I recently got interviewed by a YouTube Channel named ‘IIMKeBaad.’
It is run by two IIM Graduates who reunited after 25 years to relive and unravel untold tales with other IIM graduates.
In the process, they interview IIM graduates of various shades, covering their journeys from IIM to the real world, and blending their discussions with a dash of wisdom and humour.
My interview starts with my background and early life, and then dives deep into engineering, motivation and preparation for CAT, and the IIM experience itself.
After that, there is a long discussion on my corporate work experience, including my stints with entrepreneurship, and later with Oracle, HP, Lenovo and IBM, along with learnings from dot com and views on data analytics and AI.
The interview then takes a turn to the recent past, where we talk about the need and meaning of financial independence, how it prepared me for taking the plunge into an independent life as an author and freelance consultant.
And towards the last half an hour, there is a deep dive into my writing journey and books, life as a author (including the economics of writing!) and plans for the future.
The interview is a long one, almost two hours, and covers a range of topics.
Here is the list of key topics and the links to jump into them directly:
0:05:06 – Early life and Education: About Ranjit, Nostalgic stories of train journeys, Academic Choices
0:11:44 Why IIM & CAT: Preparation & Interview, English Improvement, GD Experience
0:40:32 Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship Journey, About Corporate life, AI evolution & family
1:05:39 Author Journey: How and Why he started writing? Financial Independence, Earnings & Royalties
1:32:48 Publishing: Publishing process and struggles, Life in Bangalore
The editors of the channel have characterized the episode in the following words:
“If you’ve ever wondered whether you can pursue both stability and creativity – this is the episode you need. We explore the mindset of someone who cracked CAT in the pre-Internet era, built a global career, and then chose to write short stories for the soul.”
“We promise you—it’s not just a podcast, it’s a powerful reminder that success doesn’t have one definition! Whether you want to build a business, crack a top B-school, or publish your first book—this episode has something for you. So plug in your earphones, hit play, and let Ranjeet’s journey inspire your next big move.”
If you would like to see this interview, then grab a cup (or two) of coffee, and do click on the link below and watch it sip by sip.