Class of 2017

The dynamic program offered at Vedica will equip me with the ideal toolset necessary to tackle the professional world. I believe Vedica will help me explore my untapped potential. I was enraptured by its “Shadow a Woman CEO” program which I believe will strengthen my leadership qualities and management skills

Aayushi recently graduated from Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, majoring in Political Science (Hons). She has always had a professional drive and has thus done several internships whenever the opportunity presented itself. For her latest internship with MindYourBusiness (MYB), a digital platform that aspires to bring relevant and insightful content for entrepreneurs building benchmark Indian companies, she was required to write several articles which were then also published online.

The combination of the extraordinary team of mentors and visionaries at The Vedica Scholars Programme along with its practical emphasis on bringing together the objectivity of management principles with complementary perspectives from the liberal arts, will equip me to take charge of my personal and professional growth. The lessons that I imbibe here will help create a sense of community and belonging, both to the group of like-minded and similarly motivated women professionals that are my peers as well as the women leaders that we constantly look up to

Abhilasha recently graduated from Delhi University with a Masters in English Literature, after having completed her Bachelors from Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She has dedicated five remarkably engaging and mentally liberating years to the study of Literature which helped her develop a comprehensive and analytical worldview of the many forces that exist in society and that shape our lives. She has also worked with organisations like The Hans Foundation and PRIA, that focus on social development. In doing so, she has formulated for herself the goal of learning management principles that will always informed by the need to be socially relevant. Being a Vedica Scholar is the next experience that will take her a step closer to fulfilling her professional and entrepreneurial aspirations.

I believe in learning one new thing every day and I’m positive that Vedica, with the support from the very strong Governing Council, unique curriculum and brilliant faculty will enable me to have an unparalleled educational experience. In the eighteen months that I am here, I know that I will be provided opportunities which will empower me to make the right choices in my life

Ankita recently graduated in Bachelors of Business Administration from Gauhati University. She has worked as a Marketing Intern with Eclectic Group in Guwahati. She has also worked at the Times of India. A voracious reader, Ankita is passionate about world cinema, cooking, and the literary sensation, Elena Ferrante.

I believe Vedica will be a stepping stone for me. The unique course structure with its extraordinary team of mentors will help equip me with a diverse set of skills to fulfil my future goals. I’m looking forward to starting my new journey at Vedica

Anushmita graduated with a Bachelors (Hons) in Political Science from Lady Shriram College (LSR), University of Delhi in the year 2013. Following that, she pursued a Master’s degree in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), 2014-2016. She has worked closely with the State Government of Assam under their National Rural Health Mission and with the Youth Forum on Foreign Policy. As a student at the University of Delhi, she worked with Pratham, a child-rights NGO, and gained meaningful experience teaching under-privileged children. Her interests lie in baking, reading, theatre and travelling.

What I like the most about Vedica is the path-breaking course structure and the holistic learning model, which combines Liberal Arts with Management and focuses on various skills such as critical thinking and effective communication. I believe Vedica is the perfect platform where I’ll enhance my skills and build a meaningful professional career with an aim to contribute to society

Banani has always been passionately curious and with an insatiable appetite for learning new things. Having been brought up in a deeply spiritual middle class Oriya family, Banani was greatly influenced by her parents’ sense of empathy, honesty, and responsibility. From school to graduation, she consistently stood among the top 5% of the batch in terms of academic performance. She was awarded the ‘Best Student of the Year’ and got numerous scholarships and certificates in academic and extra-curricular activities. She also explored her leadership potential while working as a Child Leader with the NGO, WADA to help children from underprivileged backgrounds.

After completing her Bachelors of Technology in Electrical Engineering from Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla, she joined India’s largest IT company – Tata Consultancy Services, where she is currently a software engineer in the Insurance Business domain. Her interest areas include Business Intelligence, Business Operations, Management, and Consulting.

