‘Be versatile and equip yourself to tackle any task!’

Would his teachers believe that a student who was notorious in the school, would today be working in Operations, People Management with Amazon? Probably not! Joining Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park in class VIII in 2003, Saurabh Singh soon became well-known in the school. He was not known for his academic brilliance and this fact was driven home when Saurabh Singh 2 joined the school who was poles apart from Saurabh Singh 1.

“While I was bad at academics, Saurabh Singh 2 was inclined academically. I, on the other hand, loved sports and represented the school in several zonal events and hence became popular. But back in 2003, there was stress on academics and most people didn’t understand why I was not interested in academics. I am sure things have changed since then and playing sports is no longer considered just a hobby but a field in which one can make a career,” Singh said.

In a candid interview, he talks about his 15 years of professional journey among other things.

Tell us about yourself. Where are you working?

I am from Delhi but because of the work-from-home scenario, I moved to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. We, at Amazon, are into global operations artificial intelligence and we look into certain programmes that we create internally to increase the efficiency of the organisation using robots. And while it may appear that I am working from a great place, the truth is that when you are working, it doesn’t matter where you are. After all, you are sitting in one place and busy doing what another person could be doing sitting in Delhi.

Did you join Apeejay in the nursery?

No, I joined the Panchsheel Park branch in 2003 and was there till class XII (2008). As I mentioned before, I quickly became notorious in the school but more than made up by playing sports and representing the school in zonal competitions.  

Teachers who motivated you in school.

There were a couple of teachers who probably understood where I was coming from. One such teacher was Mr Rao. He used to teach Math. One day he walked up to me and said that I needed to focus on only one thing and excel in that. For example, if I was interested in sports, I should be the best at it. That changed how I looked at things. It gave me confidence that someone was watching and motivating me. Another teacher who pushed me was Anju Sinha, ma’am.  

You said that you were a naughty child. Did you play a lot of pranks?

No-no, I was not naughty like that. Many students played pranks with the intent of hurting others. I was never that kid. I didn’t hurt anyone. I was just very outgoing and spoke with everyone around me. I think there is a thin line between playing a prank and being extremely talkative. I walked that thin line.

Are you still in touch with your school friends?

Yes. Some of my friends ended up studying at London Business School or IIMs. I hang out with them even today. One of my friends got married in January this year and we all got together and had a blast. Some of them were in my class for only a couple of years, but we have remained friends to date.

“Be prepared to take on any work that comes your way. You can’t be choosy. Instead have an open mindset and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Don’t let the other person’s trajectory dictate yours”

-Saurabh Singh, Alumnus of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park

Engineering appears to be the go-to programme. Why?

I would not agree that everyone does engineering. Back during my time, there were a few toppers in our class who decided to take up Arts since they wanted to sit for the Civil Services exams. But some students took Science since they loved the subject which was a big chunk of the students. And then there are students like me who took Science since my friends took the stream and my parents said so.

Being from a middle-class family, I had to pursue a career that brought substantial income. In 2008, it just happened to be engineering.

What advice would you give to those starting their professional journey?

Be prepared to take on any work that comes your way. You can’t be choosy. You must have an open mindset and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. More so, if you are not from IIM or IIT. You must understand your limitations and make the most of what you have. You shouldn’t let the other person’s trajectory dictate yours. A fresher starting this professional journey needs to carve out a niche for himself/herself. Don’t shirk hard work otherwise your path will be tough to navigate. Remember versatility is the key.

How has your professional journey been?

So far so good. I was not a brilliant student so when my professional journey began I took what came my way. I moved from Delhi to Dharamshala to Goa to Ahmedabad to Bihar to Delhi. I then moved to Hyderabad for my MBA. I never limited myself location-wise. I never avoided hard work. Be realistic when you set standards for yourself.

What is the mantra for success?

Here is a very philosophical answer. Just the other day I was at a stream and watched it flow. But there was a stone that prevented the smooth flow of the water. Some water was flowing from the side but some didn’t. But if you keep pushing, there will come a time when you will manage to circumvent the obstacles as I have in my 15 years.