Practical exposure to running a business

After completing my bachelor’s degree in business management from Shri Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain College of Bangalore, I joined my family business and worked as an “apprentice”.

There I gained two years of work experience in different areas of the business and finally decided to pursue my higher studies in MBA from an international Institute.
Planning for higher education abroad is an extremely challenging and critical process.

After going through numerous study abroad websites and consulting with many people, I came across the profile of Newcastle University, UK, which is part of the UK’s elite Russell Group and also discovered Newcastle University Business School. It is a research- intensive institution which delivers programmes of high quality and is one of the only 138 business schools worldwide to receive accreditation from the European agency EFMD under its ‘EQUIS’scheme.

All the Newcastle programmes are designed for the global business community and students are encouraged to think entrepreneurially here. Besides being acknowledged for academic excellence, Newcastle has twice been voted the best university-city in the UK. It is also renowned for its architectural beauty, cultural flavor and lively nightlife, as well as its atmosphere of friendliness. These are among the inducements that prompted my decision to study here.

The skills that I gained during my stint at Newcastle encompassed Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Organizational Behavior, Globalization, Supply Chain Mgt, Marketing and Selling concepts, ERP and above all, self reliance.

The pedagogy is so well structured that a student can get both theoretical as well as practical exposure to the endeavor of running a business. I was able to effectively relate my practical experience in industry to my studies.

I wrote my MBA thesis on the strategic business plan for “Marketing Single Malt Whisky in the UK”. It was during the test marketing drive that I realised the potential of this product in the market of nearly 10,000 Indian restaurants in the UK. On the strength of my MBA findings and further recommendations, I decided to introduce in the UK market using two products single malt whisky and rum.

During my stay at Newcastle University I met an Indian, Mr Ashok Chokalingam who is now General Manager of International Operations at of a distillery in Bangalore. We belonged to the same batch and did the same course.

He had also been awarded an international post-graduate scholarship by the university. I was impressed by his capabilities and offered him a job at Amrut Distilleries, where he is now the General Manager and handles the European market from Regents Centre, Gosforth. 

The modules on Global Business Environment, Strategy, Operations Management, and ERP were pivotal in assisting me to strategise the launch of our company's Single Malt Whisky globally.

The product was launched in 2004, in Glasgow. Using the expertise I gained from my Newcastle MBA, I managed to promote the product in 24 countries the world over and am still counting!

I graduated from Newcastle University Business School in 2002 and re-joined my family business based in Bangalore, India. Here I manage various facets of the business, including production, operations, strategy, finance and accounts, logistics and supply chain management, but my focus area is marketing, selling and branding. I have my insightful and educative stint at Newcastle to thank for the resounding success I have secured in extending the reach of our brand beyond India in overseas markets, including the UK.

I am the proud and committed Ambassador of the Newcastle University Business School. I consistently affirm the vital influence it has had in shaping my life and personality by inculcating in me a flair for entrepreneurial excellence and a confident appetite for challenge in the sphere of enterprise.

Even though I come from a reputed business family, I lacked exposure to global business and industry. Newcastle provided the impetus to widen my horizons and embrace a holistic perspective on how businesses function at the global level. This has proved to be a critical advantage in my effort to project my company on an international platform.

I believe that the decision to join Newcastle constitutes the most defining moment of my life.

“The Newcastle Business School MBA is the perfect platform for students to launch their career and the time spent at Newcastle will be cherished forever.”

Alumni of Newcastle University,UK and Currently Executive Director at Amrut Distilleries Ltd.