I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to receive guidance and support from mentors and visionaries like those at Vedica. I consider myself lucky to have availed of this prospect and wish to make the best out of it in the coming 18 months. My determination to study at Vedica is strengthened by its unique course structure

Chandni Saraf graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Jesus and Mary College (JMC), University of Delhi. She was an active member of the Entrepreneurship Cell and the Organising Committee of the Political Science department at JMC. She is a green-belt holder of the Six Sigma Programme conducted by KPMG. Her passion for Indian semi-classical vocal music inspires her to host cultural events and being an integral part of them.

At Vedica, I aspire to learn, not in a clichéd manner but by experiencing the things first hand from various perspectives. It will provide me an amazing platform and moral support for crafting a meaningful career. Already, the prospect of being a Vedica Scholar has set into motion a divine and pure ambitious drive in me – it makes me feel empowered and optimistic for what lies ahead

Durga graduated in Electronics & Telecommunication Engineer from SSGI, Bhilai and is currently a Software Engineer at one of India’s leading IT and software firms, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). She has represented her school and the State in swimming competitions held pan-India and won a bronze medal in a National Level Swimming Championship. She has taken up key responsibilities in organizing inter-college fests and fund-raising events in college and at her workplace. At TCS, as a developer she had the opportunity to take part in building the data warehouse for General Electric (GE). She is also passionate about fitness and trekking and believes that ‘A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body.’

Vedica’s re-imagined unconventional curriculum, mentoring by the most inspiring women leaders and its goal of creating successful women professionals while focusing on our personal growth are some of the aspects unique to the Programme that interest me. I am confident that this will be the launching pad for my career and leave me with valuable lessons for life

Esha Lalwani, a dynamic personality and an inquisitive mind, is a graduate in Economics from Motilal Nehru College, University of Delhi. She is the Director and Founding member of Moksha Foundation, a Delhi based NGO. Her work at Moksha included conducting workshops and interactive sessions with students of MCD and government schools, tackling issues of personal hygiene and menstrual care. This helped inculcate confidence and a sense of responsibility in the community. Esha also interned with NITI Aayog and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) which exposed her to varied professional environments and sharpened her analytical skills. As the President of the Western Dance Society of her college, she learnt to channel her passion and energy amongst a dynamic group of dancers.

During my Vedica interview, I was provided with a glimpse into a world that I wanted to be a part of. Empowered, independent, responsible are the words that come to my mind when I describe a Vedica Scholar. The unique curriculum at Vedica will help me view the world without bias, and develop a skillset and way of thinking that will enable me to be successful no matter what career I choose

Having recently graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Mumbai University, Ishika’s most memorable experience was giving presentations and conducting workshops on the power of habit and belief systems. An athlete since her school days, she has secured accolades at numerous sports meets. She has worked with a quadriplegic motivational speaker, and helped draft his autobiography and workshop content.

As a volunteer in the Literature department at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, she coordinated workshops, hosted events, and interacted with the authors. While volunteering at a Municipal school, she taught children between the ages of 4 to 14 and counselled them regarding their academics, learning disabilities, and familial situations. This humbling experience proved to her that all it takes to help people better their lives, is someone willing to do so.

I became aware of the potential one can achieve if guided by the right people. Fortunately, such people are a part of this unique, multidisciplinary Programme. Being constantly surrounded by successful women will give me a sense of encouragement and inspiration to achieve my career goals.With its prime focus on working women through the ‘Shadow a Woman CEO’ programme, Vedica will give me an opportunity to engage with one of the most influential women who have climbed the corporate ladder to success

Kanchan recently graduated from Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi, majoring in mathematics, which contributed to her problem solving and time management skills. Her main objective for joining Vedica is to explore different opportunities for herself, and discover her strengths in order to truly contribute to the society.

I chose Vedica because of its exemplar faculty and the constant exposure to an unparalleled peer group from various fields. The opportunity to work closely with and ‘Shadowing’ a woman CEO is unique to the Programme. Over the next eighteen months, I aim to be equipped with the skillset and the courage to let my ideas evolve into successful action – thereby leading my immediate society towards a better future. I believe strongly that no other platform can be better than Vedica for this

Kratika, a Computer Science Engineer from HBTI Kanpur, joined Deki Electronics as International Marketing Trainee and simultaneously has been working for her own start-up. She also runs her own NGO[S1] which aims at teaching children. She has participated actively in various extra-curricular activities in school and college. She was elected the Captain for the table-tennis teams during school and college. She was also the Marketing Head for a literature festival organised by her college. At Vedica, she intends to enhance her leadership and decision making skills.

