Check out how this social impact leader made it to Kellogg MBA
Atharv’s journey started in Thane, a suburban area in Mumbai, where he was born and raised. His father was a Chartered Accountant who ran his own firm. He studied at a local vernacular-medium school, providing him with a more diverse exposure and instilling in him a strong sense of cultural grounding while also reinforcing resilience and adaptability.
Atharv’s formative years were marked by his love for reading, a passion that propelled him to explore the world outside from varied perspectives, shaping his sense of empathy, ability to connect with people and building a unique approach to problem-solving.
Given that his father had a career in finance and accountancy, there was a conducive environment for Atharv to get into the field. However, Atharv chose to find his own path. He was fascinated by the potential of technology, which pushed him to pursue an undergraduate degree in Electronics Engineering at VJTI, Mumbai.
Upon graduation, Atharv began his professional journey at PWC, where he took on the role of a technology consultant specializing in intelligent automation. His role involved optimizing business processes for clients and creating software bots to drive efficiency and accuracy.
Despite excelling in his role, Atharv felt a deeper calling to create meaningful social impact, inspired by reading The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid by CK Prahalad and Poor Economics by Abhijit Banerjee.
These works opened his eyes to the potential of underserved markets and inspired him to explore opportunities in the social impact space. However, transitioning from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector was difficult, especially during the pandemic.
After facing initial challenges, Atharv joined Bhagirath Gram Vikas Pratishthan, a small NGO working in the Sahyadri district of Maharashtra. There, he designed financial models and impact frameworks for livelihood programs, which deepened his understanding of grassroots challenges.
Eager to broaden his perspective, Atharv joined Pratham, one of India’s largest education-focused NGOs, as an Impact Evaluation Associate. At Pratham, he worked on an innovative “Birth-3 age” program aimed to fill a critical gap in early childhood development. His efforts helped scale the program’s reach from one state to four, impacting 50,000+ beneficiaries.
At Pratham, Atharv also got to observe how operational challenges differed between regions, such as varying gender dynamics among field staff in North versus South India. These experiences provided Atharv with a nuanced perspective on designing scalable and sustainable solutions for diverse markets.
Over time, Atharv developed an awareness of the limitations of nonprofit funding models. He realized that creating sustainable impact required solutions that were economically viable and self-sustaining. That’s when he realized it was now time for him to consider pursuing an MBA. After attaining a strong GRE score, Atharv focused on crafting a compelling application.
Working with Brian, an Admissions Gateway Consultant, he shares that Brian’s structured approach and personalized guidance helped him highlight his unique story. Atharv’s essays focused on leveraging insights from his professional journey, the major milestones and turning points in his life, his passion for social impact, and his vision of bridging corporate strategy with grassroots realities. Through his hard work and Admissions Gateway’s support, Atharv received an admit to Kellogg School of Management, his dream school.
At Kellogg, he aims to refine his business skills and develop a network of like-minded peers, bringing him a step closer to designing sustainable solutions for underserved markets. From the classrooms of a vernacular-medium school to the corridors of Kellogg, Atharv’s journey is an inspiration for anyone seeking to create a meaningful impact on the world.
To read more such stories of folks who got into their dream business schools to pursue their lifelong passion, check out our success stories.
