Arshi Aadil is a development sector professional with about 10 years of experience working in public sector advisory domain. She is currently pursuing Masters in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School in Massachusetts. She started her career as an Associate at MicroSave Consulting. She has worked at the local, state, national, and international levels to strengthen social protection, financial inclusion, and digital governance policies and programs across Asia and Africa. She has worked across many themes, including digital financial services, gender, digital identity, and digital public infrastructure.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arshi-a-35100261
X : @arshi_aadil
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM so far?
A. IIFM provided me with growth, learning, and unique perspectives that have been crucial to my
professional journey. Most importantly, IIFM laid the foundation I needed to thrive in the development sector. After IIFM, I joined MicroSave Consulting, an organization dedicated to fostering financial, social, and economic inclusion in transitional economies. Over the past decade at MSC, I have worked extensively on a variety of programs across the hinterlands of India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and several African countries. My work has involved engaging with low-income families, governments, regulators, donors, non-profits, and financial institutions serving the poor.
My extensive collaboration with teams from India and the U.S. at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), as well as with policy think tanks like the Centre for Global Development, Alliance for Financial Inclusion, CGAP, NCAER, NITI Aayog, and various government ministries in India, has equipped me to make meaningful contributions that impact the lives of marginalized populations.
My experiences and interactions with people and governments across different countries have strengthened my resolve to continue creating meaningful impact through my work. I would encourage students to be intentional in charting their career paths. Dedicating time to understanding our ‘why’ is crucial to staying focused and not getting lost along the way.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. Being able to travel to nearly every state in India and work with diverse communities—including tribal groups, farmers, women, and the elderly—has been a significant milestone in my career. Contributing to India’s digital public infrastructure journey, particularly in enhancing financial, social, and digital inclusion, has been another key achievement.
Working with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to improve offline verification and authentication of Aadhaar was an incredible opportunity. This experience enabled me to advocate for the design of inclusive and resilient public policies and programs. Additionally, my collaboration with the Indian government allowed me to showcase India’s growth story in digitizing public service delivery during one of the side events at the G-20 Presidency meetings in India.
Q. How has been your experience in your last Organization? What all areas have you been working here?
A. Working with MicroSave Consulting has been a truly enriching experience, providing me with immense opportunities to grow and learn. I have had the chance to work on a
diverse range of areas, including food security, social protection, agriculture, technology policy, financial inclusion, gender, digital governance, and consumer protection. MicroSave has played a crucial role in my professional growth, offering me numerous avenues to develop expertise and create meaningful impact.
Q. What is the most satisfying part in your career?
A. One of the most satisfying aspects of my career has been witnessing the transformative impact of the programs I’ve been involved with. For example, seeing the digitization of the benefit delivery process and the incorporation of inclusivity and felxibility features in India’s food security program has been incredibly rewarding. Similarly, witnessing the acceptance of strategies and recommendations I made to support the shift to clean cooking by the government has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my career.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. I remember being uncertain about joining IIFM due to my limited understanding of the development sector. However, looking back, I believe it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The subjects I studied, such as Research Design, NGO Management, Climate Change, and Sustainability, have significantly boosted my career. Additionally, being involved in various cells and clubs at IIFM provided me with numerous opportunities to enhance my soft skills, including leadership, adaptive management, and project and team management.
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. I’ve noticed that people today are often less patient and constantly seeking new opportunities without fully appreciating the ones they already have. This lack of patience can work against them. Another point I want to emphasize is the importance of not shying away from roles that require you to work at the grassroots level. There’s a quote that perfectly captures how I feel: “At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling.”
Q. How did you decide to go for higher studies post IIFM? And how was the experience?
A. While working on international projects, I realized the value of a rigorous academic program that offers fresh, global perspectives on policy-making and international development models. I believed that focused and immersive academic training can complement my practical experience, helping me become a policy specialist and advance in my professional journey. I discussed with my mentors and friends abroad and decided to apply for a one-year course. Harvard was the first choice for me and I am extremely humbled to be here.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. IIFM has my heart forever. I have beautiful memories of the serene campus. As the coordinator of the cultural club, with the support of my team, we organized a variety of events, including Antakshari, Qawwali, and musical nights, in addition to the regular festival celebrations. The grand Holi celebration near the Aravalli hostel is something I’ll never forget. Climbing India Gate with my batchmates during the first week on campus was a lot of fun. I have vivid memories of visiting Sagar Gere and Nehru Nagar with friends. Cycling around Van Vihar on Sunday mornings and sitting by the lake for hours are things I still miss about Bhopal. The two field trips to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan not only helped our batch bond but also offered valuable learning experiences.