At Vedica, I wish to learn from the diverse curriculum and narratives of my peers which will help me equip myself with the required skills and temperament to be a successful leader and influencer. With so many eminent academics, entrepreneurs and women leaders as the faculty and governing council, I believe this will enable me to realise my true potential

A Mass Media graduate from K.C College, Mumbai, Krittika currently works as a Public Relations Consultant at MSL GROUP India. She has been involved in high exposure projects and reputation related crisis with large MNCs and conglomerates.

Handling brand reputations in crisis communication comes with a fair set of challenges, requiring quick thinking and rapid response towards potential threats, and she took on the task of flawless execution while contributing significantly to the strategic processes involved as well. Her strongest assets would be her sincerity, innovative thinking, her sense of responsibility and the constant endeavour to better herself each day.

Through its accomplished faculty, mentorship programme & diverse Scholars, the Vedica Scholars Programme will help me understand the world and perhaps more importantly know myself better. Any transformation in the world starts with the transformation of the self and I am confident that Vedica will help me in that journey

Mansi completed her graduation in Bachelors of Business Administration from Patiala, Punjab. Growing up in a small town, she experienced the discrimination that a girl in Indian society has to undergo, pushing her to do something about it. She got selected as the Youngest Committee Member of Prevention of Sexual Harassment Cell at Punjab University, Patiala which enabled her to work on multiple initiatives to empower girl students. Academically, Mansi consistently topped her class and was the first undergraduate student from her college to get a research paper published in a leading Journal. She was also the Cultural Head of her college.

With creative writing, I have been able to answer my ‘what’. Through Vedica, I’m looking forward to meet my ‘how’. A meeting point between liberal arts, management, thinking for impact and personal growth, Vedica is a platform that will merge my creative understanding with its academic rigour, intellectual stimulation and like-minded bonds, which will in turn, gear me up to face the professional world

Meghana has worked in the advertising world as a copywriter at Redifussion Y&R, Adept Artvertising (now called ‘Foolish’) and J. Walter Thomspon. Creative thinking has always driven her understanding of the world and enabled her to devise various brand campaigns for clients including Nikon, Amway, Snapdeal and India Gate.

Her post-graduation from the Delhi School of Communication enhanced her mass communication skills and fuelled her thesis on ‘Accessing the Subconscious’. She graduated from Andhra Loyola College, and her years there saw her conceptualising and organizing ‘Wipeout – A campaign against gender inequality’.

At Vedica, she wants to learn the art of bringing the otherwise ‘out-of-the-box’ into the mainstream; into heated conversations and everyday decision-making, into her writings. And, perhaps most importantly, into her professional life.

Vedica is a great platform that provides holistic education for aspiring women who would like to see themselves as the global leaders of tomorrow. In particular, the ‘Shadow a Woman CEO’ Programme is a unique opportunity to gain rich experience and exposure from leading women professionals from various industries

Monika Surya aspires to be a noted Human Resources professional  in the industry. She graduated with an MBA degree from Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur.  She’s an orator and has won many Young Manager titles at various national level festivals and was also the academic topper in her college. She has organized many prestigious events in her college and also volunteered for “Andhra Pradesh Real Estate Developers Association”.  She has successfully completed her internship at Akzonobel India Private Limited Bangalore.

Vedica’s mission to create successful women professionals is what initially attracted me to the programme. As a Vedica Scholar, I am sure I will be empowered to achieve my dreams and it will broaden my horizons and open up a whole new world of opportunities. I believe I will be better equipped to make this world a better place with the help of Vedica’s unique and unconventional course design

Having graduated with a Bachelors of Engineering in Information Science, Neeti is currently working with Oracle as a Staff Consultant. She is extensively involved in community service and is associated with various NGOs such as ‘Make A Difference’, ‘Yuva, Bengaluru’ and ‘Youth Alliance’. She facilitated a nine-day rural immersion program as a part of Youth Alliance. She has an insatiable quest for new experiences and is a voracious reader. She also loves traveling and has embarked on many adventurous journeys by herself that have impacted her deeply and helped her gain a better understanding of the world.

