Winning SPJ President’s Global Excellence Award: Charan Kumar Kuppala’s Journey

My aim was never to win anything. I believe that winning is only a secondary outcome. What matters most is what one can learn and experience along the way. If one focuses on just winning, typically, one will only try to do better than their competition. Whereas, if one focuses on giving their best possible efforts (with no limits), they will excel in a way that others have not done before. In addition to excelling, one can get the most out of the entire learning process. 

I follow this principle not just in my education but in everything that I do. This principle will be all the more effective when one is truly passionate about what one does. Because when you do something that you are passionate about, you put all your energy into it, making others feel the passion you exhibit. 

In academics, my focus was more on learning than getting grades. I actively participated in all class discussions to understand business concepts, frameworks, and their practical applications. Because of this, I was able to win in business simulations like Capsim Business simulation (which demands one to take cross-functional and strategic decisions), Harvard Global Supply Chain Management simulation, and Negotiation simulation.

I knew from day one that, to maximise my learning from my MBA, I must expand my focus beyond academics to other activities as well.

I became a core member of the Global Learning and Student Life Committee and actively contributed to all the global learning and student life activities across the three global cities. I also led the school’s entire sports team and bagged the Overall Championship trophy at NTU MBA Olympics, Singapore.

Although the school expects a student to be part of only one committee, I tried my best to contribute to other committees as well – including the Academic Committee, Placement Committee, and Public Relations Committee. I did this so my efforts could benefit the students and the school. 

Apart from the learning activities organised by the school, I attended global conferences and webinars that let me gather practical insights from industry experts around the world. Attending these events also provides a platform to network with people in the same industry. I also participated and won a quiz at the Port of Singapore Authority.

I like to contribute to community service activities. It gives me the unique satisfaction of giving back to the community. So, I became a Singapore Clean Ambassador at National Environmental Agency, Singapore. I reached to communities and spread awareness of Dengue and Zika virus prevention. I have also helped in raising awareness of maintaining hygiene practices in public toilets, working towards a Clean Singapore.

I love spending time with people from all cultural backgrounds and maintained good relations with everyone across all the three cities. During my stint in Sydney, I hosted dinners for everyone in my batch. Fortunately, everyone seemed to love the food I made 😊

To summarise, I would say that my motive and drive to learn diverse skills during SP Jain’s tri-city Global MBA is what resulted in me winning this President’s Global Excellence Award. 

If you are interested, you may read my key learnings from MBA in this LinkedIn post. 

The President’s Global Excellence Award is the most prestigious award that one can get during their MBA for excelling in all the areas across the three campuses of SP Jain – Dubai, Sydney, and Singapore. This award is issued to only one student in the entire batch who excels in every which way. 

About the Author: Charan Kumar Kuppala (GMBA’21)

Charan Kumar Kuppala (Global MBA Class of 2021) loves travelling and spending time with people. He believes that there are limitless possibilities with the power of universal human connections.
Charan is currently working as a Deal Manager at Genpact (India) and mentions that he is grateful to be working in a strategic role that provides significant exposure in the client acquisition process. Charan’s role entails partnering with global stakeholders, especially with the leadership and subject matter experts to develop and deliver bid proposals to clients. 

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