With Technology playing a very significant role, it has also created the biggest challenge in the form of Infodemic (information is now ubiquitous, almost free, and is accessible to everyone). So our focus should be on how do we manage the information than just being the messenger of information as Teachers.
Tell us about your background, journey, and upbringing.
It’s been an exciting roller coaster for over 2 decades with opportunities to work with the troika of Corporate – Academia – Government. Even before the multi-disciplinary approach became mainstream, it was the sequence of things that enabled me to Graduate as a Chemical Engineer from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (REC Surathkal back then).
After completing XII from a UP Board school from a small place Moradabad (UP), It was an interesting start with Electrical Engineering at REC Hamirpur (HP) where I spent my first year.
Since there was No Credit Transfer provision, had to reappear in the Engineering Entrance Exam and repeated my First Year at REC Surathkal. So I’m an experienced Engineer who completed a UG Engineering degree in 5 years not in 4 years due to a lack of policy despite being one of the rank holders.
Since there was No Credit Transfer provision, had to reappear in the Engineering Entrance Exam and repeated my First Year at REC Surathkal. So I’m an experienced Engineer who completed a UG Engineering degree in 5 years not in 4 years due to a lack of policy despite being one of the rank holders.
Later when I opted for a ‘Community Empathy Program’ of Infosys to work with a rural-based University, the need to do Masters' in Economics and then a Doctorate (IT & Economics) completed the formal education rigmarole and degree requirements.
Starting a Job with Infosys during the Y2K regime was a ‘Dream Campus Placement’ with a caveat that all the US Visa processing stopped as 9/11 happened. So after starting at Pune, the first ‘Onsite’ was to Bangalore as projects were being shelved. Worked with Banking Business Unit (BBU) of Infosys with the only product by the IT Giant: Finacle.
Starting a Job with Infosys during the Y2K regime was a ‘Dream Campus Placement’ with a caveat that all the US Visa processing stopped as 9/11 happened. So after starting at Pune, the first ‘Onsite’ was to Bangalore as projects were being shelved. Worked with Banking Business Unit (BBU) of Infosys with the only product by the IT Giant: Finacle.
It was in 2002 when the opportunity to work on a US Banking giant project allowed me to travel the US and worked for a major part of the decade there. By the time I moved back to India (2009), I had extensively worked in Technology, Business, and Management domain areas to cover most of the IT services.
With an objective to ‘Give back to Society’, I opted for the Community Empathy program of Infosys and moved to my native place to work with IFTM University
in 2011. As Director – Corporate & International Relations, it was a great
opportunity to learn various nuances of the private university system in a rural area.
A Higher Education Leaders program at Oxford University, UK, and Harvard
University, USA allowed me to broaden the horizon and appreciate the role of
Private University system in the world. Subsequently as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor
of the University, I could deploy many of those learnings as Best Practices.
With an objective to ‘Give back to Society’, I opted for the Community Empathy program of Infosys and moved to my native place to work with IFTM University
in 2011. As Director – Corporate & International Relations, it was a great
opportunity to learn various nuances of the private university system in a rural area.
A Higher Education Leaders program at Oxford University, UK, and Harvard
University, USA allowed me to broaden the horizon and appreciate the role of
Private University system in the world. Subsequently as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor
of the University, I could deploy many of those learnings as Best Practices.
I also got an opportunity to be part of a level 2 think tank of Young leaders (under the age of 40) between Australia and India. As a delegate of Australia India Youth
Dialogue (AIYD), I traveled to Sydney and Melbourne.
Dialogue (AIYD), I traveled to Sydney and Melbourne.
The leadership position also provided the opportunity to work extensively with ministries like the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Telecom Sector Skill Council for creating a skilling ecosystem in the rural-based University.
After moving back to Pune in 2018, it has been a great privilege to lead the Atal
Incubation Centre (AIC) at MIT ADT University as its CEO. It’s a section-8 non-
profit company supported by NITI Aayog, Govt of India and hosted by MIT ADT
University.
After moving back to Pune in 2018, it has been a great privilege to lead the Atal
Incubation Centre (AIC) at MIT ADT University as its CEO. It’s a section-8 non-
profit company supported by NITI Aayog, Govt of India and hosted by MIT ADT
University.
My current role keeps me excited to work with a young, passionate generation that wants to be a Job Creator rather than a Job Seeker. It’s a great opportunity to build a strong ecosystem of Innovation and Entrepreneurship across the Country.
So a very humble journey from a conservative Brahmin family, life has been very kind to take me to the Best Global Organizations. I’ve always been inspired by my Father and a leading Professor of Economics Dr. R. M. Dubey (for Honesty and Integrity), Mr. NRN, and Mr. Nandan Nilekani (for Dreaming Big, Ethical, and Professional Skills), and Dr. Mangesh Karad (for Hard work and Empathy).