The Vedica Scholars Programme will help me grow into the confident woman I have dream of being through its hands-on learning and work experience, strategic mentoring and coaching by inspiring professionals. The programme along with the managerial skills emphasizes on personal growth, communication and profound thinking which further enhances interpersonal skills and would help me achieve my goals

Nikita graduated with a Bachelor’s (Hons) in Fashion Design from Pearl Academy. She worked as a freelance CAD designer. She received an award for The Best Practical Collection for her final portfolio at college. Her life changing experience was when she was one of the few students who were selected for an international exchange programme to The United Kingdom for 6 months. She studied for a semester at Heriot Watt University, Scotland and had an opportunity to intern for 2 months in London. Not only did the exposure help her academically, it also helped her mature and evolve as an individual.

Vedica, at its core, aims to empower women in the workforce and is actually walking the talk with its team of passionate individuals all committed to its vision and mission, and the same has translated into the diverse team of women shortlisted for the Programme. This is innovation for social impact and I am excited to learn and work in such a positive and liberating environment. I work best when faced with challenges and Vedica will help me find better problems and help equip me with the tools to do more with less, more interests, awareness and connections

Nishtha is a Computer Engineer from AIT, Pune. She started her career as a Graduate Engineer Trainee in IT at John Deere India before progressing on to roles with increased responsibility in HR and Sales and Marketing functions. Her involvement with various employee and focus networking groups, and committees such as the CSR, ESS, GPTW etc gave her a flavour of management combined with leadership, which she is now exploring further at Vedica.

I believe that the programme at Vedica will help me evolve in a personal and professional capacity. The appeal of the programme lies in its combination of management curriculum infused with personal development and critical thinking, all of which are of crucial importance in today’s world where intelligence and emotional strength play an equally significant role. This programme I feel would enable me to think beyond the familiar known and embark on a far less trodden path which is different from the rest

Nupur is an IT engineer by profession and is currently working in a sourcing role for a procurement firm. Apart from her responsibilities she enjoys imparting corporate training sessions and is also involved in guiding new entrants. Her passion lies in helping others, people and animals both. She was a volunteer at Teach for India where she taught English to underprivileged children. Being an animal lover, she hopes to one day open an NGO for animal welfare and thus contribute to the society. Nupur also has a Diploma in French Language from Alliance Francaise, Delhi.

Vedica is unique and provides an educational programme like none other. Throughout my academic and professional life, I felt ‘ordinary’ but I believe at Vedica I will able to explore the path to being extraordinary with an amazing learning experience

Prapurna Sharma graduated with a Bachelor’s of Technology degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from Shri Shankaracharya College Bhilai, Chattisgarh. She is artistic, creatively inclined and extremely passionate about her willingness to make a contribution to society.

Ever since her graduation, she has been working for Tata Consultancy Services as an Assistant Systems Engineer and was able to identify her leadership skills when she organized various shows and events while working in TCS. Every time she is on stage, hosting a public event or being an emcee and anchor, she attempts to forge a unique identity for her Self.

I want to gain global exposure and enhance my skills, knowledge and attitude thereby creating positive impact in the society and work towards making this world a better place to live. For this to happen I found Vedica Scholars Programme for Women as the right platform as it is unique programme providing holistic development by training the students on Management Practice, Thinking and Communication, Liberal Arts and Personal Growth

Prathyusha completed her engineering course in the stream of computer science and engineering in VVIT, Andhra Pradesh and stood as a branch topper and achieved “Academic Excellence Award”. She completed NPTEL Online Programming Course on “Programming and Data Structures” with 79% and was certified by IIT Madras. She was also certified by Oracle as “Java SE6 Programmer”. She was selected as the ambassador for Technology Entrepreneurship Programme which is organised by Indian School of Business and led a team of 36 members. She was secretary for TASK Literary Club at Lifeskills Institute for Excellence.

