Esha's story spans continents, disciplines and deep personal evolution. She went from a national-level swimmer in India to leading operations for P&G in Manila, navigating high-stakes environments with rare clarity and calm. As an admit to Harvard Business School and Wharton, she now steps into the next chapter of a journey defined by courage and conviction.
A childhood across seven cities, anchored by swimming
I was born in Chennai, and my father worked in a transferable government job, so I moved frequently and lived in around seven cities growing up. That kept me adaptable and resilient. Swimming was the other constant. I swam at district, state and national levels, represented Kerala and Tamil Nadu, captained my university team and graduated as best outgoing sportsperson.
I studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering at NIT Trichy. Through internships at IIM Bangalore, NITI Aayog and EY I realised I love working with people and teams, and finally found a techno-managerial role that fit at P&G.
From process engineer to leading a line through COVID
Straight out of college I was a process engineer in a large organisation. Within months I moved into a line manager role leading a large team, and I was one of the leaders on the floor through COVID. Putting people first helped my team stay strong, and I was recognised with the CEO award.
That led to new product delivery work across geographies. The Philippines team saw my work and offered me an expat role. Today I am Head of Operations in Manila, where we make Tide and Ariel for the market.
Why an MBA, and why now
I first applied for a deferred MBA, but I lacked clarity on my goals and was not admitted. That gave me space to reflect. With four and a half years of work experience, I finally had clarity, and it felt like the right time to go back to school.
That is where Aparna came in. I knew what I wanted to do; she helped me frame how to envision my goals and which schools matched my post-MBA plans, so I applied deliberately to a small number of programs.
How Aparna supported me
I had a qualitative understanding of my goals, to create impact in emerging countries by bringing Industry 4.0 to manufacturing and supply chains. Aparna was invaluable in articulating that and tying it together into a vision for each school.
She made me feel at home, kept me on track through a one-month timeline, and during interview prep was clear about my strengths. She even told me to joke in an interview, which let me be my most authentic self. She also gave me space to disagree, and respected where I came from.
Advice for future applicants
Clarity on goals is hugely helpful; soul searching is a crucial part of the application. Start early, because it is a creative process and you want time to reflect and iterate without the pressure of deadlines.
Hire a consultant who is flexible and can work around a hectic schedule. I could watch webinars at my own pace and the advice was practical and to the point. I do not think I would have completed the deadlines on time without Admissions Gateway.
What's next
I am looking forward to going back to school. Being with peers who share similar goals is one of the best feelings in the world. A new country, a new culture, and getting to study all over again. I am really excited.