My Tryst with Entrepreneurship at Ashoka: Finding the right co-conspirators for my dreams

When I arrived at Ashoka, I was “THAT” first-year (wide-eyed, inbox flooded with induction forms, and pure enthusiasm). Every society that seemed interesting received an application. One of those many applications, a casual interview with the Ashoka Entrepreneurship Club at RH2 Commons, would later shape the trajectory of my undergraduate life.

The ethos was radically experimental at the E-Club, and the push to take initiative was enthralling. The first few months passed in a blur of events and ideation, but the moment that solidified my commitment to ENT was the Business Analysis and Strategy course. My team won the final presentations at the India Habitat Centre. That victory wasn’t just a win; it was the stepping stone to a long-standing relationship with the Centre for Entrepreneurship.

At the same time, I was soaking in the experience of my first internship, secured through the club’s ecosystem, and revelling in real-world work. This mix of classroom energy and external exposure laid the foundation for a journey that would only deepen with time.

The following semesters saw me lean further into entrepreneurship. One of the (many) defining moments was Venture Planning and Strategy, taught by Prof. Mukesh Sud. A raised hand in class turned into a year-long intensive research project with the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, where I eventually led the team of students and volunteers. From World Cup & IPL Matches or trips to Dharamshala, to working with IIM students – it was an experience that was once in a lifetime.

That project also marked the beginning of my journey as a Teaching Assistant — one of the most fulfilling parts of my Ashoka experience. In fact, I became the only sophomore from my batch to be selected as a TA for the Centre for Entrepreneurship. Over the next year and a half, I served as a TA for Prof. Mukesh Sud, Prof. Priyank Narayan, Prof. Jaideep Prabhu, Prof. Nikhil Sud and Prof. Yash Gupta. Each classroom was a different canvas — one where I learned as much from organising content and mentoring peers as I did from the professors themselves.

My entrepreneurial engagements weren’t limited to coursework. I climbed through the ranks of the E-Club, serving as the Founding Director of the Venture Capital Vertical, Director of Pre-Incubation, and eventually as Vice President. These roles let me build beyond ideas; they introduced me to structure.

Ashoka Venture Studio was one of India’s first undergrad-led pre-incubator programs. I designed and led sessions to take students from idea to MVP, helped create a pipeline for student startups, and worked with VCs like Earlyseed Ventures and 100x.vc to connect founders to funding. It’s one thing to learn about fundraising; it’s another to watch a peer pitch to a live investor, facilitated by your team.

If there’s one place that’s seen me grow from project to pitch and failure to insight, it’s the Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE). I often joke that I’ve spent more time at CfE than at my dorm, but it’s probably true.

CfE became my safe space to test ideas, my launchpad for ventures, and my window to industries I never imagined myself in. We got opportunity after opportunity, from TiE events to Startup Mahakumbh – access is something that was always made possible for us. As one of my professors put it, they were ‘co-conspirators’ in every ambitious idea we’d dared to have. They pushed us, backed us, and at times, simply believed when we ourselves doubted.

A special note here to the whole team at CfE – Prof Priyank, Ekanto, Sagar, Susanth, Shubham, Riya, Suhesh, Pawan Ji, Shaifali and the TFs Avnie, Srishti and many more people. It has been absolutely fantastic to have your constant and unwavering support through this ride.

I’ve never built a unicorn. I don’t even have a startup — except one failed enterprise. But what I do have is the entrepreneurial mindset that Ashoka’s CfE cultivated in me: one that seeks problems, builds thoughtfully, and learns relentlessly.

From that first interview in RH2 Commons to piloting real-world ventures, this journey has been transformative. My summer abroad, also a result of pursuing an ENT-FIN course (Corporate Finance), eventually led me to my upcoming Masters at HEC Paris.

I came in searching, I left certain.