical aptitude and creative problem-solving skills to the fullest. The opportunity to see a project from conception to conclusion appeals enormously to me,” says Akanksha, who attributes her mind-body balance and people skills to modelling. Talking about representing India globally, she says, “My father was an international sports player. He won a bronze during the Asian Games for cycling. Having always looked up to him, I too had a strong desire to represent my country.”
Akanksha is working hard in terms of her fashion quotient and emotional quotient to ensure that she makes India proud in the upcoming Miss Face of Beauty International that is to be held in Delhi this September.