Vedica is my stepping stone to create a difference. The uniqueness of the course; and the amazingly enriched faculties with a readily accessible industry interface will give me the unparalleled perspectives to become an entrepreneur who can think holistically

Pratistha has worked for two years at Goldman Sachs as an analyst and has completed her B.A. in Economics (Hons) from Christ University, Bangalore. She interned with the Tribal Cultural Society, a CSR wing of TATA Steel. Pratistha has constantly been interested in the field of functional literacy through her college campaigns and her research work. Her ambition is to work towards the improvement of employable skills in the youth. With Vedica, she now hopes to take it a step further and learn the tricks of the trade to be a successful entrepreneur in the field.

I believe Vedica would lay a great foundation to a fulfilling career. With such an extraordinary team of mentors, faculty and peers, it’s nothing but the best choice I could’ve made

After majoring in Journalism from Sophia College for Women, Mumbai, Ragini took up The Gandhi Fellowship to understand the public system in rural India. During the fellowship, she lived in the tribal belt of Jhadol (Rajasthan) where she worked in five government schools to increase the student learning outcome by collaborating with school headmasters, teachers, students, parents and communities.

While in college, she interned with The Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust, Leh Ladakh which got her interested in wildlife conservation. She’s been involved in theatre in school and college. Apart from being an avid reader, she also indulges in writing. She loves the outdoors and the mountains, a keen traveller and explorer.

Vedica’s re-imagined curriculum and mentorship framework is the perfect launchpad for one’s entrepreneurial journey. It is said that there are only two ways to gain wisdom in life, ‘Making your own mistakes, or learning from others’ mistakes’. I believe the ‘Shadow a CEO’ programme will allow us to learn from the rich experiences of women who have already arrived at where we envision ourselves to be. I think the Vedica journey will be one that goes a lot beyond the 18 months time-frame

Sanya graduated in Bachelors of Commerce from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. During her college days, she was passionate about debating and won various university level and national level debates. Sanya was also the President of the College Debating Society in her Final Year. She has strong inclinations towards the education sector.

Sanya volunteered with Teach for India and went on to pursue the Teach for India Fellowship as a full-time teacher in a low-income MCD-run school. After gaining some hands-on experience inside the classroom, she joined Chalopadho, an EdTech start-up that seeks to transform the modern-day classroom culture. Sanya is looking forward to an enriching experience at Vedica that will help her kick-start her journey as an entrepreneur.

During the course of my education and subsequently while working, I had a feeling that I lack something and need a professional edge. I came across the Vedica Scholars programme and was struck by its exceptionally diverse approach, the multidisciplinary core contents and a unique philosophy. With the opportunity of ‘Shadow a CEO’ Programme, under the positive influence and guidance of women achievers in the corporate world, I believe that this course will help me shape myself into the person that I aim to be

After graduating in Business Administration from NMIMS-Mumbai, Shalaka started working with Axis Risk Consulting Services, a leading financial service firm, as an Analyst. Her contribution in evaluating potential business risks and recommending necessary corrective actions for the clients was highly appreciated and recognised by the senior management and her clients, resulting in consecutive promotions in two years from an Analyst to Senior Analyst to an Associate Consultant.

Being an avid traveller and a fitness enthusiast, she loves exploring new places and has often indulged in off-beat self-driven road trips and treks to enthralling destinations across the Himalayas and additionally completed multiple marathons conducted in Mumbai, with the Ladakh Marathon being her next aim. As a Management student experienced in business development and a full time volunteer for Aashakiran- an NGO aiming to support street children, she has a strong desire to create an egalitarian society as a social entrepreneur.

Vedica’s unique and innovative approach towards management studies interests me the most. Its distinctive methodology of providing practical insight into the corporate sector with an all-encompassing learning system contributes to its extensively enriching curriculum. The mentorship offered by the ‘Shadow a Woman CEO’ programme is a wonderful launching pad towards a professional career. I look forward to an enriching experience at Vedica

Having recently graduated in Bachelors in Commerce from Patna Women’s College, Somya has always shown keen interest towards enhancing her knowledge in the field of business and entrepreneurship. She has participated in workshops conducted by IIT Bombay and in seminars regarding business management. Growing up in Patna, she often felt the need to gain exposure to newer horizons and has been determined to learn new skills and explore multiple strengths. Towards that end, she has been certified in courses conducted by the National Stock Exchange of India and is well-versed with the myriad ways of the stock market. She has also interned in a stock broking firm. Trying to fulfill her dream of being an integral asset to the corporate world, she is excited to commence on her journey at Vedica!