Currently, I live in Pune with my Strongest pillar; a family with a wife and two kids.
So a very humble journey from a conservative Brahmin family, life has been very kind to take me to the Best Global Organizations. I’ve always been inspired by my Father and a leading Professor of Economics Dr. R. M. Dubey (for Honesty and Integrity), Mr. NRN, and Mr. Nandan Nilekani (for Dreaming Big, Ethical, and Professional Skills), and Dr. Mangesh Karad (for Hard work and Empathy).
Currently, I live in Pune with my Strongest pillar; a family with a wife and two kids.
When and how did you get clarity on what you wanted to do?
That’s an interesting question as you can’t plan to become something in advance. As Steve Jobs said “ You can only connect the dots looking backward”, I kept my focus on giving my best at all times. Life is highly unpredictable so no matter what you plan, it’ll throw up new challenges.
Back in the 90s, if you were not doing Medicine or Engineering, it was considered ‘Kya Karoge Jeevan mein’. So had to do Engineering, then for Job opportunities in the Y2K era, it was IT that was considered a decent paying job. So Infosys with ESOPs was the Best Choice for a Chemical Engineer at NITK.
At Infosys, the DNA of giving back to society was strengthened and hence Academia happened through the ‘Community Empathy Program’. Both global corporate and academia skills are being used to support the Innovators in my current role.
So it was always one thing that leads to another. Hence my focus to always ‘give your Best’ in the present scenario has helped so far.
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What does your typical workday look like?
After the morning badminton session (currently closed due to pandemic), it starts with a Chai and a Newspaper (hard copy). First half is mostly meetings and planning followed by occasional speaking assignments. The second half is focused on execution and catching up on emails.
I try to read a lot in order to keep abreast due to the nature of my job. Evenings are mostly reserved for family time. We try to sit together for Lunch but Dinner is a must and an opportunity to catch up on the day’s events with everyone.
Pandemic has also given time to watch a movie or OTT stuff together in the evening.
Several global companies have come out and thrown their support behind not needing a formal education. What is your opinion about this?
Let me tweak this question, most global companies do not see value in current formal education. So this is True that the education system that was focused on Teacher based learning has to evolve given the changes in society.
Let me tweak this question, most global companies do not see value in current formal education. So this is True that the education system that was focused on Teacher based learning has to evolve given the changes in society.
With Technology playing a very significant role, it has also created the biggest challenge in the form of Infodemic (information is now ubiquitous, almost free, and is accessible to everyone). So our focus should be on how do we manage the information than just being the messenger of information as Teachers.
Also, the role of the Teacher itself is transforming into Mentor’s role. I think the last two decades in global education were focused on creating specialists whereas due to the complex nature of society and a New World order after Covid, it’ll need generalist skills to be added in the future to deal with uncertainties.
Hence to begin, it’ll be a very strong specialist skill to form the core ‘Circle of Competence’ and then add the layers of general skills for a better outcome. I’m sure the New Education Policy (NEP 2020) once Implemented in its letter and spirit, will provide a better platform to build holistic and multi-disciplinary skills among the students.
How do you handle someone who has lied on their resume?
I would try to understand why someone has lied on the resume and the need for him/her to do so. People might do that for many reasons and it’s not a ‘one size fits all response to all the cases.
I would try to understand why someone has lied on the resume and the need for him/her to do so. People might do that for many reasons and it’s not a ‘one size fits all response to all the cases.
However, if the reasons are non-ethical, I would ensure that strict actions are taken against the person as per extant guidelines. Honesty and Integrity in every case are non-negotiable for me.
What are some of your typical challenges and how have they evolved over time?
With a UP board background, it first started with English (language). Even during entire NITK days, I couldn’t speak in English on any public forum. Then with a mindset that folks from big cities who are socially and economically advance might have an unfair advantage.
With a UP board background, it first started with English (language). Even during entire NITK days, I couldn’t speak in English on any public forum. Then with a mindset that folks from big cities who are socially and economically advance might have an unfair advantage.
In the US it’s the culture and connecting with people that was a challenge. So the
challenges would evolve as you move up the value chain but as I said earlier, it’s the learning approach with an open mind and grit to excel in any scenario that has helped me overcome most of them.
challenges would evolve as you move up the value chain but as I said earlier, it’s the learning approach with an open mind and grit to excel in any scenario that has helped me overcome most of them.
Traveling and meeting different people and understanding their culture helps to build the confidence that the basic ingredients of overcoming these challenges in life are the same globally.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs or those eyeing the top job?
It has to start with People skills. No matter what the scenario is; people skills would always bail you out. People skills would always override any other skill by far. Acquire specific skills related to your Job (for eg; programming in today’s world is a must).
