A brilliant student. A graceful dancer. And 1st rank-holder of the 2017 batch at IIM Calcutta. Soumyasree Chakraborty is all this and a lot more. She spoke about her academic achievements, life on the Joka campus and her crush on Sachin Tendulkar at CMA presents Laureates, in association with The Telegraph, at Rotary Sadan on March 29. 

The question-and-answer session with Jimmy Tangree took the audience through the brainiac’s school days in Bidya Bhaban School, Behala, her time at Jadavpur University where she studied electrical engineering, her four-year stint with Indian Oil before cracking CAT with a mind-blowing 99.83 percentile and a record CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of 8.97 out of 9 at IIM Calcutta. 

Soumyasree is headed for Mumbai, where she will join the Boston Consulting Group as a consultant from June.
Excerpts from the conversation.

Academic choices
In school, I wanted to be a doctor one day and an engineer the next. I was heartbroken when I didn’t get into IIT. But I promised myself I would do better wherever I joined and that’s why I could be the gold medallist of my batch at JU. I come from a very middle-class family and my parents had a dream for me. Even I knew there is no alternative to education. I made the most of the resources I had. 

Engineering over medical
I always loved math. Also, engineering was a shorter course and meant quick money. It was a practical choice. 

Aim for F.R.I.E.N.D.S
There is no secret mantra for studying. It is as simple as mathematics. There is no correlation between the hours you put in and your result. Also, there needs to be a hobby. Otherwise, there is no motivation for studying.

I realised early in life that procrastinating didn’t work for me. I studied whatever was taught in class the same day. And that’s the routine I have followed all my life. At IIM, I would set targets for myself that if I could finish a certain amount of studying within a stipulated time, I could watch an hour of F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Why MBA
Management was nowhere on my mind. After I joined Indian Oil, I realised I was finding no intellectual stimulation. After a point of time, I felt stagnated and that’s when I started preparing for CAT.

CAT prep
I sat for CAT while I was still working at Indian Oil. I tried to take as many mock tests as possible. I prepared a list of formulae and kept going through it. The day before CAT, I just relaxed. 

Life at Joka
Like any other B-school, IIM Calcutta is grilling. Class hours are long and the course is strenuous. But it prepares you for life. There is learning beyond classroom. Peer learning is a great part of being at IIM. There are many cultural activities round the year and the various clubs and activities help students engage in creative pursuit. IIM also gave us a chance to interact with the who’s who of the country. I had taken part in a competition where I got a chance to draw up a business plan for Mahindra and Mahindra and present it to Anand Mahindra. That was a huge opportunity. Joka taught us to never settle for less and always aim big. 

Step up
I love dance and I have learnt Odissi for more than 12 years. Also, I feel very strongly for education of girls. Social work is something I have been associated with since my days in IIM. We had a social service club and I was an active member.

Crushes
I have never really had a crush as such. I think boys find me a little intimidating. I really admired a professor at IIM and I used to study his subject a lot so that I could participate in his class! And yes, I have had the longest crush on Sachin Tendulkar.

Inspirations
My mom inspires me a lot. She is my source of strength. Also, I am a big fan of Sachin Tendulkar, I really look up to him. 

Success is...
Achieving goals that I have set for myself. 

Motivation
There’s a saying ‘It is difficult to climb a mountain but more difficult to stay on top’. This has been a great motivator for me and has changed me. 

5 points to keep in mind
♦ Time management
♦ Rigour and hard work
♦ Dedication
♦ Don’t let things bog you down
♦ Don’t get tied down to your comfort zone 

Things I look for in a guy 
He must be tall, have a sense humour. Intelligence is a must and he should respect women. Also, he must be a self-made man.

Text: Samabrita Sen
Pictures: B. Halder