Siddhant's Journey: From Odisha to Columbia Business School – A Story of Innovation, Leadership, and Sustainability


Siddhant’s journey of getting admitted to Columbia Business School and Ross School of Business reflects his persevering attitude, strategic thinking and planning, and his deep-rooted commitment to making a difference. 

 

Born and raised in Odisha, an eastern Indian state known for its tribal cultures and ancient Hindu temples, Siddhant’s upbringing years were marked by spending time on the farms with his grandfather, a school teacher turned farmer. He fostered in Siddhant the values of contributing to a larger cause and championing the values of thinking beyond himself. On the other hand, his mother, a physicist, further fuelled his passion for science, innovation, and problem-solving, particularly through her work in nanotechnology.

Siddhant’s academic journey began at Delhi Technological University (DTU), where he pursued a degree in Civil Engineering. Despite his initial lack of interest, he navigated through his Engineering degree by engaging in extracurriculars that nurtured his deeper passions. As Editor-in-Chief of the college magazine, he honed his interpersonal skills and transformed from an introvert into a confident communicator. This experience later played a pivotal role in his professional career at Bain & Company.

“Bain made me realize something contrary to older beliefs – consulting requires breaking down big problems even before brainstorming solutions.”

At Bain, Siddhant’s journey was marked by innovation, leadership, and tangible impact. Joining in 2019 as an Analyst, he rapidly grew within the organization, becoming a Project Leader by 2023. His expertise in pricing strategy and AI-driven solutions led to ground-breaking work with Fortune 500 companies, including the creation of tools that contributed to billion-dollar revenue uplift across multiple industries. His achievements at Bain include leading one of the highest-grossing Bain projects and co-founding consulting’s contract optimizer, which empowered executives with insights into contracting practices and boosting revenue potential across industries.

A major milestone in Siddhant’s career was being handpicked for a five-month transfer to Bain’s U.S. Office, where he worked on projects that furthered his cross-country collaboration and strategic thinking. His leadership extended beyond commercial work—he co-founded Bain’s Tech-Pricing Architecture sub-practice, which saw a revenue uplift across multiple client deployments.

Siddhant’s commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives became a central theme in his professional and personal pursuits, especially because of his pro-bono engagement with MyHarvest Farms through the Acumen Impact fund partnership, which closely aligned with his long-standing desire to give back to society. His leadership at the firm’s DE&I initiatives, women’s empowerment workshops, and sustainability-focused hackathons further cemented his role as a change agent.

The turning point in Siddhant’s decision to pursue an MBA came during his transfer to Bain’s U.S. offices. Exposure to the diverse work culture and his visits to top business schools, particularly Columbia, solidified his decision. Choosing the GRE over the GMAT, Siddhant scored an impressive 334, showcasing his strong quantitative and verbal skills. He emphasized sustainability in his application essays, a theme interwoven throughout his career, as he expressed his desire to merge his business acumen and passion for ESG to eventually become an entrepreneur in this space.

His journey from a small town in Odisha to the global stage of Columbia University is a testament to how personal motivation, professional rigor, and a commitment to societal and environmental change can lead to success.

Reflecting on his career so far, he believes that: 

It is rather common for people to shift jobs and incessantly change to better roles in different companies. However, what I have come to realize is that it is a better strategy to remain in a company that makes you happy and rise through the ranks within that organization. This tends to reflect your dedication and carve experiences in your cohesive journey that you can inspire others with.”

To read more such stories of folks who got into their dream business schools to pursue their lifelong passion, check out our success stories.

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