“My journey with Jaipuria Institute of Management has been great because of all the amazing things I have learned there. Both the theoretical and practical learning that I got from the institute has led me to the place in my career where I am today.” These are the words of Mr. Divya Mehra of the 2005 batch, and the place he is talking about is that of Vice-President, Customer Service (IG), Controls & Audits, Religare. We talked to him about his academic years, the role of the institute in his grooming as a professional and the challenges he faces in his work sphere. 

As the VP of a top brand, Mr. Mehra is in a position of huge responsibility; this is a challenge in itself, but it’s something he thrives on. The Marketing and Finance major from the institute today handles controls, audits and inspections at Religare. Talking about his work tasks, he says, “One big challenge is stress because it’s everywhere. It could be because you have to interact with people that you might not gel with, or deal with deadlines. It’s not the stress but how you choose to deal with it that proves your mettle.” 

Mr. Mehra is candid in his admission that it was his education at his B school that prepared him for the road ahead in his career. He re-iterates the fact that he has been able to implement whatever he learned at the institute in his professional life. This is something he feels has given him the opportunity to go far in life: “One big take away from my time at the institute was that whatever situation you are faced with, you cannot shy away from it. If you are willing to face it head on, there’s every chance that you will be able to sail through it,” he says practically. 

Of course, Mr. Mehra’s experience and overall personality was also moulded by cultural activities that his institute promoted. He talks about the importance of such initiatives, saying, “Besides the curriculum and classroom learning, I benefited from being a part of the cultural activities. I was the culture secretary and started a cultural committee that hosted several events; I also was able to meet new people from various colleges. It has given me so many beautiful memories, in addition to an experience of a lifetime.” 

After going through the B School and management degree route himself, does Mr. Mehra think it’s a requisite for those who want to make it in the corporate world? He has seen the industry closely today and is that something employers look from new candidates? “While it’s not a necessity it can certainly take you to the next level,” he says. “I count myself lucky to have done my PGDM from a renowned institute that created an ideal launch pad for me.” 

Ask Mr. Mehra for his advice to today’s PGDM students and he says, “Don’t think of your program as a source for theoretical learning. Focus on the practical learning too because you will be able to implement it in your professional life. And that will make a world of difference to your future.” He believes that it certainly has had a huge impact on his career, one that has taken off on the back of his own learning at the institute.