Jobsatisfactionwhileservingyour

countryisimmense,AshwinBhaskaran,
IIMKalumnusandUndersecretaryat
IndianForeignServices
ByMediaCellIIMKozhikode|January5,2015|NoComment|Categories:Industry,Perspectives

From brand management at one of the most coveted FMCG firms of the country to representing
India on a global level as a diplomat in the Indian Foreign Services, Media Cell, IIM Kozhikode,
recently had the privilege of talking to Mr. Ashwin Bhaskaran, an alumnus of PGP11, who
sharedhisexcitingjourneyfromthecorporateworldtotheIndianCivilServices.

Mr.BhaskaranhasworkedatITCforthreeyearsinthesalesandmarketingdivision.Hethenwent
ontojointheIndianForeignServicesin2013afterclearingtheUPSCexam.Intheinterviewbelow,
hedescribeshislearningsinthefieldofmarketingatITC,whatinspiredhimtoapplyfortheIFS
andhisexperiencesincethen.

Post your MBA at IIMK, you joined ITC, one of the most coveted FMCG firms for
marketingenthusiasts.HowwasyourexperienceatITC?Whatkindprojectsdidyou
workon?

IhaddonemysummerinternshipatITCFoodsdivision,wheremyworkwasgreatlyappreciated
bymymentors.IreceivedaPPOfromITCin2009,whichasyouknow,wasadifficulttimeforB
schoolplacementsduetotherecession.ItookuptheITCofferwithoutanysecondthoughtsand
never regretted it. At ITC, I did a year of sales stint at Patna and then worked for three years in
branding.IhadtheopportunitytoworkwithvariousdivisionsofITCsuchasFoods,Tobaccoand
StationaryasanAssistantBrandManager.Itwastrulyawonderfullearningexperienceforme.

What is the factor that inspired and drove you in the direction of the Indian Civil
Services?

In 2011, when I had worked in the Brand Management area for three years, I thought to myself,
whatnext?.IlovedmyjobatITCandtheresponsibilitiesthatcamewithitbutIwonderedhowI
could take it to a higher level. Thats when while talking with a friend, the idea of Civil Services
cametomymind.IhadneverpreviouslythoughtaboutworkingintheCivilServicesandhaddone
no preparation for the UPSC exam. However, I took the exam in 2011 and cleared the prelims. I
neverplannedforititjusthappened!Ithoughttomyselfthatthisissomethingthatisdefinitely
manageable and can be achieved. I had missed the cutoff with a very low margin and thus felt
that I could surely improve with some effort. In 2012, along with my job at ITC, I worked very
hard,preparedwellfortheUPSCMainsexaminationandsucceeded.

The UPSC exam is one of the most competitive exams of our country and hence a
huge amount of risk is involved when you choose to dedicate your time for
preparation. During your preparation, did you ever feel that you were taking a big
risk?

Throughout my preparation for the IFS in 2012, I continued my job at ITC and worked there till
thedateIhadtojointheIFS.Iwouldnotsuggestquittingornottakingupacorporatejobtoany
MBAgradsinceIdontthinkthatkindofriskisnecessary.TheUPSCexamissomethingthatcan
bemanagedwithyourdailyjobrequirementsifyouarededicatedenoughtoputinsomeamount
ofextraeffort.Also,youcanchooseoptionalsubjectswhichyouarecomfortablewith.Preparation
for current affairs can be done by reading newspapers, editorials, magazines and journals on a
regular basis. Overall, the entire preparation can be done if you are regular and dedicated. If I
couldcleartheUPSCwithmyjobatITC,Iseenoreasonwhysomeoneelsecantachieveittoo.

Whatoptionalsubjectsdidyoutakeandhowdidyoudecideonthesame?

IhadtakenManagementandGeographyasmyoptionalsubjects.SincetheUPSCsubjectcourses
are that of a Masters level and Id done MBA, I was quite comfortable with the Management
coursework.MyjobatITCrequiredextensivetravelacrossthecountryandthusIdecidedtotake
upGeographysinceIwasfamiliarwiththeIndiangeography.

After being selected in the Indian Civil Services through the UPSC, what made you
choosetheIFS?Whatweretheotheroptionsthatyouhadconsidered?

Though most people choose the IAS as their preferred option, I had chosen the IFS as my first
optionandwasveryclearthatthatwastheserviceIwishedtojoin.IntheIAS,yougettoworkat
the ground level, work towards the administration of a state and then the central level. The IFS
gives you an opportunity to represent your country at an international level, negotiate and deal
withcountriesatagloballevel.Ifeltthatthisisthekindofservicethatwassuitedformyprofile.I
hadpreviouslymanagedITCbrandsatanationallevelandfeltthattheIFSwouldbeanextension
tomyjobasIwouldberepresentingIndiaintheglobalarena.

