Dancing through Disciplines: Soumya Bhaskaran’s YIF Story of Academic and Artistic Triumph
As Soumya Bhaskaran prepares to join the Cambridge Judge Business School she looks back at her YIF journey as one that continues to shape her path and purpose
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Alongside receiving admission offers from prestigious universities like the University of Oxford and the University of Western Ontario, Soumya Bhaskaran (YIF ’18) is also the recipient of the prestigious ‘Forte Fellowship’ and the ‘Cambridge Judge Business School Scholarship’. In our conversation with her, she recounts how her academic journey at the Young India Fellowship played a pivotal role in broadening her worldview and exploring various academic subjects and career choices.
“YIF happened when I least expected it. But, as I embarked on the exciting adventure, little did I know that the next year was going to be a transformative journey of self-discovery, intellectual exploration, and meaningful connections. While my Bachelor’s in Business Studies formed the bedrock of my business knowledge, YIF’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning challenged me to think critically, ask meaningful questions, and seek solutions to real-world problems.
During the ‘Foundations of Leadership’ sessions with Professor Dwight Jaggard, as we exchanged stories and got to know each other, it became evident that the YIF community of 250-odd fellows was a melting pot of ideas, cultures, and aspirations where each one of us had something unique to contribute to the learning experience. From Professor Urvashi Bhutalia’s thought-provoking lectures on gender, history, and socio-cultural change to Dr Mihir Shah’s multidisciplinary approach to topics addressing water challenges and rural development, the fellowship gave me the tools to experiment, experience and learn from everything around me” shares Soumya.
Post YIF, Soumya worked with Great Learning as a Manager driving a team of senior consultants and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories as an L&D Partner. Soumya is also an International-level Bharatnatyam dancer and attributes her success in her personal and professional life to the art form which taught her valuable lessons of resilience, discipline, and endurance.
When asked about her plans for the future, she said, “As I begin my MBA journey at the University of Cambridge, I carry with me qualities like resilience, empathy, and adaptability. I’m thrilled to be studying close to the ‘Silicon Fen’ alongside business experts. In this process, I hope to fuel my entrepreneurial ambitions.”