It has to start with People skills. No matter what the scenario is; people skills would always bail you out. People skills would always override any other skill by far. Acquire specific skills related to your Job (for eg; programming in today’s world is a must).
Dream Big as nobody else will ever dream for you. Back it up with impeccable Execution skills. Never compromise with Honesty and Integrity. Give your 100% as there is nothing called Top Job, your Hard work and Luck would take you to the
Top if every Job is done passionately.
Top if every Job is done passionately.
Finally enjoy life without fear as No One person knows everything so seek early help and collaborate.
Which is your favorite book and why?
Well, the term favorite for books would vary from time to time as I’m an avid reader. However, from my recent reads, I suggest two books for someone who wants to explore Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
1) Do Better with Less: Frugal Innovation for Sustainable Growth by Navi Rajdou & Jaideep Prabhu: I liked its unique way of advancing an idea with a global case study and exploring the Indian way of solving the problem.
Well, the term favorite for books would vary from time to time as I’m an avid reader. However, from my recent reads, I suggest two books for someone who wants to explore Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
1) Do Better with Less: Frugal Innovation for Sustainable Growth by Navi Rajdou & Jaideep Prabhu: I liked its unique way of advancing an idea with a global case study and exploring the Indian way of solving the problem.
Since India is extremely resource constraints, the idea of solving for India and deploying Globally is a very powerful insight. If it works for 1.3 billion people, it’ll work for 7 billion people!
2) The High-Performance Entrepreneur by Subroto Bagchi, D Andrew, et al.: This is like a very simple English where Mr. Bagchi lays down the building plan of Mindtree. It’s a step-by-step guide to making one of India’s great IT companies. It provides a template to build a global organization from India by focusing on the key metrics and processes.
2) The High-Performance Entrepreneur by Subroto Bagchi, D Andrew, et al.: This is like a very simple English where Mr. Bagchi lays down the building plan of Mindtree. It’s a step-by-step guide to making one of India’s great IT companies. It provides a template to build a global organization from India by focusing on the key metrics and processes.
Bio -
He is currently the CEO of Atal Incubation Centre (AIC-MITADT) at MIT-ADT
University, Pune. AIC-MITADT is a section-8 not-for-profit company supported by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, Govt. of India to promote Innovation and Entrepreneurship across India.
University, Pune. AIC-MITADT is a section-8 not-for-profit company supported by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, Govt. of India to promote Innovation and Entrepreneurship across India.
Dr. Mohit is a Chemical Engineering graduate from the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka (NITK), master's in Economics and a Ph.D. in “Information Technology and Economics” interdisciplinary area. His last assignment was Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Pro VC) at IFTM University,
Moradabad (UP).
Moradabad (UP).
He played a pivotal role in scaling the University from ~1100 students (AY
2011-12) to ~12000 students(AY 2017-18) by pioneering many initiatives. The scale was achieved at one of the lowest marketing spend (less than INR 1cr per annum) among the peer Universities.
2011-12) to ~12000 students(AY 2017-18) by pioneering many initiatives. The scale was achieved at one of the lowest marketing spend (less than INR 1cr per annum) among the peer Universities.
During his stint as ‘Director- Corporate and International Relations’ @ IFTM University, he led all the strategic alliances of the University. Dr. Mohit represented University as part of the Indian delegation to Harvard University, University of Cincinnati (UC), USA (2016), and Oxford University, UK (2015) under the World Bank’s TEQIP program.
He established an incubator “IFTM Technology Lab (ITL)” at IFTM University and completed many projects involving various government ministries/departments. He also established the IFTM Centre of Skill Development (ICSD) at University to launch various Skill development programs.
A few of the initiatives undertaken by ICSD were:
1) Established the First lab in the entire University system of the country in collaboration with Samsung under Advanced Repair and Industrial Skills Enhancement 3 (A.R.I.S.E.3) program to train on repairing Refrigerators, Washing Machine, Laptop, Mobile Phone, and other handheld devices
2) Worked very closely with CEO of Telecom Sector Skills Council (TSSC) to sign the MoU to create the First dedicated ‘TSSC-COE at IFTM University in the region in Hub-Spoke model
3) Established the First lab in the University system for skilling ‘Manual Scavengers’ in collaboration with the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) and National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) an arm of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India
Prior to his Educational stint during his IT experience spanning over a decade with India’s second-largest IT company Infosys ltd in Pune and Bangalore, he moved up the value chain starting from Software Engineer to Client Solutions Manager in presales function in a very short span.
As part of Customer Relationship Management at Infosys, he worked with the Bank of America in Atlanta and Los Angeles in both the Technology and Business domain for more than 7 years.
His main interest areas include Banking and Capital Markets in which he completed the Certification in Capital and Derivatives market from National Stock Exchange, India. He won many awards and accolades at both Infosys and Bank of America for his ‘Just Do it’ fervor across assignments.
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