Gaurav Nigam, PGDM 2012-14, Jaipuria, Lucknow.

Gaurav Nigam spent most of his formative years in Lucknow. When he was pursuing a B.Com. undergraduate degree from Lucknow University, his older brother, Ankit Verma, suggested that he pursue a PGDM from Jaipuria Institute of Management. “My brother had done a PGDM from Jaipuria, Lucknow and when he told me about the rich learning experience, the record placements and the world-class faculty; it influenced my decision to join the Institute.”

Nigam says that he benefitted greatly from the rich learning experience. “The Jaipuria, Lucknow faculty was very friendly and went out of their way to help,” he says. “My mentor discussed my weak points with me and ensured that they weren’t points of worry anymore.” The rigour of academic life helped this young man to focus on the goals that lay ahead, and his summer internship with Best Western Plus, Levana, saw him working hard at proving himself. At Best Western he had to conduct quality checks on hotel operations, plan ways to promote the brand, conduct various sales activities and much more. “It was an experience that put me in good stead for what lay ahead,” he admits.

Today, Nigam is placed with Apollo Tyres, Kanpur as ‘territory- in-charge’. He is of the firm opinion that if you are to succeed in your profession, you must be prepared to work anywhere. So his advice to students getting placement opportunities in smaller cities would be to “always be open to any location.” He continues, saying,“Students need to realise that they have to build ‘their’ brand in the market. It is only once they have a good reputation that they can demand roles or locations.”
Talking about his time at Apollo, Nigam says he loves his job. “I like the motion, fluidity and the activity in this job,” he explains. “Currently, I am travelling and I really have no issues; in fact I love it. As a bonus, it happens to be my job profile as well! My role here involves managing dealers and customers within my territory. If any problems come up, I need to be able to provide viable solutions.”
The young man is very grateful to Jaipuria, Lucknow as his time there helped him learn the tricks of the trade. Some of the greatest takeaways that Jaipuria, Lucknow gave him were in the areas of meeting deadlines and focusing on important work that needs to be done. As he says, “No matter what is going on around you, I learned the need to focus and complete the task.”

Apart from this, the Jaipuria journey also taught him how to maintain the right work-life balance. “Being in a sales job means that you have to be in the market for the better part of the day. So, after work I try to ensure that I wind down and pursue other areas that interestme. This way, I am ready to face the next day and take on the challenges it brings,” he shares. As to the future, Nigam has a clear focus: “I want to build my brand – so that people know me, people recognise me. That’s what needs to be done if you want to achieve your career goals.”

Recalling his time at Jaipuria, Lucknow, Nigam says that it was full of great memories: “We took our studies very seriously, but there was always time for fun. We missed some classes but then took extra classes – ultimately you need to know when to do what and when it is the right time to do the right thing!”

His advice to the new batch at his alma mater is simple: “Be dynamic. Enjoy what you are doing. Today’s businesses require people who do not get tired even if they are saddled with an unlimited amount of work. You must always show that you are hungry for success!”

So, how would Nigam describe himself in one word? Pat comes the answer: “Consistent – because you need to be consistent to survive and do well in the corporate world. You have to perform every time if you wish to make an impact. Consistency is a great way to ensure that you are rewarded.’