Before coming to Oxford, my career was a patchwork of different industries including product management at an early-stage start-up, public policy consulting, and journalism at one of India’s leading news media platforms. But parallelly, I was also building a very different career as a DJ, curating music and experiences that moved people. I co-founded India’s first all-female DJ collective called Coven Code that aimed to create a safe and inclusive space for women and the LGBTQ+ community in the music and nightlife industry.
Like many MBA candidates, I assumed that my 'primary' career (the one I could neatly list on my CV) would be the defining lens through which I experienced business school. But Oxford had other plans.
A Stage I Didn't Expect
It started with an impromptu DJ set at the closing ceremony of our pre-MBA trek in Edinburgh, where a casual performance quickly turned into something much bigger. My MBA peers encouraged this talent and soon I found myself playing at college BOPs, bringing people together through music in a way I never anticipated would be part of my MBA journey.
Oxford has a reputation for shaping well-rounded leaders, but I didn’t fully grasp what that meant until I experienced it first-hand. My classmates didn't just acknowledge my DJing but also celebrated it. They made me realize that this part of me wasn’t separate from my identity as a business leader, but rather an integral part of what I bring to the table.
Leadership Beyond the Boardroom
Business school often focuses on frameworks, case studies, and structured problem-solving. But leadership, I’ve learned, isn’t just about strategy decks or financial models. It’s also about creativity, adaptability, and the ability to bring people together, whether in a meeting room or on a dance floor.
DJing has taught me to read the room, pivot when things aren’t working, and create an experience that resonates with people. These are the same skills that drive great product management, policy decisions, and business leadership. At Saïd Business School, I’ve realized that my love for music and my career in business don’t have to exist in separate worlds because they fuel each other.
Bringing My Whole Self to the MBA
Being at Oxford has given me the space to embrace all aspects of my identity. I came here expecting to refine my business skills, but I’m leaving with something even more valuable: the confidence to integrate my passions into my professional journey rather than compartmentalizing them.
For anyone considering an MBA, my biggest takeaway is this: your background, however unconventional, is an asset. The more you bring your whole self to the experience, the more rewarding it becomes.
Oxford doesn’t just shape careers; it shapes people. And in my case, it gave me the stage, both literal and metaphorical, to own every part of who I am.
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