Alumni, Santanu Behra From KIIT School of Management Shares His Experience

KIIT School of Management is a prestigious college located in Bhubaneshwar and is among the best B-School in India. The college has an excellent placement record, the average placement of the last year was 100% and most of the alumni are placed in reputed organizations. Below is an interview of alumni Santanu Behra:

1. Tell us about your domain and your work profile. At the professional level, did you pursue the same field you were interested or you switch?

   Ans: I am currently working as an Associate Business Analyst for Odessa INC at their Corporate Office, Bangalore, India. Yes, I have pursued my MBA in Business Analytics and I am working in the same field in the organization.

2. Can you briefly tell us about your career path so far?

   Ans: Prior to my MBA, I had worked for JK papers for 3 years; during my campus Interview in MBA, I got two opportunities, one in ICICI Lombard as Management Trainee and as an Analyst at Tata Consultancy Services. I chose to join Tata Consultancy Services and served until Nov 2021. Post that I joined Odessa INC as an Associate Business Analyst in a Loan and Leasing Financial Product, during this I had gained a handsome amount of experience in terms of client communication, understanding customer requirements, and optimized delivery of services.

3. Is industry work different from what you learn at B-School?

   Ans: Learning at B-school and job role at Industry may not be the same in many cases but you may be asked to don different hats while you are at work and to which you have to oblige. But, one must also understand, Research and Development is an important part of academics, and this theoretical knowledge that you gain from your MBA classes proves to be a boon that could bring new solutions to the many challenges faced by organizations.

4. How do you think your MBA programme has added value to your life, both professional and personal?

   Ans: As I mentioned before, I had work experience before joining MBA but I saw myself grow in academics and professionalism. I feel I have become more analytical in my approach to looking at any problem and providing a solution. Managing people became my forte. I learned people management while I was engaged in different club activities and programs. With MBA classes come loads of presentations. This helped me to become a good orator and improve the communication skills that are required in corporate life.

5. What was your initial thought process when you joined your MBA programme?

   Ans: To be honest, I wanted to explore opportunities, develop communication skills and make connections that would help me to grow professionally and personally.

6. You must have spent a memorable time at your B-School. Do you miss being a part of it? Share a few good memories

   Ans: The 2 years of MBA were like a home away from home, friends turned into family and the immense support from Professors never let me miss my home. It is very difficult to choose one best memory, all of them are precious and close to me but one of the best memory that I could think is the team that I worked with during the preparation of Kolosseum, the annual fest of KSOM, and one of the most prestigious events of the B School. 

7. Briefly take us through your life at the campus, the activities you used to do, and your routine life.

   Ans: My day generally began by 8 A.M and after morning chores and breakfast, I rushed to our classes that generally began at 9:30 and lasted up until 5:45. Evenings were generally about sports group meetings, sports, and general greet and meet. Some students dedicated time to club activities or were involved in co-curricular activities. After a sumptuous dinner, we would be back to our room completing assignments or preparing for the next day.

8. Apart from academics, what were the other activities you were involved in and how did it enrich your life?

   Ans: I was very fortunate to lead two of our college’s yearly events, right from planning to execution with the help of professors and a bunch of energetic students. During the entire process,

   it helped me to understand the importance of planning and how to overcome challenges as and when I faced them. It made me realize the importance of teamwork and how to manage the people and audiences that you are catering to. All the subjects of Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, and Analytics became true to life and I began to apply classroom learning to my events.

9. You are a proud alumnus of this top B-School. What is the best part of KSOM, Bhubaneswar from a student's perspective?

   Ans: The best thing one could gain from college is the Corporate connect that a student gets. The 4 National conclaves helped us to interact with top corporate professionals to understand the industry. KONFIDANT – the flagship corporate mentorship program of KSOM was immensely helpful as well. Here a group of 10-20 students is assigned to a corporate mentor who would guide and train students professionally.

10. What is your suggestion/guidance for the MBA aspirants?

    Ans: Making an informed decision is of utmost importance. Your goal should not be only good grades but exploring different opportunities and knowing if you are comfortable with the same. Your focus should be to get a good job, industry or work that you would love to join and pursue in the future.