IIM Ahmedabad Student Shares his Product Management Internship Experience at Airtel

Life's best and most straightforward way to achieve success is to seize every opportunity that comes your way! When presented with fresh opportunities, give a warm welcome and make the best use of them. The internship experience of this IIM Ahmedabad 2022 PGP batch student Soham Desai at Bharti Airtel follows on from this.

"Getting a free hand in running the project at Airtel was the ultimate motivation." 

In an exclusive interview with Soham, he said, "The best thing that ever happened to me at IIM Ahmedabad was the opportunity to break into product management via a platform like Bharti Airtel. The icing on the cake was getting a free hand on an independent project that required me to analyze their product offering (SB WAN), learn about their competitors, and prepare a product pitch for the company. More than understanding the practical aspects of product management, the most important learning of this stint was the people management experience that has been critical in shaping me as a leader."

On being asked about the induction process and the company, he said, "The induction process was as smooth as silk. All the nervousness of the first day was put away by the warm and welcoming people at Airtel. The two-day induction of my summer internship was all about getting to know the company's history and values, exciting sessions with the leadership, as well as team-building activities which helped all the interns build camaraderie with each other." 

Getting down to the brass tacks of Product Management

To put it simply, a product manager is responsible for the development and maintenance of a company's product or service line. And in the near future, product management is only poised to grow significantly. On this, Soham dispels one of the most common misconceptions about product management:

It's safe to say that Product Management, like Consulting, is becoming a perennial favorite. And who said that having a degree in computer science is a prerequisite for becoming a product manager? No, my friends! Product management is more about how well you can communicate with internal and external stakeholders and sew them together. Above everything, it is your problem-solving skills, motivation, and self-driven attitude that will give you an edge over others.

For me, product management is the best role because it helped me keep my footing in the engineering world and discover new fields that I had no idea existed! (all at once!)

Meet Soham Desai

Raised in Vadodra, Soham was always sure of what he wanted. From his success in the JEE to his admission to IIT Delhi, he was always aware of his natural affinity for science and technology. He never backed away from taking courses to supplement his passion for computer science. He went above and beyond to hone a variety of languages, including C, C++, R, JAVA, and Ruby. To gain practical industry experience, he also completed two internships at Larsen & Turbo Power and Amitron Printed Circuit Boards.

If you've formed the impression that he grew up a geek, then allow us to set the record straight.

No, he was not confined to the bounds of academia but equally pursued his passion for sports as well! As an avid sports fan, he participated in numerous hockey, football, and chess tournaments and organized multiple quizzes.

It wasn't until he completed his two-year tenure in on-campus placement at Intel that he realized how critical it was for him to push his boundaries and venture outside of his comfort zone. After carefully analyzing the never-ending dilemma of pursuing an MS or an MBA, he narrowed it down to an MBA. If you're wondering why a tech enthusiast would choose not to pursue an MS, well, it was his obsession to discover more and have the best of both worlds. And to date, he never once regretted his decision to forego an MS!

Talking of exploring possibilities, did we mention that during his graduation, he also underwent a Marketing internship at MobiKwik? Here is what he has to say on this:

It's possible that even though you're apprehensive about an opportunity, you could end up loving the choice you made. My marking internship at MobiKwik gave me a positive push to contribute to a big project like the cashless city (Surat) and gain skills that I would have never garnered. Having said that, remember that taking one opportunity might open new opportunities! 

Garnering a pandora box of learning at Airtel!

During the exclusive conversation with Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete) he said, "Even when everyone was reeling under the impact of the second wave of the pandemic, our mentors and guides stayed behind us 100 percent!"

Interns faced the rippling effects of the pandemic, like lack of the opportunity to interact with people face-to-face and limited access to resources. Still, it is a safe bet to say that Soham garnered a pandora box of takeaways during his two-month product management internship at Airtel. Here are his top three takeaways that might be of assistance to some:

• Reading is highly beneficial; conversing with another person may introduce bias, but reading enables you to delve deeper into insights. And this for sure will take your market research up a notch!
• Contact with people - the people you meet and work with will be invaluable in the long run. The connections you make can be the stepping-stone to your next opportunity.
• Regardless of your rich work experience, never stop working on your communication skills, let alone your presentation or deck-building abilities.

We wish Soham a bright and beautiful future. To read more about such internship experiences at coveted firms, click here.

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