We caught up with Kalpana (TRIUM Global Executive MBA, 2012) and Sahaana Sankar (Master’s in Management, 2015), to hear about the tremendous work they’ve both done in and around undertaking their respective degrees at LSE.

Tell us a bit about yourselves:

Kalpana:

Since leaving my first job at Cancer Institute, Chennai, I joined the Women’s Development Corporation of Tamil Nadu Government as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and worked on the initial proposal for a World Bank Poverty Eradication Project. I then co-founded Hand in Hand in 2004, we employ a multidimensional approach to poverty eradication, focusing on child labour elimination, enterprise development, health, skill development, and environmental sustainability. Over the past two decades our work has led to the creation of 9.3 million jobs for women and we have enrolled upwards of 350,000 children into Government schools. I also run Belstar, a microfinance company that aims to fulfil credit needs for women at the bottom of the pyramid, and we are currently at an Assets Under Management of USD 1.2 billion! Transitioning from science to not-for-profit, and later into the world of finance whilst continuing to create an impact for communities at the grassroots is something I am very proud of!

Sahaana:

I am Sahaana Sankar, a communications specialist in the social development sector, a second-generation entrepreneur working in three different domains (finance, not-for-profit and education). I have an Electronics and Communications Engineering Degree from College of Engineering Guindy and a Master’s in Management from LSE where I graduated with a specialisation in marketing and strategy. Soon after graduating, I spent a year in New York interning with the United Nations’ Chief Executive Board. I lead communications at Hand in Hand India and am a Director at Varashakti Housing Finance, a company that provides affordable housing solutions for the poorer parts of our society. I am very passionate about climate action solutions and was nominated as a Climate Action Champion from India by the US Department of State and Observer Research Foundation.

Describe your times as students at LSE, what were your highlights?

Kalpana:

My educational background prior to undertaking the TRIUM Global Executive MBA was in science, which has helped me use a scientific approach to poverty alleviation at Hand in Hand by always ensuring data collection to measure our impact. I knew that if I had to scale Belstar I needed to hone my skills in business acumen, strategy, and finance specifically and TRIUM presented this unique opportunity to me. Our first module was at LSE, and it was my first exposure to education abroad and I was in awe of the campus, specifically the library where I spent several hours. One of my favourite parts was attending public lectures. I attended one with Fathima Bhutto and it was truly inspiring! I must highlight that I loved the debates on Brexit that my European peers used to lead – it gave me a much better understanding of the situation.

Sahaana:

Like my mother, I too have a background in science – specifically engineering. I chose a social science institution such as LSE for my Master’s as it would give me the right transition into the development sector. As expected, my coursework was very heavy with more reading than I was used to, but I warmed up to this rather quickly. My most enjoyable classes were Luis Rayo’s economics 101 (I still have the supply-demand cheat sheet I prepared during his lectures!). During my time at LSE I did a short project with Professor Heather Kappes on a study related to bilingualism, this was later cited in an international paper! My most favourite place to work on campus was the top floor of the NAB (Cheng Kin Ku Building as it’s called now), if I got there early enough, as the views were unbeatable!

Kalpana what was your greatest takeaway from studying the TRIUM Global Executive MBA programme?

The TRIUM Global Executive MBA programme reiterated the importance of strategy, honed my skills in accounting and finance, and strengthened my views on corporate ethics whist giving me a macroeconomic picture of the world of finance. The course has been responsible for enabling me to lead Belstar as a socially responsible microfinance institution and has helped me attract private equity investors. I must say it was the confidence and energy from this programme that has powered Belstar’s growth. I must also highlight the diversity of my cohort – it gave me an exposure to not only the best faculty, but also peers who were extremely successful, often running their own enterprises or leading large corporates.

What are the key skills you have used in running your businesses and not-for-profit organisations?

The programme has been instrumental in honing my negotiation and people skills to handle multiple stakeholders. I also learnt the importance of partnerships, corporate ethics, and corporate strategy which has been extremely crucial in Belstar filing for the next stages of an IPO.

Sahaana what was your greatest takeaway from studying the Master’s in Management programme?

One of the best things about the programme was that it was a two-year masters – giving me access to LSE and London for longer! If I had to pick one big takeaway, I would say LSE improved my communication skills to the outside world! The extensive recommended reading, the collaborative learning from peers, faculty, and the guest lectures have all shaped my thought process and improved my communication skills which I use in my work today!

What are the key skills you have used in running your businesses and not-for-profit organisations?

The skills I learnt in marketing, digital marketing and corporate communications have contributed to my job at Hand in Hand, especially understanding quantitative and qualitative analysis. Most recently, I have been taking on an investor relations role for an affordable housing finance programme, Varashakti, that was started by my family. So, finance and negotiation skills that were learnt a decade ago at LSE are finally being put into use!

What do you both enjoy most about working together at Hand-in-Hand?

Kalpana:

Working with Sahaana over the last several years has been delightful. She has been a sounding board, a cheerleader and most importantly someone who I have been able to count on for things big and small. We have strengthened our partnerships, notably a cohort of LSE students coming to Hand in Hand for an internship. Most recently, I am excited to be publishing a book on my journey from a scientist to a social entrepreneur and Sahaana has been instrumental in this process of bringing it to life!

Sahaana:

Not everyone gets the chance to work with your role model, and I get to do that every day! My professional relationship with my mother transcends typical office hours or the formal relationship of boss-subordinate. What I enjoy the most is access to unfiltered learning opportunities, and most importantly the thought process behind the several decisions she makes every day. This is shaping me to become a better leader! One of my most memorable moments would be spending months together documenting her journey for her much-anticipated book – The Scientist Entrepreneur!

Find out more about the TRIUM Global Executive MBA and Master’s in Management programmes.

Sign up to be with an alumni volunteer, and hear more about our alumni community.