My Tryst with Entrepreneurship at Ashoka: A Journey from Classroom Curiosity to Entrepreneurial Leadership

My entrepreneurial journey at Ashoka began almost by accident. I took Dr. Priyank’s course on Creativity and Design Thinking in the summer of 2021, just to pick up some credits. Little did I know it would completely change my perspective on problem-solving. At the time, I didn’t think much of it – life went on.

But the next semester, I was stunned to see the entrepreneurship department’s course offerings explode from just 5 or 6 to a whopping 20 courses! I vividly remember attending that introductory town hall (we were all online back then) hosted by the enthusiastic entrepreneurship reps, Aditi and Shivansh. I was just so pumped to be part of this growth story, that the buzz inspired me to sign up for “How to Start a Startup” by the legendary Raman Roy of Quatrro. Here was an icon with decades of wisdom, teaching starry-eyed undergrads like us! Though the first half was online, Raman Sir’s dynamic style kept me glued to those Zoom sessions. But when we went offline, the real magic happened with those engaging student interactions. I’d never experienced that level of peer-to-peer learning before – a crucial part of every course that CfE was offering; I realized quite early on in my rendezvous with the department.

My experience with such peer-to-peer learning was then further enhanced with newer skillsets, when the pandemic took a backseat in our lives & Ashoka reopened its doors for offline semesters. In the forthcoming semester, I was lucky enough to take the center’s flagship Business Analysis and Strategy course (BAS). Other than cracking opens the entire business world for me – terminology, concepts, the full nine yards – what struck me most was how incredibly approachable and supportive the faculty were. My biggest takeaway was undoubtedly from the final presentation at the Indian Habitat Center, where we got to engage with that distinguished judges’ panel.

Alongside BAS, I took another one of CfE’s newly launched courses that semester – despite it being an 8:30 AM course. Ridiculous timing, I know! My inhibitions about the strict schedule of this course were not quelled either – knowing that I was part of the inaugural batch, and our instructor Sridhar Sethuram (Partner & MD, Suyash Advisors) back then had a dreaded ‘no late’ policy. I shudder thinking about it! But by the end, my perspective on investing had transformed. It wasn’t just the cases, the practitioners we met, or the discussions. It was Prof. Sridhar’s way of answering questions with more questions that guided us to the answers ourselves. I was fortunate to be part of his “Craft Your Life” workshop the following year as I prepared for the job market.

Meanwhile, alongside continuing my academic journey with the CfE, I collaborated with the center to host a series for the Ashoka Lit Fest. Their level of engagement with the event, and how highly they prioritized the guests, inspired me. As a student, you don’t realize the incredible effort that goes into making these things happen. And in that semester, I witnessed CFE’s consistent effective efforts to implement their managerial and leadership skills first-hand. Finally, as I embarked upon my concluding undergraduate semester, I got to experience two more awesome courses.

The first was Yash Gupta (Managing Partner, YGR)’s Real Estate and Investments. Having zero real estate background, it was pretty intimidating being in a room full of real estate ‘brats’ and seniors with marquee consulting offers. But Yash Sir’s self-introduction immediately put me at ease. It wasn’t like meeting a professor or businessman – he came across just like a chill senior buddy. He made it clear our objectives were to have fun, and eat well, and learning real estate was part of that process! In fact, I had such an insightful lunch conversation with Mr. Pankaj Bajaj of ELDECO during our site visit.

Meanwhile, Professor Gupta really lived up to his ‘chill-senior’ personality when he translated my leadership potential through one of my extracurriculars – Banjaara, Ashoka’s mega cultural fest! Not only did he easily brush off my apology for missing a class of his due to Banjaara, but he in fact offered me an internship to set up clubs and social amenities at his office properties in Noida the very next week. Can you imagine – here I was being told my entire life that extracurriculars were not going to help me get a job, and now I was literally being offered a gig because of them! It gave me so much confidence to take risks and face challenges head-on.

The other course that semester was Pramod Bhasin (Founder, Genpact)’s Theory and Practice of Leadership. With his iconic journey from GE under Jack Welch to founding Genpact, his experiences spanned continents! As luck would have it, this course perfectly coincided with my involvement in Banjaara – helping me navigate that high-stress leadership experience. The field visit to Medanta was incredible – it really grounded me and gave me tools to manage pressure effectively during crunch times.
Thus, by the time I graduated, I knew I wanted to work with the Center – not just because of what they do, but the profound impact they have on students’ lives. I was honored to be appointed as their first-ever ASP student representative. It was fun being on the other side, ensuring the right students benefited from the center’s amazing work.

My fourth-year courses included Strategies for Market Access (SMA), Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset (CEM), and Technology Law & Policy. SMA gave me a real sense of how markets work – sales, supply chains, and that entire journey from manufacturer to consumer. The final project was a role-play being a sales exec for a day – such a valuable experience! The instructors Shantanu and Nitin were also great mentors who helped me evaluate job offers.

CEM was typically a first-year course but taking it with Prof. Mukesh Sud’s ‘no tech’ rule in the final year was refreshingly engaging. The Everest simulation and entrepreneur interview were highlights I’ll never forget.

I also had the opportunity to become a teaching assistant in not 1 but 3 courses in my ASP year. I was a TA for Vineet Gupta (Founder, Jamboree Education)’s Power of Execution. Being on the teaching team for such an excellent course really pushed me to ensure a fantastic experience for students and faculty. The experience was both exciting and intimidating. After all, the faculty member was part of the founding team of Ashoka and someone I had seen taking the first town hall when I joined the university. We also had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of Infoedge, the sponsor of our Centre.

Then there was the unique experience of being Nikhil Sud (Lawyer & Policy Professional and Director of Strategic Initiatives, Ashoka University)’s TA for one course, while being his student for Technology Law & Policy. Being on both sides of the classroom amplified my learning experience manifold. I saw firsthand how meticulously he prepares for each lecture and exam. My stint as Yash Gupta’s Real Estate TA after being his student helped me preempt and tackle challenges before, they became problems. Again, I witnessed the tremendous care and effort he puts into every single session. In both of them, I not only found a faculty but also a mentor who genuinely took an interest in the life of their students.

Beyond academics, I made some invaluable friends at the Center too. Working with TFs Srishti and Avnie really inspired me to be a better teacher’s aide every session, especially Sagar who always pushed me out of my comfort zone to achieve new heights. At the Center Shubham, my partner in crime; the brilliant incoming MBAs Rahil and Shaifali, Susanth, my wise big brother; Pavan ji who solves issues before they arise; and finally, the inimitable Ekanto – the jack of all trades and emperor of efficiency. Special thanks to Suhesh for his incredible support and patience while writing this article. Finally, Professor Dr Priyank Narayan, the man who is the brain and spine of the center, has given me and many others the opportunity to get hands-on experience in entrepreneurship at such a young age.

Author: Rochan Mohapatra, ASP 24 (rochan.mohapatra@alumni.ashoka.edu.in)