Check out how this IIT Bombay Engineer made it to Kellogg School of Management
Born and raised in Jaipur, Aniruddh grew up in a tight knit family in a city with a rich cultural heritage undergoing a rapid transformation. This infused in him a curious mindset and an interest to understand the rapidly evolving world around him. Motivated by the ambitious peers he grew up with, Aniruddh’s academic journey began with a love for problem solving, with his father being the core source of his inspiration.
Jaipur’s evolving landscape and his fascination with innovation steered him toward engineering. Challenging himself to aim for the best engineering institutions in the country, he set his sights on IIT Bombay, a dream shared with his mother. Dedicating two years during high school to prepare for the incredibly difficult IIT-JEE exam, he studied for 15 hours a day at times to meet the expected outcomes. His hard work paid off when he got himself a highly sought after spot in IIT Bombay’s Civil Engineering program.
At IIT, Aniruddh gained exposure to a melting pot of innovative ideas and diverse cultures. Balancing both academics extracurriculars, he dove deeper into the vibrant, creative and entrepreneurial ecosystems of Bombay. To develop a holistic profile and refine his leadership skills, Aniruddh actively participated in Mood Indigo, Asia’s largest cultural festival, and TechFest, a premier technology showcase.
After graduation, Anirudh joined Axis Bank, where he worked on projects involving anti-money laundering infrastructure and operational risk technologies. This role offered him a glimpse into the burgeoning Indian FinTech landscape while also sparking in him an interest to build solutions that could simplify financial processes for consumers.
Driven by this insight, Anirudh co-founded goDutch, a new-age fintech app that powers group payments for millennials. Over time, it evolved into a personal finance management platform. As a first-time entrepreneur, he navigated the challenges of building a startup from scratch, from creating a viable product to securing funding. Under his leadership, GoDutch attracted 3 million users, secured funding from Y Combinator, and was recognized as one of Google Play’s Best Apps of 2020. Anirudh’s startup journey not only honed his technical skills but also gave him hands-on experience in hiring, fundraising, and scaling a business.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted consumer behavior. But the never back down attitude in Anirudh made him the pivot the key offering at GoDutch to address the customers’ emerging needs, underscoring his adaptability and user-first mindset. Despite the startup journey being a roaring success, Aniruddh eventually decided to transition from entrepreneurship, seeking a broader canvas for impact.
Joining Lenskart, Asia’s largest eyewear company serving 40 Million people as a Director for Online Growth, Aniruddh worked on global expansion initiatives and expanding Lensket’s online growth strategy. Collaborating with international teams, he proactively contributed to strategic decisions that drove the company’s growth. His experience at Lenskart solidified his desire to enhance his strategic toolkit and deepen his understanding of global business dynamics.
Recognizing the value of an MBA in achieving these goals, Anirudh began preparing for the GMAT. Despite his rigorous engineering background, he found the verbal section of the GMAT challenging and dedicated himself to mastering it. Balancing his job and GMAT prep, he achieved a stellar score of 760.
With the guidance of Admissions Gateway and his consultant Kartik, a Kellogg alumnus, Anirudh crafted a compelling narrative for his MBA applications. Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, corporate experiences, and personal growth, he developed essays that captured his authentic narrative. During our conversation, he also shared that Karthik’s structured approach and nuanced feedback really helped him refine his MBA application essays.
Getting admits from both Kellogg and Tuck, Anirudh connected with friends and alum at both schools and chose Kellogg because of its emphasis on collaboration, diversity, and leadership development, a perfect fit for his aspirations.
Now at Kellogg, Anirudh is delving deeper into courses on strategy and entrepreneurship, such as New Venture Discovery and Launching and Scaling Startups. He is also exploring negotiation fundamentals and frameworks that will empower him to lead with impact. Being in a truly diverse classroom, he is most excited to connect with his peers whose varied experiences continually challenge and enrich his own.
Looking back, Anirudh credits his journey to the unyielding support of his family, the lessons from his entrepreneurial ventures, and his unwavering commitment to growth. As he navigates his MBA journey, he is driven by a vision to lead transformative initiatives at the intersection of technology and strategy, creating meaningful change in the global business landscape.
To read more such stories of folks who got into their dream business schools to pursue their lifelong passion, check out our success stories.