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
A. IIFM laid the foundation for my work in the development sector, and I am deeply grateful for that. I was truly amazed by the wonderful faculty, engaging lectures, unique pedagogy, and the supportive student resources. My best friends— Shashi, Abhishek, Gaurav, Nishant, and Utkarsh—made the IIFM journey unforgettable. Even today, we seize every opportunity to meet, and we’ve always supported and rooted for each other. I was also fortunate to have the best roommate and friend in Sweta Kumari, who made our room feel like home. She was kind enough to share all her snacks, including my favorite Chura (a savory snack from Bihar), without any complaints.
Q. The best buddies / seniors /faculty at IIFM? Some memorable tidbits that you like to share?
A. Atulya Mishra, with whom I did my internship, has been a close friend and colleague since 2015 at MSC. Other good friends from IIFM include Samarkant, Benjamin, Anu, Rashmi, Ram, Dev, Rajaneesh, Rajeev, Ankita, Saurabh Shukla, and Paritosh (2016 batch). Beyond those mentioned, I have wonderful memories with my drama club group, including Varun, Vipin, Anshuman, Swati, and a few others. We founded the Drama Club and performed multiple times during our two years at IIFM.
IIFM has the most extra-ordinary faculty. Advait Sir, Manmohan Sir, CVRS Sir, Jayshree Ma’am, Parul Ma’am, YD Sir, Bhaskar Sinha Sir, Amitabh Pandey Sir have all been very kind and supportive. I want to express my gratitude to Advait Sir who supported me in my journey to Harvard. I have reached out to him multiple times and despite his busy schedule, he always always found time for me.
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. I think the two years at IIFM felt like ‘drinking water from a firehose’. The course has so much to offer in terms of academics, extra-curriculars, opportunities to shape and refine inter personal skills, and much more. I suggest finding your why is absolutely important. Studying at IIFM is like going to a Buffet. I advise carefully selecting the food(courses) you want to consume before your plate (mind and ability) is extra mounted with food and you end up falling sick of overeating. I would also suggest students to find a mentor early in their career and seek their support in identifying your opportuntiies, strengths, weakness, and strategy to find what you want.
Q. Also what would be your advise for recent graduates who look for changing their sector after working for couple of years?
A. I believe that with the right skills, experience, and network, pivoting in your career is not overly challenging. It requires thorough research and taking focused courses to establish your interests and credentials before pursuing the right opportunities.
Q. What was your typical day at the work? And how does it look like while you are on a break?
A. At MSC, I managed projects, led thematic areas, and oversaw teams. My typical workday included routine tasks such as project catch-ups, meetings, and writing reports and briefs. Now, as a student, I relish attending lectures, writing exams, and completing assignments. Each part of my current routine brings me great satisfaction.
Q. And how about weekends, hobbies, family and anything else you want to add?
A. Weekends are reserved for family time. When I’m not traveling, I prefer staying indoors and spending quality moments with my parents, brother, and my pet dog, Bruno. I also enjoy cooking, reading, and writing during my leisure time. Additionally, I rescue dogs and use the time between weekdays and weekends to attend to rescue calls.
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors?
A. Some of the books that have provided me with valuable perspectives include An Island of Missing Trees, Invisible Women, Finite and Infinite Games, A Reluctant Fundamentalist, Annihilation of Caste, Welcome Home, Visual Intelligence, and Factfulness.
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. I would be delighted to guide students interested in pursuing higher education and to support job-seekers in finding relevant opportunities.
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
A. I recently had the pleasure of meeting our alumnus Aarif Hussain in Boston, and I believe his journey deserves to be highlighted. Additionally, Nitish Narain, Akhand Jyoti Tiwari, and Abhishek Anand have all had fascinating experiences. My batchmates Gaurav Sinha, Ram Prasad, and Sneha Sharma also have remarkable stories to share.