Inthepastfewyears,severalIIMgradshaveleftcomfortableandlucrativecareers
inthecorporateworldtojointhecivilservices.Inyouropinion,whatisthereason
behindthistrend?

ForpeoplewithanMBAbackground,theCivilServicesisagreatoptionwhereyoucanapplyyour
knowledgetosetpoliciesforthecountry.TheknowledgegainedduringtheUPSCpreparationcan
evenhelpyouatyourcurrentorganizations.Duringmypreparation,therewasatimewhenIwas
studyingOperationsResearchaspartofthemanagementcoursework.IfoundthatIcouldapplyit
tomyroleatITCandwasevenappreciatedforitbymyseniors.Sowhateverknowledgeyougain
while preparing for the UPSC can actually be applied by you in your corporate organizations or
other endeavors in life. One significant reason why people are opting for this service is that it
providestremendousamountofjobsatisfactionalongwithpay,stability,respectandsecurity.

AsanundersecretaryintheIFS,youhaveundergoneanintenseandcomprehensive
training program. How would you describe your experience at the Foreign Service
Institute?

We initially had a three month training program at Mussoorie which is mandatory for all
probationary officers and this was rudimentary in nature. Post that, I underwent a rigorous
training program at the Foreign Services Institute which was aligned towards diplomacy,
understandingofinternationalrelationsandIndiasforeignpolicies.Thetrainingwasdeliveredby
renound professors of International Relations. We also got a chance to listen to discourses by
senior and retired IFS officers. There were several interactions with other deparments of the
government such as the Army, Navy etc. in terms of what they expect from the Foreign Services.
Weinteractedwiththemediaduringpressmeetsandalsogotopportunitiestogoabroad.Iwent
toonavisittoBhutantounderstandIndiasrelationsandforeignpolicieswithBhutan.Iamnow
in my final stage of training and am posted at Sri Lanka, where Im working towards a greater
understanding of Indias relations with the country. With the recent elections here, I also got
exposure to what Indias role is in such situations and how the Indian government interacts with
newgovernmentsabroad.Theentiretrainingtillnowhasbeenawonderfulenrichingandlearning
experienceforme.

Haveyoutakenupanyforeignlanguagecourseaspartofyourtraining?

ForIFSofficers,itismandatorytotakeupaforeignlanguageandpassanexaminthesame.Itis
thelastpartofthetrainingandonlyafterpassingthelanguageexamisapersonconfirmedasan
IFS officer. I opted for Korean due to personal preferences. I thought that languages such as
FrenchandSpanisharerelativelyeasytolearnandIwouldbeabletopickthemupifImpostedin
those countries in the future. However, Korean language is quite difficult and challenging, and
thatswhyIdecidedtooptforit.Anotherreasonisthat,inmyopinion,IndiasrelationswithSouth
KoreahavenotbeenentirelytappedandIfeelthatagreatdealmorecanbedoneinthatarea.I
personallyfeelmotivatedtoworkasanIndiandiplomatinSouthKorea.Itisacountrythatoffers
a great standard of living and also there are challenging foreign policy decisions to be taken in
termsofIndiaSouthKorearelations.

How has the knowledge gained from the MBA program at IIMK helped you in the
IFSandhonedyoutobecomeadiplomat?

My years at IIMK have definitely contributed a lot towards my career. After MBA, I got the
opportunity to work in a wonderful company where I could apply my marketing knowledge to
varioussectors.IhavealsobeenabletousetheskillsetdevelopedatIIMKinthegovernmentwhile
workingtowardsIndiasrelationswithothercountries.Thedecisionmakingskillslearntatcampus
have helped me immensely, be it at ITC while striking deals as a brand manager, or negotiation
withothercountriesasanIFSofficer.

If you had to mention some of the starkest differences between working at a

corporatefirmandtheIFS,whatwouldtheybe?

The most significant differences are probably related to the work culture and the kind of people
you interact with. While working in the Indian government, you get to meet people from diverse
mindsets and you may need to alter them to progress further, which is not a big challenge at
MNCs.Also,thegovernmenthasatenurebasedpromotionsystemwhichisverydifferentfromthe
appraisalsystempresentinthecorporateworld.

As an IFS officer, you would be working on assignments regarding Indias foreign

policies vizaviz several countries. What is the aspect that excites you the most
aboutyourfutureintheIFS?

