Saying that Mr. Yatish Wahaal has done Jaipuria Institute of Management proud would be an understatement. The fact that he is the winner of the first Chairman’s Medal given to alumni of the institute illustrates the significance of his professional achievements. A student of the 2007 batch, Mr. Wahaal remembers the fresh feel of Noida campus, and he credits the institute for giving him the right skills needed to make giant strides in his career. His success has led him to his current position as the CEO and Director of Nayati Healthcare & Research Pvt. Ltd. 

Here, Mr. Wahaal talks about his professional growth and his institute’s role in his success. “I am really indebted to the house of Jaipuria because I feel that some of the very basic qualities they have instilled in me have resulted in the achievements that I have made,” he tells us. “It’s the passion for education, and not profits, that drives the institute.” He has, of course, reaped the benefits of his education, illustrated by his placement with Centurion Bank of Punjab. Mr. Wahaal bagged the placement at an interesting time for the bank – it was an in its expansion phase and his placement offered him a tremendous learning experience. 

Since then, Mr. Wahaal has worked with Haier Appliance, a Fortune 500 consumer durable company, at a time when it was just setting up a base of operations in India. This was another position that gave him the experience needed to help him on his rise up the corporate ladder. He has also worked on several top rung projects, including the privatization of IPL, a gig for Sultanate of Oman and helping Sahara group acquire the Grosvenor House. He admits that it’s been a rewarding career so far and attributes it to the platform laid out for him by his institute. 

Talking about his time at Jaipuria, Noida Mr. Wahaal says, “They offer plenty of scope to students to derive value from their education. Besides classroom learning, we did a lot of case studies, research work and industry visits that were really helpful. One of my most memorable experiences was working with Café Coffee Day with one of our professors. We did a live exercise at one of their outlets and helped create support material, including the idea of a signature CCD tune that worked towards their brand enhancement.” 

Mr. Wahaal believes that it was exercises like these that brought him closer to his consulting career, which is his focus in the long run. Today, Nayati Healthcare & Research Pvt. Ltd. does its work in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas where there is no network of doctors and medical professionals. The idea is to take healthcare to patients in a model that’s economically viable and sustainable. “It’s something I am passionate about and want to do for those around me, Mr. Wahaal says. “I am indebted by the Chairman’s Medal given to me; however, I also look at it as a sense of responsibility.” 

Going down memory lane and reflecting on his academic days at the institute is not always easy for Mr. Wahaal, as it fills him with a wide range of emotions: “There are many great memories attached to those times. But, what I appreciate the most was that our institute took our suggestions on board, like when we asked for help in learning a foreign language. Upon this request, the institute quickly organized French lessons for its student body.” And, in a parting shot to current students, Mr. Wahaal says, “The institute offers you a phenomenal platform, make the most of it and avoid taking short cuts.” With his experience, both as a student and a professional, students would be wise to listen to these words.