My days at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras follow a rhythm I have grown to enjoy – one that balances academics, ambition, and moments of pause. I usually begin with classes that stretch through the morning and afternoon, where I try to stay fully present and engaged. Evenings transition into my work with the Entrepreneurship Cell – meetings, brainstorming sessions, and building something meaningful alongside people who have become my closest friends.
Nights often slow down into something more personal: solving a Rubik’s Cube – my personal best is 7.3 seconds, strumming the guitar with my wingmates in Ganga Hostel, or simply unwinding over conversations and Bollywood films.
Fitness fits in wherever it can – through swimming, jogging, or time at the gym. If I had to summarise it, my routine is about “taking it slow and enjoying every moment,” even within the intensity of IIT life.
Coming to IIT Madras in November 2022 was also my first time living away from home. That transition came with its own challenges – adjusting to Chennai’s heat, cycling across campus in the sun, and figuring out independence. But it also opened up a world of friendships and perspectives. From hanging out in our hostel wing to late-night chai sessions at Himalaya Food Court, or occasional visits to CCD, Zaitoon, and Nescafé on campus, the institute quickly became home. The professors here encourage first-principles thinking and application-based learning, which has shaped how I approach problems.
One experience I remember vividly is working on a case competition where a professor’s technical and strategic guidance helped our team refine our approach and eventually win.
Roots, curiosity, and the road to IIT
I grew up in Thane, Maharashtra, in an environment that constantly encouraged curiosity. I was an energetic child, always exploring – whether through elocution, drama, music, dance, or puzzles like the Rubik’s Cube and Mathdoku.
Sports were equally important to me; I trained in taekwondo, played chess, swam, and skated.
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Alongside all of this, academics remained a strong anchor. I consistently ranked among the top students in school, scoring 97.8 per cent in ICSE and 95.8 per cent in ISC, and was honoured with the Governor’s Gold Medal for both.
Leadership roles also came early – I was elected Vice President of the Interact Club in Class 9 and served as an Erudite Prefect in the Student Council.
My parents played a defining role in shaping this journey. My father works in the IT industry in the Data and AI solutions space, while my mother is a teacher who teaches maths and science at the secondary level. Their support allowed me to pursue a wide range of interests while staying grounded in discipline. If there’s one thing I still miss about home, it’s the weather. Thane’s pleasant climate is a stark contrast to Chennai’s heat.
The JEE journey and choosing aerospace
My fascination with science and space began early, which naturally led me toward JEE. I appeared for both JEE Main and JEE Advanced in 2022, securing an All India Rank of 2440 in JEE Main and 3414 in JEE Advanced. Preparation was not easy. It required discipline and consistency, especially since my entire coaching, integrated with my school, was conducted online during the pandemic. The absence of a physical peer group and the need to stay motivated in isolation were among the biggest challenges.
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Choosing Aerospace Engineering felt instinctive. I had always been fascinated by space launches and flight systems, and IIT Madras – with its strong faculty and facilities – made that choice even clearer. During JoSAA counselling, I also considered Mechanical Engineering across different IITs, but aerospace ultimately aligned best with my interests.
Learning beyond classrooms
A huge part of my transformation at IIT Madras has come from beyond the classroom. I have been part of Shaastra and Saathi, both for a year each, but the journey that has really shaped me has been inside the Entrepreneurship Cell – four years, starting as an associate manager and ending as Executive Head of an organisation with 300 people across 12 verticals. Every layer taught something different, and what strikes me in hindsight is how intentional that progression feels, even though you never plan it that way.
In the first year, you are a fresher being guided by seniors who show you how things work. Everything is execution-driven, and you learn teamwork by doing. Over time, you step into leadership – handling a vertical, representing your team’s interests, and building relationships across multiple levels. Each interaction demands a different approach – leading your team, collaborating with peers, and aligning with senior leadership. What makes IIT Madras unique is that these are the same people you compete with academically. You are solving problem sets together by day and building organisations together by night. That duality sharpens you in ways no single experience can.
By the time I became Executive Head, the role shifted from execution to strategy. I found myself making decisions alongside administration and industry leaders – high-stakes calls, often with incomplete information. That experience built confidence, resilience, and instincts that go far beyond academics. My ability to read a room, manage people, and balance competing priorities was developed here through experimentation, not theory.
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Internships, exposure, and career direction
My internships played a major role in shaping my career outlook. I worked at GalaxEye Space, analysing remote sensing data and understanding satellite imagery applications. At Mela Ventures, I evaluated early-stage startups and built an investment thesis in the deep-tech space. Most recently, I interned at Accenture Strategy and Consulting, working on strategy projects at the intersection of technology and business, which resulted in a pre-placement offer.
These experiences exposed me to technology, startups, and consulting – and helped me realise what excites me most: value creation, strategy, and understanding how businesses and investments work. Scoring a 99.64 percentile in CAT further reinforced my interest in management studies.
Looking ahead
Aerospace brought me here, but my journey has expanded far beyond it. My first internship in a space-tech startup sparked curiosity about the investment side of the ecosystem. That led me to venture capital, where I observed how funding decisions are made and what separates successful ventures from the rest. It was a turning point – I realised I was drawn to strategy, capital allocation, and long-term value creation.
Running the Entrepreneurship Cell felt, in many ways, like being a CEO – allocating funds, leading teams, and being accountable for outcomes. Combined with my experiences in consulting and case competitions, it made my transition toward management feel inevitable.
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In the long term, I aspire to build a venture of my own, particularly in the B2B and deep-tech space. My exposure to venture capital showed me a critical gap – innovative technologies often struggle to translate into compelling business propositions. That intersection, especially within aerospace, defence, and space sectors, is where I want to work. My aerospace degree gives me a technical lens that adds real depth in these domains.
And beyond that, IIT Madras has given me something even more valuable – a network, a mindset, and the confidence to navigate uncertainty.
Ultimately, the degree opened the doors. What I choose to build next is entirely up to me.
