Alok Mohanty
Previous Company: Torq03 Sports and Adventures Pvt Ltd
Sector: Sports and Entertainment
Work Experience: Software Industry and Entrepreneurship
Professional Interests: Software Business Development, Entrepreneurial Ventures
Other Interests: Paragliding, Go-karting, Technology

Tell us something about your business venture.
In 2008 the entrepreneurial bug bit me and I quit my cushy job at a French MNC to start my own Go-karting track in Bangalore. As an ardent F1 fan it was an amazing experience to convert this passion into a profitable business venture. Taking care of an entire gamut of functions for the venture along with my partner was a good learning experience. Being a first generation entrepreneur this experience taught me a lot about the business world and more importantly about myself.

Coming from an entrepreneurial background what were your primary reasons for opting for management studies?
I realised along the way that I have the passion, drive and talent to be an entrepreneur but not the adequate knowledge and skill sets to create and exploit opportunities. I believed that management education at this point in my career would bridge this gap and enable me to explore new opportunities.

How are you going to leverage your education from the ISB?
I intend to arm myself with as many tools in Strategy, Marketing and Entrepreneurship as are available here. The sheer variety of elective courses offered at the ISB would go a long way in satisfying this need of mine.

You recently volunteered for the International Entrepreneurship Conference at the ISB. Describe your experience in brief.
It was an amazing experience to help organise a large scale event like this. The focus and hard work shown by the organising team during the Conference was very inspiring. The sessions at the Conference were enlightening and as a volunteer I also got to spend quality time with senior industry leaders.

What do you think about the teaching methods adopted by the faculty at the ISB?
The teaching method is a mix of case based study and modern lecture based delivery depending on the needs of the course. I find the faculty very inspiring and their immense experience in delivering valuable wisdom during lectures is highly beneficial for the students.

Are there any aspects of life at ISB that have completely taken you by surprise?
Though I was expecting diversity at the ISB, the sheer variety of profiles was a pleasant surprise. Ranging from journalists, lawyers and musicians to doctors, ex-army men and successful entrepreneurs, the class mix gives me an immense opportunity to learn from my peer group.