Harsha Vardhan Thumpati’s mother was married at 16 and he was born when she was 17. She dreamt of becoming a state-level kho kho player and pursuing higher studies, but she had to let go of her dreams. Though she couldn't achieve what she dreamt of, she instilled the same grit and perseverance in Harsha.
One can conclude that it is this grit and perseverance that Harsha inherited that helped him secure AIR 113 rank in GATE, travel out of his district in Andhra Pradesh to study and eventually, get a good job.
Once, while Harsha was in a meeting with top senior officials of a company he was employed at, he observed the proceedings silently, keenly looking at the senior management conduct themselves. But his mind was asking several loud questions: Can I be more effective in managing people? Can I take tough calls at the right time? He realised that his thoughts were leaning more towards the aspects of leadership and management.
These questions led the 27-year-old to IIM Ahmedabad’s Post Graduate Programme in Management for Executives (PGPX) where he unearthed more questions and found many more answers.
It may be recalled that in the recently released National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2022, IIM Ahmedabad bagged the top spot in the Management category.
In our interaction with Harsha, the youngster spoke about the course, how it enriched him and showed him the path ahead.
Why did you decide to leave the professional world and opt for an academic route to broaden your horizon? What was missing from the corporate world?
I had the opportunity to interact with the senior leaders from my earlier organisation in proposals’ approval meetings. Observing them, I found myself asking these questions to myself: Can I be more effective in managing people? Can I take tough calls at the right time? I realised that I was leaning more towards the aspects of leadership and management.
Then I realised my long-term career goal, which is to be able to contribute to an organisation or society in a much bigger way. I knew that I could contribute more if my business knowledge can be enhanced to greater heights. I want to learn from a diverse portfolio of stakeholder engagements and put all my theoretical experience into practice in a real-world environment.
How did you find out about PGPX?
I want to reach a position where my decisions bring a great impact on the profitability of the organisation I am working with and the society, at large. I found that MBA can enhance this process of me being in that position.
Undoubtedly, IIM Ahmedabad is a top institute, with esteemed faculty. When I started preparing for my MBA entrance exam, I found the name PGPX at IIMA on all forums. I enquired about it from students of top B-schools and B-school aspirants and their insights made it more exciting to be in IIMA. PGPX course structure is inclined toward my interests in developing decision-making and leadership skills.
How was it to be a part of a 140-candidate cohort who hailed from diverse backgrounds?
I am truly privileged to be among these brilliant professionals. The diversity brought to the table by highly talented peers, from more than 20 types of industries, is a great learning opportunity for me at IIMA. Seeing every aspect from different perspectives has broadened my way of thinking. It opened many doors of wisdom and opportunities for me.
All 140 members are very cordial and very supportive of one another while maintaining healthy competition. Everyone here tries to understand others and respects others’ decisions or thoughts. IIMA has undeniably mastered the selection process for the PGPX course.
What are your biggest takeaways from PGPX?
Case discussions are the ones I loved the most. The case-based pedagogy at IIMA is fascinating and alluring to imbibe. A group of people working on the same case opens different possible solutions. I would say that this place made me a person who is oriented, objective, and most importantly, a much-polished version of myself.
Diverse cohort discussions through syndicate groups and other knowledge enhancement aspects made me think beyond the boundaries. I started thinking from others' perspectives. I started observing and analysing, before reacting.
Tell us about how, so far, the course will help you in your future endeavours?
PGPX brought new challenges to my life. The fast-paced curriculum and highly smart peers made me take on those challenges with ease and interest. The course so far has enabled me to see a comprehensive image of the business world. Real-time examples, fruitful class discussions, and extremely helpful professors have helped me completely adapt to the curriculum. The academic rigour at IIMA has made me confident to take highly challenging corporate assignments.
What is it that you want to do next?
As I said, I want to reach a position where my decisions can create a positive impact within the organisation I am working with and in society around me. I want to help different organisations with process optimisations, reduce redundancies, and enhance efficiencies. I wanted to be a person, who can be a change maker, problem solver, and ultimately, a visionary leader.
I came from a place where the percentage of graduates among youngsters is very low. I want to help them in achieving new heights through motivation or monetary ways. I hope my efforts can bring a positive effect on the literacy rate in and around my village.
