What was your study and/or professional background prior to this programme?
Before joining the programme, I completed my Bachelor of Commerce, specialising in Marketing and Human Resource Management, at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in Bangalore, India.
Entrepreneurship was never just an academic interest for me. I grew up watching my father build our family poultry business from the ground up, and his journey showed me the resilience, courage and patience it takes to keep building through uncertainty.
Later, while working with Sunbird Straws, I was deeply inspired by its founder, Saji Sir, and the way he turned something as simple as a coconut leaf into an innovative business opportunity with both commercial value and social impact. I also went on to help start UB Tea, a social-impact venture.
These experiences made me realise that I was most drawn to ideas that solve real problems and create something meaningful. That is ultimately what led me to this programme.
Why did you choose to study at the University of Edinburgh Business School?
I wanted to study somewhere that would expose me to people, ideas and ways of thinking that were very different from what I had experienced before.
The University of Edinburgh Business School stood out because of its international reputation, diverse student community and strong focus on entrepreneurship, innovation and responsible business.
I was also drawn to Edinburgh as a city. Moving from India to Scotland was a big change, but I wanted the experience of stepping outside my comfort zone and building a life somewhere completely new.
Edinburgh felt like a place where I could grow academically while also having a very different personal experience.
About the programme
What course(s) have you enjoyed the most so far and why?
One of the courses I enjoyed most was Managing Consultancy in Practice, because we worked on a real organisational challenge rather than a hypothetical case. It pushed us to understand what the client genuinely needed so that we could develop recommendations that were both practical and well supported.
I also enjoyed Family Business Management because it connected closely with my own background. Topics such as informal decision-making, family influence, succession and professionalisation were things I had observed while growing up, but the course helped me understand them from a completely different perspective.
What I have valued most across the programme is being able to connect what we learn in class with situations I have experienced in real life.
Student experience
How did you go about making friends and building a community in Edinburgh?
It was almost like discovering a new, more adventurous side of myself. I came to Edinburgh excited to meet people and stay open to new experiences, which often meant saying yes to things I would never normally have imagined doing.
Some of my best memories came from hosting parties and dinners with friends, discovering the joy of having friends who love cooking for everyone, travelling together, parties that lasted much longer than planned, and late-night kitchen conversations.
I even ended up completing a half-marathon hike with some of my favourite people, which is something I genuinely never thought I would do.
Now that the year is coming to an end, I realise these are the moments I will cherish most, not only because they were fun, but because of the people I shared them with and the version of myself I discovered along the way.
Looking ahead
What are you hoping to do after you graduate?
After graduating, I would love to work closely with early-stage start-ups and businesses. I find it genuinely exciting to step into an unfamiliar industry, understand how it works, uncover the problems beneath the surface and help shape a way forward.
I am especially drawn to work where strong business thinking and social impact can exist together. Some of the people and ventures that have influenced me most have shown me that creating value for a business and creating value for people do not have to be separate goals.
My final project has also made me see the poultry industry and my family business differently. It has opened up the possibility that I could contribute to an industry I grew up around, but with a fresh perspective of my own. I may not have one fixed path mapped out yet, but I know I want to keep learning, solving problems that matter and eventually build ventures of my own.
What advice do you have for those applying or coming to the Business School?
Take time to understand what you personally want from the programme and how it connects with your interests. The experience becomes much more valuable when you bring in questions, industries or ideas that you genuinely care about.
Once you arrive, be proactive. Speak to people from different backgrounds, attend events, ask questions and make use of opportunities outside the classroom. Some of the most valuable learning comes from conversations, group work and experiences you may not have planned for.
For international students, I would also say that it is completely normal for settling in to take time. Moving to a new country can feel overwhelming at first, but gradually you find your people, build a routine and create a life that feels like your own.