Compromises are not specific to gender but are situational. Hence, why should women compromise and give up on their hard earned security? This is what I hope to do at Vedica – to help find out the key to every problem and not cave in to difficult situations. I hope to be equipped with the skill-set to understand all the factors of human capability and its management

Sonali recently graduated with a B.A (Hons) in Economics and was a very active participant in her college’s Debating Society, Model United Nations, Gender Sensitisation Cell and a think-tank.

She is a representative of the Leader Forum of The Global Education and Leadership Foundation (tGELF), an organisation that helps build a community of global leaders. Sonali is passionate about human rights issues and has worked with the corporate sector and non-profit organisations on various projects. She treats contemplation as a virtue that strengthens her grit and determination to never give up. As she works towards fulfilling her dreams, she remembers Tupac Shakur who often used to say, “Reality is wrong and dreams are for real.”

The amalgamation of courses from the liberal arts and the emphasis on leadership skills has been the most attractive aspect of Vedica. I believe that my Vedica journey will help me gain immense leverage in my personal and professional life

Srilekhya recently graduated from the Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi with a Bachelor’s (Honours) degree in Commerce. She was an active member of Enactus IPCW and a member of the Sponsors and Events committee at Spoon University-Delhi Chapter. She has also worked with an innovative project conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, IIM-A to help students of government-run elementary school by creation and aggregation of high-quality open-access multimedia/multilingual content in Science and Mathematics. The content devised by her was made available for in-school usage. At Vedica, she aspires to discover the various promenades of work and life.

I believe the Vedica Scholars Programme will help me associate with expert leaders in the industry as well as gain knowledge in a real time environment with some of the most learned and inspiring faculty members

Srishti is currently working with KPMG, India under the Governance Risk and Compliance Services (GRCS), Advisory department. Having graduated in Business Economics from Gargi College, University of Delhi, she has held the positions of President and General Secretary of Gargi College’s Commerce Association as well as core member of Economics society for two years consecutively, managing the functioning of all commerce courses and organizing the annual department fest, CASCADE. From being felicitated with the ‘KPMG KUDOS’ award for excellent contribution on projects to achieving multiple awards for business plan competitions during college, she continues to aspire for more. She is currently an educator at ‘Becoming I Foundation’ under the project LEAP, imparting knowledge in the field of music, dance and art to underprivileged students in Delhi. Being trained in Indian classical music, Srishti has also won various Indian music competitions.

I believe Vedica will be a milestone in my life. Its unconventional curriculum and mentoring by the most inspiring women leaders is something I am definitely looking forward to. I feel certain that Vedica will not only give direction to my career but it will also help me grow as an individual

Surangini has recently graduated from Motilal Nehru College, University of Delhi with a Bachelor’s (Honours) degree in Commerce. Being the Cultural Secretary of her college for two consecutive years and the Vice President of the Western Dance Society of her college for a year has helped her polish her leadership skills and channel her zany energy and passion into something she believes in. She is also a Core Team Member at Moksha Foundation, a Delhi based NGO, where she conducts workshops at various MCD and government schools to educate school-going children about personal hygiene and menstrual care.

Vedica’s distinctive curriculum and focus on building professional women leaders is going to be an empowering experience. It will help me push myself to achieve what I know I could be capable of. In my eighteen month journey at Vedica, I hope to imbibe the qualities and skills necessary to be considered a benchmark professional

Upma graduated with an Honours degree in Accounts from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. For her, a conventional MBA course was never appealing. She believes firmly that learning experiences are crucial irrespective of what one wants to achieve in life. She is fuelled by endless curiosity and is on a quest to find answers unconventionally. She reads, likes travelling and would want to become a professional baker one day.