How UPES’ winning approach prepares students for the corporate world

Alumni from the UPES School of Business discuss what drew them to the university, their journey of transformation, and how they got recruited by the most reputed companies

Ridhima Sharma enjoys playing with data. Her interest in data management led her to pursue an MBA with specialisation in Business Analytics at UPES. She got recruited in Accenture as Senior Analyst with a CTC of INR 11.56 lakhs per annum.

Reminiscing about her journey at UPES, Ridhima says, “I started my career as an engineer and got the exposure I was expecting at the university. The faculty have been supportive throughout this course and have guided me in every way possible. During the ongoing pandemic, UPES ensured minimal impact on the quality of education. The university overcame all the difficulties and continued the process of learning through online mode. We were first of the few passing out batches across the country who had their exams in time. All our queries and concerns were answered. I want to thank UPES for making my post-graduation journey memorable.”

Sai Sravanthi Kondaka, who studied BBA Financial Analysis & Services, stepped into UPES hoping to graduate with a degree that would speak for itself and graduated as a professional who would be able to find solutions to any challenge in the field.

Pondering over her transformation, Sai says, “I have been empowered not just as a student but as a person as well. Right from the orientation to personality enhancement programs, I was given opportunities to make my voice heard. I got recruited at Byjus through the campus placement program. UPES prepared me to adapt to the corporate world and today, my name is being given as an example to many of my colleagues at work.”

Pratik Ghanshyam Chaube, a Mechanical Engineering graduate, was working as a Project Engineer (Energy Management) for National Productivity Council under the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India. Using his analytical skills, he searched for Energy Conservation Opportunities (ENCON) in various industrial sectors.  

The job portfolio required performance assessment of major utilities and the study of industrial sectors under PAT (Perform Achieve & Trade) scheme collaboration with Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for designated consumers. This professional experience in energy sector made him realise the importance of energy management and its impact on the global economy. Therefore, Pratik decided to upgrade himself and enrolled in UPES’ MBA program in Oil and Gas Management in 2018.

So, what was it like to continue with academics after a gap of four years? “Definitely tough at the beginning,” Pratik recalls. “However, the kind of support I got from the department and my classmates brought the best out of me. From an elected Class Representative to becoming the topper of the batch, these two years at UPES changed my life completely.”

Pratik interned for one of the leading consulting agency Ernst & Young LLP as part of their Economic Development Advisory Team of Transaction Advisory practice to assist the team at Dehradun on investment promotion and facilitation for International Investment Summit 2018, organised by the Government of Uttarakhand.

He also did a Summer Internship Program at ONGC Videsh Limited and became the only intern to get a recommendation for a full-time employment opportunity at the company. He worked on their Project – Study of Asia Pacific Business Model.

Apart from studies, Pratik got the chance to continue with his passion for playing cricket. “I also served as the Hostel Captain at the Kandoli Campus Hostel. In that position, I got the opportunity to interact with the students of various age groups from different domains,” he adds.  

Pratik got placed at Accenture as Senior Business Analyst-Energy with a CTC of INR 9.83 lakh per annum.

Born and raised in Patna, Bihar, Hritwik Anand started harbouring the dream of making it big in the corporate world from a young age. He decided to pursue BBA in Oil and Gas Marketing from UPES. Looking back, he remembers how working on live projects helped him gain managerial skills along with technical knowledge.

“In my second year, I got the opportunity to work on a live project under GAIL Gas and BPCL. The project focused on performing market research and route mapping for implementing pipelines across Haridwar and determining the best possible route to make the laying of pipeline feasible for the organisation. The outcome of the project was finalised as the root structure for laying steel pipelines across Haridwar, after which gas could be supplied through the city. During my final year, I worked on the same live project for GAIL Gas in Meerut City.”

Hritwik says that he can see a vast difference in his personality from when he entered the university as an aspiring amateur to when he passed out as an industry-ready professional. He adds, “The faculty at UPES has been extremely encouraging. I would especially like to thank Mr. Anirudh Singh, Mr. Atul Rawat, and Mr. Karunakar Jha, who prepared me not just for a successful career but also for a prosperous life.”