KIIT School of Management: Interview with Santanu Behera (2018-20 batch)

KIIT School of Management was established in 1993 Institute of Business Administration and Training (IBAT). The institute was set up with the vision to set trends in the field of business education. It is a part of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar. It has been recognised as an ‘Institution of Eminence’ by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Management programmes at KIIT School of Management are recognised by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and it is accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA). As per the NIRF 2021 ranking, the institute has been ranked 31st in the management category.

The vision and mission of KIIT School of Management is to educate and train young minds and provide them with the right balance of classroom learning and practical exposure and turn them into successful professionals and inspiring leaders.

Careers360 brings you an exclusive interview with Santanu Behera, an alumni of KIIT School of Management (KSOM) batch 2018-20. He is currently working as an Associate Business Analyst in Odessa INC. In this interview Santanu has shared his experience at KSOM, how his college life was? What did he do to improve his profile? How did he choose his career path? Things about his college and professional journey and more. To know more about the experiences of a student at KIIT School of Management read the full interview of Santanu Behera with Careers360.

Quick links: KSOM Courses and fees

Question: Tell us about your domain and your work profile. At a professional level, did you pursue the same field you were interested in or you switched?

Answer: I am currently working as an Associate Business Analyst for Odessa INC at their Corporate Office, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Yes, I have pursued my MBA in Business Analytics and I am working in the same field in the organisation.

Question: Can you briefly tell us about your career path so far?

Answer: Prior to my MBA, I had worked for JK papers for 3 years; during my campus Interview in MBA, I got two opportunities, one in ICICI Lombard as Management Trainee and as an Analyst at Tata Consultancy Services. I chose to join Tata Consultancy Services and served there till November 2021. Post that I joined Odessa INC as an Associate Business Analyst in a Loan and Leasing Financial Product, during this I had gained some amount of experience in terms of client communication, understanding customer requirement and optimised delivery of services.

Also read: KSOM Admission

Question: Is industry work different from what you learn at B-School?

Answer: Learning at B-school and job role at Industry may not be same in many cases but you may be asked to wear different hats while you are at work and to which you have to oblige. But, one must also understand, Research and Development is an important part of academics and the theoretical knowledge which you gain from your MBA classes proves to be a boon that could bring new solutions to the many challenges faced by organisations.

Question: How do you think your MBA programme has added value to your life, both professional and personal?

Answer: As I mentioned before, I had work experience before joining the KSOM MBA programme but I saw myself grow in academics and professionalism. I feel I have become more analytical in my approach to look at any problem and provide a solution. Managing people became my forte. I learnt people management while I was engaged in different club activities and programmes. With MBA classes comes loads of presentations. This has helped me to become a good orator and improve my communication skills that are required in corporate life.

See Also: KSOM Placements

Question: What was your initial thought process when you joined your MBA programme?

Answer: To be honest, I wanted to explore opportunities, develop communication skills and make connections that would help me to grow professionally and personally.

Question: You must have had a memorable time at KIIT School of Management. Do you miss being a part of it? Share a few good memories.

Answer: The 2 years of MBA was like a home away from home, friends turned into family and the immense support from Professors never let me miss my home. It is very difficult to choose one best memory, all of them are precious and close to me but one of the best memories that I could think of is the team that I worked with during the preparation of Kolosseum, the annual fest of KIIT School of Management and one of the most prestigious events of the institute. It involved a lot of planning and in the process I had great loads of fun managing different groups and finally executing it with a successful star night. I also cannot forget the lust green KSOM campus and the lovely helpful people that I met

Quick Links: KSOM Facilities

Question: Briefly take us through your life at the KSOM campus, the activities you used to do and your routine life.

Answer: My day normally began by 8 AM and after morning chores and breakfast. I rushed to my classes that generally started at 9:30 AM and lasted up until 5:45 PM. Evenings were generally about sports group meetings, sports and general greet and meet. Some students dedicated time to club activities or were involved in co-curricular activities. After a sumptuous dinner, we would be back at our rooms completing assignments or preparing for the next day.

Question: Apart from academics, what were the other activities you were involved in and how did it enrich your life?

Answer: I was very fortunate to lead two of our college’s yearly events, right from planning to execution with the help of professors and a bunch of energetic students. During the entire process, it helped me to understand the importance of planning and how to overcome challenges as and when I faced them. It made me realise the importance of teamwork and how to manage people and the audience that you are catering to. All the subjects of Marketing, Finance, Human Resource, Operations and Analytics became true to life and I began to apply classroom learning to my events.

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Question: You are a proud alumnus of KIIT School of Management. What is the best part of KSOM, Bhubaneswar from a student's perspective?

Answer: The best thing one could gain from college is the Corporate connect which a student gets. The 4 National conclaves helped us to interact with top corporate professionals to understand the industry. KONFIDANT – the flagship corporate mentorship program of KSOM was immensely helpful as well. Here a group of 10-20 students are assigned to a corporate mentor who would guide and train students professionally.

Question :What is your suggestion/ guidance for MBA aspirants?

Answer: Making an informed decision is of utmost importance. Your goal should not be only good grades but explore different opportunities and know if you are comfortable with the same. Your focus should be to get a good job, an industry or work that you would love to join and pursue in future.

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