WhatexcitesmemostabouttheIFSisthatIwouldgettorepresentIndiainvariouscountriesof
the globe. I would get the chance to meet high profile diplomats, ambassadors and leaders of
various nations. This aspect is something you cannot find in any other profession. Moreover, the
jobsatisfactionwhileservingyourcountryisimmense.

The last two batches of the IFS have seen the highest number of women
probationary officers till date. How do you think the role of women in formulation
ofIndiasforeignpolicieshasevolvedinrecenttimes?

Women have always been an integral part of the Indian Foreign Services. Recent statistics show
that more and more women are now willing to join the IFS and opting for it as their first
preference in the UPSC as against IAS, which has been the traditional norm. Women feel
encouraged to join the IFS as it offers immense opportunities, great international exposure and
safety and stability of a government service. It is wonderful that a large number of women are
considering IFS as a career option and I believe they will continue to play a critical role in
formulationofIndiasforeignpoliciesinthefuture.

One of challenges faced by the IFS is that it is numerical strength is quite small in
comparisontootherlargeemergingnations.Whatdoyouthinkisthereasonbehind
thisandhowcanweovercomethisissue?

Idontconsiderthisasanissueatall.Indiahasmorethan700IFSofficers.Inadditiontothatwe
havearound3000groupBofficersworkingindifferenthighcommissionsorembassies.Thereare
intotalaround4000peopleworkingwiththeMinistryofExternalAffairsandtheyrepresentIndia
abroad at various levels. I believe there is great quality in our representation across all countries
andourdiplomatsaredoingfantasticworkabroadintermsofsafeguardingIndianinterests,trade
andeconomicdevelopment.

With the new government is place, the intensity of international engagement and
high profile visits to India have increased. What is your take on the changes in
foreignpoliciesbroughtaboutbythenewPM?

Withrapidlychangingtimes,thereisagreatneedfornationstoevolveandaligntheirpoliciesso
astohaveagrowthtrajectory.IbelievethatthenewPMhasbeenworkingintherightdirection.
Withinaspanofafewmonths,hehasalreadymetleadersfromseveralcountries.Wecanseethat
most of the developed nations are assigning great importance to India. Im sure that a few years
downthelineIndiawilldefinitelyreachthepinnacleoftheeconomicdevelopmentthatitdeserves.

Recognizingthepowerofdigitalmedia,theMEAhasloggedintoediplomacyandis
actively embracing platforms such as Twitter and FB. How significant do you think
theediplomacystrategywillbeinIndiasInternationalRelations?

Mostofthedevelopednationshaveanactivepresenceoneplatforms.Itisabsolutelyessentialthat
we also increase our presence on social media as it would provide us with a great platform for
communication on a global level. It would enable the world to perceive the development and
transformationthatistakingplaceinIndia.

 ThereareseveralstudentsoncampuswhoareinterestedinjoiningtheIndianCivil
ServicesandwouldliketopreparefortheUPSCexam.Whatadvicewouldyoulike
togivethem?

StudentsatBschoolsgenerallygetagreateramountoffreedomintheirfinalyearintermsofwhat
kindofsubjectstheywanttostudyorwhatfieldstheywanttochoosefortheirfuture.Forpeople
whoarereallykeentojointheCivilServices,Iwouldsaythatpreparationcanbestartedrightfrom
the2ndyearonwards.Managementcanbetakenasoneoftheoptionalsubjectsandtheothercan
be of the candidates interest. In order to prepare for current affairs, regular reading of
newspapers, management magazines, editorials etc. are a must. I wouldnt recommend taking a
yearoffforUPSCpreparation.IbelievethatexposuretothecorporateworldasanMBAgradgives
a great learning experience which can even be applied eventually in the IAS/IFS/IPS etc. It is
possible for a person to manage a job and prepare for UPSC at the same time. Even if you dont
clearinthefirstattempt,keeptryinganddevoteallyourtimeandefforttoit.Theselectioninvolves
a long process spread over a year and thus, a great amount of commitment is required. I truly
believe that if you are passionate about joining the Indian Civil Services, you can succeed if you
havethedeterminationandmotivationtofollowyourheart.

Interviewconductedby:

IpsitaAcharya,Coordinator,MediaCell,IIMKozhikode

WewouldliketothanktheAlumniCommitteofIIMKozhikodefortheircooperation.

This article has been published byMedia Cell, IIM Kozhikodeas part of the Career Perspectives
Series.

Forfurtherinformationpleasecontactusatmedia@iimk.ac.in
184 0 0