When I joined ISB, I expected the year to be intense. I expected classes, assignments, networking events, and eventually placements. What I did not expect was that one of the most memorable experiences of the year would come from a business idea competition.
The Tata Imagination Challenge started as just another opportunity on my calendar. Like many students, I signed up thinking it would be a good learning experience. I had no idea that a few months later I would be standing among the winners of one of India's most prestigious business challenges.
The idea I entered with was ExperGO, a platform built around a simple observation. After seeing my father retire from the Indian Railways, I began wondering what happens to decades of experience when professionals leave the workforce. India has millions of retired experts, yet startups struggle to find affordable guidance and students often graduate without practical industry exposure. It felt like there was a gap worth solving.
The competition was structured across five stages, and each stage demanded something different.
The early rounds rewarded creativity. A good idea and a compelling story could take you forward. But as the competition progressed, the questions became harder and more practical. Judges wanted to understand the business model, the economics, the scalability, and the real-world challenges. Every round felt like peeling another layer off the idea.
I quickly realised that progressing in the competition was less about defending my original concept and more about improving it.
One person who played a major role in that process was my mentor, Manzar. Throughout the journey, he consistently challenged my assumptions and pushed me to think more clearly. Whenever my pitch became too complicated, he reminded me to focus on the problem. Whenever I got lost in details, he brought me back to the bigger picture.
The best mentors do not give answers. They help you discover better questions. Manzar did exactly that.
As exciting as the competition was, the timing could not have been more challenging.
The final stages coincided almost perfectly with placement season at ISB. Anyone who has experienced placements knows how mentally consuming that period can be. There is preparation, uncertainty, interview schedules, networking conversations, and the constant pressure of making important career decisions.
For several weeks, my days felt split between two worlds. One part of the day was dedicated to placements. The other was spent refining pitches, reviewing feedback, and preparing for the next round of the competition. There were many late nights and more than a few moments when I questioned whether I had taken on too much.
Looking back, that balancing act taught me as much as the competition itself.
The day the results were announced is difficult to describe. Winning felt wonderful, of course. But the strongest emotion was not excitement. It was gratitude. Gratitude for the mentors who invested their time, the friends who listened to endless pitch rehearsals, and the opportunity to test an idea on such a large stage.
The trophy was meaningful, but the bigger takeaway was confidence.
Confidence that ideas can come from everyday observations. Confidence that good mentorship can dramatically improve your thinking. And confidence that even during the busiest phases of life, it is worth making room for something you genuinely believe in.
Long after the certificates and photographs are forgotten, that is probably the lesson I will remember most.
