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ISB All Rounder
The Rajat Gupta ISB All-Rounder Award was conferred on Manik Gupta from the Class of 2008, for his exemplary leadership and commitment as the Graduate Student Board President. Apart from his exceptional academic performance, Manik spearheaded many student events at the ISB, each time keeping intact the ISB vision, and taking it ahead.
Manik, at the start of the year, set an overall mandate for GSB, the focus being on career development, promoting inclusiveness, and ensuring an enriching on-campus experience.
The flagship event ISB Leadership Summit (ILS) 2007 was organised flawlessly by him. Over 30 CxOs attended the event and shared their insights with the Class of 2008. Other than ensuring maximum student participation, Manik implemented various new initiatives like Group SMS, Student Moderators and had the seven professional clubs at the ISB, for the first time, collaborate and synergize simultaneous events.
 Manik initiated a scorecard and Metrics which strengthened the transparency factor in the functioning of the GSB. The scorecard was once-a-term and required a presentation in front of the entire student body (section-wise). It was a platform that allowed the student body to raise questions and clarify doubts to/from the GSB Core. It also ensured that everyone was on board with upcoming activities.
The year for the President of GSB at the ISB, with its myriad activities and head-spinning pace, makes one wonder how Manik kept his grade card racing. “I have always been much disciplined about managing my own time. I divided up my day into slots dedicated to academics, GSB work and other activities. I must also mention that I had an incredible study group (C15) during core terms, and supportive study groups during electives. They were aware of my added responsibilities and hence were flexible on timings etc. Of course, I am happy they were NOT flexible on cutting me much slack as far as work is concerned – so I had to do the required work anyway and this helped as I didn’t make any compromises,” he explains the tight-rope walk during the year that was.
Manik also cues in another factor which kept him going and ahead. “I realised early on that if one is very attentive in class, he or she has already won half the battle in academics. The two hours one spends in a lecture is an excellent opportunity to focus and absorb. One has to just revise later on and is set for assignments/exams. Also, I seldom missed many classes (unless significant clashes with other work) as I believe it gets harder to catch up once you miss classes”.
“Finally, I have an incredibly supportive wife who always believed in my dream, and was willing to put up with my constant work pressure,” he doesn’t forget to add on. Soon Manik takes on as Product Manager at his “dream company” Google at Bangalore. Prior to the ISB he has been in the Internet space for eight years and now wants to “make a mark in the same space in India.”
Manik’s ISB connect, he believes, has just begun. He plans to mentor the incoming GSB, particularly GSB President, be involved with the ISB Alumni and Senate, and never miss any opportunity to visit the ISB as a speaker or event participant Currently he is seen busy all around the campus designing the theme and key messages for the coming Orientation for the Class of 2009 Orientation which begins on April 12th.
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