‘Campus provides mix of academic rigour, practical exposure,’ says Apeejay alumni

Apeejay School of Management’s (ASM) alumni carve meaningful careers across diverse industries. In this edition, we catch up with Sourav Kumar, an ASM graduate who now works with Bharat Taxi, operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Cooperation. Reflecting on his time at Apeejay, Sourav credits the institute for offering him a blend of academic rigour and practical, real-world exposure. He claims that this combination continues to shape how he approaches challenges in his professional life today.

Read edited excerpts:

Q: Tell us about yourself, your role, and how you balance work and passion?

At Bharat Taxi, I work in the technical support division. My core focus revolves around ensuring smooth technical operations, troubleshooting apps, system integration issues, and resolving technical escalations for seamless service delivery. I also handle escalations, and coordinate with cross-functional technical teams to maintain high uptime and platform reliability.

As for balancing work and passion, it’s all about conscious planning. Whenever I get time off or during weekends, I indulge in my passion for traveling and exploring ancient temples and heritage sites, which helps me stay grounded and recharged.

Q: How was your experience with Apeejay School of Management?

My experience with Apeejay School of Management was incredibly enriching and transformative. The campus environment provided a great mix of academic rigor, practical exposure, and personal growth. It nurtured my analytical thinking and taught me how to approach complex problems with a structured mindset, which has proven vital in my technical support role.

Q: How did the teachers prepare you for the dynamic professional world?

The faculty at ASM played a pivotal role in shaping my professional capabilities. Through interactive case studies, real-world scenario analysis, and hands-on assignments, they taught us how to adapt quickly to fast-changing industry demands. They emphasized critical thinking, logical troubleshooting, and clear communication. I feel that these skills are indispensable when handling real-time technical operations in a large-scale government-backed cooperative ecosystem.

Q: How has Apeejay’s learning and projects helped you reach your targets?

The live industry projects, group assignments, and presentations at Apeejay helped me build a strong problem-solving orientation and deadline-driven discipline. In a high-traffic technical support environment, resolution time (Turnaround Time/TAT) and system uptime are key targets. The project management mindset I developed at ASM enables me to diagnose root causes quickly and achieve operational targets consistently.

Q: In your profession, which skills are important to nurture in order to thrive?

To thrive in technical support and operations, one must continuously hone their analytical problem solving. This will help them trace technical glitches and system bottlenecks to their root cause efficiently.

Moreover, agility and stress resilience, helps to stay calm and composed while resolving critical technical outages or user escalations. Furthermore, communication translates complex technical issues into simple, clear instructions for non-technical stakeholders and users.

Q: Can you share a memory of the school that you hold dear?

The most memorable day I hold dear from my time at ASM is participating in the college fashion show and winning the 1st prize. Stepping onto the stage, representing the campus, and taking home the top spot alongside my batchmates was an unforgettable moment. That celebration, the team energy, and the applause from friends and faculty are memories I still cherish deeply.

Q: What message would you like to give to current Apeejay students?

My advice to current students is to make full use of the practical learning and mentorship available at ASM. Focus on building strong core fundamentals, but equally prioritise soft skills, adaptability, and continuous learning. Business and technology landscapes evolve rapidly, so staying curious, resilient, and ready to adapt will always keep you ahead in your career.