Mr. Anurag Dwivedi (PFM 2006-08) is presently working as the Vice President and Zonal Head at Midland Microfin Ltd. Prior to this, he has worked with organizations like BFIL, Spandana Microfinance, Humana People, and Birla Sun life insurance in various leadership roles.
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM to this role?
A. After IIFM, I started with SKS (now BFIL) as an Area Manager and learned Microfinance from field perspective. Then I joined Birla Sun Life Insurance in strategy at HO and gained experience of working at Head Office and of a desk job.
Later I quit my job at Birla and prepared for IAS (everyone from Prayagraj has to do it once in a life time :), during my last attempt. I joined the Microfinance sector post an unsuccessful attempt of IAS and started as COO of HPPI. Then shifted to few other organizations and now with Midland as Zonal Head taking care of the entire east.
An unquenchable thirst for “Learning” and “willingness to experiment” made me take decisions without fear. I was on a knowledge acquisition spree during the first 10 years of my career. Now have decided to acquire some wealth also.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. Working in SKS was a great learning experience from several perspectives as “first”. With no prior work ex, it was all learning for almost the first 2 years but in 3rd year it was more like a routine so I switched to Birla in an HO role where again it was quite a good learning from the professional point of view. From a personal perspective also, Mumbai was a great Teacher.
By the third year again I was a bit done with that role and wanted to do something which might sound disastrous so I quit my job and started preparing for IAS. These two years of preparation have shaped me like anything. I became more knowledgeable and confident by the end of even unsuccessful attempts.
I started again as COO which was a completely different experience from the last 3 experiences that I had after IIFM.
Q. What is the most satisfying part of your current role?
A. Working as an “Enabler” at present, I feel is the most satisfying part. When your decisions have repercussions on others at large and you are able to take right decisions (mostly) which helped people and Organizations in positive way, you feel satisfied.
Working for “Bottom of pyramid” which is the most honest strata of the society who always pay their dues (like Lannister’s) makes my sleep better.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. No duality, a person is “SAME” so is his approach – there is nothing like personal and professional, I believe. I became much better person, equipped myself in several ways during the two years at IIFM which is and will keep on helping me to tackle diverse situations. Here the learning curve was too steep.
The three batches with which I had a close interaction during IIFM were the major source of learning while Professors and academics were 2nd and 3rd.
Q. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers? What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles.
A. What are the biggest influences will be more apt, as “what” makes us choose “who”. Neural Plasticity, willingness to experiment and no regret of failure makes me going.
An action hero might get injured badly but will not hesitate to do the next stunt even in the worst scenario. Least bothered about injuries but focussed on his goal. Prepared to take the situation head-on and belief in his abilities make James Bond. Insane love for your idea makes you Elon Musk.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. Every day at IIFM is as good as the other day and even after 13 years, it feels like yesterday. Daily room party, formal parties, GBM, inability to study despite knowing the questions of exam, Litti-Chicken party, volleyball, badminton, doing nothing, and it goes on. I am stopping myself forcefully here 😉
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution (courses, faculty, library, friends, alumni.. Anything else!!) or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
A. The whole process of surviving those 2 years was the biggest contributor. Friends (from three batches), Faculty, Alumni, Library, and Courses, have contributed to the pie exactly in the order as mentioned here in this line.
Q. The best buddies / seniors /faculty at IIFM? Some memorable tidbits that you like to share?
A. I have earned several friends from IIFM from my batch, senior batches, and junior batches. As soon as I started writing names, it felt like that radio program of “AKASHVANI” of the late 90’s so I will not take names.
Biswas Sir and CSR Sir were the faculties with whom I have spent most of my time (out of the total time spent with faculties).
Q. As an alumni, what’s your advice to freshers or those are joining IIFM to get best out of the 2 years there?
A. Make the most out of these 2 years. Sleep lesser (if you can), participate in everything, be an active part of those things which are there and create one which you like. Do not let that one-second pass by any kind of inactivity. Make sure to wake up early and go to bed late. Do everything, even those things which are restricted. Hang your shoes only when you are 100% drained.
Q. You will find yourself completely overhauled if you utilize 24 hours of the day for learning during the period of IIFM.
A. Once you will be out of IIFM, you will not be able to get all those things that are being offered at IIFM for almost free, even with too much money.
Q. What is your typical day at the office?
A. I am an early riser so always have plenty of time to do things beforehand. Normally in Microfinance, the branches start early at 7 AM so I start getting calls from that time itself and go on till late in the evening. Typically, it is difficult to have funda of personal-professional time here in Microfinance. This can be termed as a 24X7 job. I always reach the office early and leave mostly on time. Days are hectic with less time to do anything else. Also, this job requires a lot of travelling which sometimes is a relief where you get to do few things while travelling.
Q. And how about weekends, Hobbies, Family and anything else you want to add?
A. Reading, Binge-watching movies and series, and Driving are for me as Hobbies. Family and Hobby go hand in hand. All these things are fun if done with Family and Friends.
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors
A. Reading is something that makes me “Anurag”. I will read anything on which I will get my hands on. Presently, I am concentrating more on Philosophy and Psychology. I like Hindi Literature as well as non-Hindi. My Favourites are Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, J Krishnamurthy, Karl Gustav Jung, Freud, Harishankar Parsai, Sharat Chandra just to name a few. Also, have an unfathomable interest in Mythology and Indian Philosophy. Advait by Shankar is my favourite one.
Movies help me in creating interest in anything. I like Quentin Tarantino very much. I admire the movies of Daniel Day-Lewis a lot. Then there are several others like Matrix, Inception and all-time favourite Andaz Apna Apna etc. I watch movies more from a learner’s perspective.
Q. IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
A. From 2016 onwards I have always tried to help IIFM in internships and placements. I have brought Capital Trust, Spandana, Humana, and Midland to campus either for SI or for placements or both. Spandana offered the highest salary while Humana has given internship opportunities to close to dozen students from the 2018 batch.
My Organisation has a massive plan for coming years so will need a good number of talented human resources and there is no better place to find them than IIFM so will ensure same in coming years also.
Also, I can be approached for anything where I may help. Internship, Placements will always be an area where I will keep on contributing as that is critical for the students and makes a difference to their life ahead.
Q. What do you think is different at IIFM now vs when you studied there? What do you think is a positive change and what is not?
A. Aggressive marketing of the brand IIFM is needed so that we get to attract diverse background Students in terms of geography, work experience, past education, etc. Two OT’s or internship was a great idea and should be reinstated. Alumni should contribute more in Placements as well as in interactions – Formal and Informal both.
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
A. Manish Sharma, Atul Singh, Prashant, Kumar Vaibhav, from my batch. Pankaj Singh Chauhan from 2007-09 batch. Rajiv Singh from 2005-07 batch.