Tribhuvan Gupta, a reapplicant, holds a degree in Electronics and Electrical engineering and worked as an analyst at EXL: Service Limited. To fulfill his short-term goal of becoming a financial consultant with McKinsey or Accenture, he decided to pursue a management education from the Indian School of Business (ISB). Unfortunately, his initial application was rejected. But he did not give up; he gained two more years of work experience, eventually rising to the position of lead assistant manager. He then partnered with MER ( myEssayReview) for his application for ISB and HEC, received interview offers from both, and was accepted into ISB. Tribhuvan has recently graduated from ISB’s PGP program.

 Let’s delve into Tribhuvan’s application journey to ISB, his one year at the ISB, and his post-ISB career.

In this interview with Poonam, Tribhuvan talks about the following:

• His background
• His Post ISB Career
•  ISB's Role in his Transformation
• Why ISB was his best ‘fit’
• His best experiences at ISB
• His suggestions regarding elective courses at ISB
• Challenges during the application process
• Hobbies/ Interests

Poonam: First, congratulations on graduating from your dream school ISB. How do you feel?

Tribhuvan: Thank you, Poonam. To be honest, I feel transformed. When I  joined ISB, every alumnus I met told me this would be a year of transformation, and I thought they were exaggerating. But after one year at ISB, I can vouch that ISB did transform me in more than one way.

Poonam: That’s wonderful. Can you tell us a little about how ISB transformed you?

Tribhuvan: I think transformation can’t be put into words because it’s a feeling.  Because of the fast pace of the course, I learned a lot more about myself than I thought. I also learned to react to situations quickly and in a balanced manner. The next thing I learned at ISB was co-existence with amazingly brilliant people. Everyone at ISB had accomplished something remarkable prior to coming to ISB, and they demonstrated what they were better at in the class. Being surrounded by such brilliance made me step up my game.  ISB has a way of taking away all your confidence at first and then training you to earn it back. This process not only made me humble but also instilled in me a belief that I can achieve what I  want to.

Poonam: That’s great. Please tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from, and what did you study before ISB?

Tribhuvan: Sure, I was born and raised in Chandigarh. I did my engineering in Electronics from PEC University of Technology in Chandigarh. After that, I joined EXL Service as a Business Analyst. Just before joining ISB, I was leading the development of pricing solutions for one of the largest banks in the UK. I had already developed analytical dashboards for a US Airliner and a UK-based insurer.

Poonam: That’s impressive. Could you please tell us something about your post-ISB career? What do you do now?

Tribhuvan: I graduated from ISB in April 2016 and joined Amazon in Luxembourg as a Business Analyst. My function hasn’t changed much since  ISB. I am still a business analyst, but now I have a deeper understanding of business, and I am responsible for Business Analytics of the entire Europe region. The business Analyst position being technical in nature, hasn’t changed much, but after ISB, my inputs have become more business-oriented, and I have the option of switching to Product Management roles quickly.

Poonam: It sounds like ISB gave you a valuable experience that you can apply to your career. Looking back, when did you start thinking about the PGP program of ISB? Why was ISB your dream school?

Tribhuvan: I always knew that I wanted to pursue an MBA after getting some experience, but I first wanted to be sure that I needed the knowledge MBA has to offer. After five years as an Analytics Consultant, I had reached a point where my clients were looking to me to provide them with a wholesome solution. I knew only an MBA could provide a 360-degree view of a business. I also didn’t want to spend too much time completing my MBA as there is a cost associated with being out of the job for two years. ISB’s PGP program is easily rated high on my list as it is a 1-year program, and all major companies from all industries recruit there. ISB also has the most renowned professors from B-schools, such as Wharton, Kellogg, and London Business School, on its visiting professors’ list, making it a great option. I applied to ISB in 2012 with three years of work experience but didn’t make it. So, I applied again in 2015 after gaining some more experience and working with you on my application. This time I made it through.

Poonam: What was your favorite thing about the PGP program of ISB? Additionally, could you please share your best experiences both in and outside of the classroom that helped shape your career?

Tribhuvan: It is hard for me to list one favorite thing. I can share the things that stood out the most. At ISB, professors in Operations, Marketing, and Strategy teach us by using different cases published in Harvard Business Review, and they make them very interesting by challenging our conclusions and involving the whole class in an open discussion. It was very rare for me to leave a class without learning anything new from the professor or my peers' in-class sessions. Moreover, all the events at ISB are student-driven and are held both at Mohali and Hyderabad campuses.  As the VP of the General Management club, I  enjoyed organizing ‘Advaita’, a multi-business school event.

Another big thing I was involved in at the ISB was ISL– the ISB version of IPL.  These extra-curricular activities helped me bond better with my classmates and allowed me to apply the managerial concepts learned in the classroom. Participation in various competitions also taught me that collaboration yields better results than individual brilliance.

Poonam:  Well said. Is there anything about the program that you would like to change?

Tribhuvan: The program is optimized to squeeze in the relevant knowledge within a year. I think the school can improve the scheduling and timing of its elective courses. Currently, these are scheduled as per the availability of the professors rather than the required timing of the course. For example, sometimes, we had to complete six lectures in a day only because the professor had to leave a week earlier than the course timing, which caused an unnecessary extra burden on an already packed day. In cases where the Prof must leave early, there should be an option to conduct the classes through video conferencing. Although the teaching quality may not be on par with the physical presence, it is still better than conducting classes on the weekend or affecting the remaining 4 – 5 courses in the term.

Poonam: Looking back, what was the most challenging aspect of the school admissions process? How did you approach that challenge and overcome it? What would you advise other applicants who are facing similar challenges?

Tribhuvan: Writing essays was the most challenging part of the admissions process, primarily because of the stringent word limit. Although I tried to write the essays myself, I  wasn’t able to convey the message I wanted to. Therefore,  I started to look for essay reviewers. I found a sample analysis of myEssayReview helpful and, therefore, decided to seek your assistance, and it worked well for me. I think every applicant needs some professional guidance for the essay part of the application.

Poonam: True. What are your favorite non-school books? What are your hobbies?

Tribhuvan: I am a big fan of detective novels and have read all of Sherlock Holmes and Dan Brown. In my free time, I like to watch cricket and play tennis/ badminton. Currently, I am in Europe and am enjoying learning French as well.

Poonam: Thank you, Tribhuvan, for sharing your story with us. It was a pleasure chatting with you about your ISB experience. Good luck with your future endeavors.

Note: You can connect with Tribhuvan via Linkedin    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tribhuvan-gupta-25b85b18/

Click here for Tribhuvan’s testimonial of MER Services.

Click here for Tribhuvan’s GMAT Club review.

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Since 2011, myEssayReview (MER) has helped applicants get accepted into the top 20 MBA, programs, including ISB. (MER owner Poonam is one of the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club.

Want to discuss this? Email Poonam at  poonam@myessayreview.com

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