Sudarshana Babu’s Inspiring Journey to Accenture via SOIL

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From Arts to Accenture: Sudarshana’s Bold Career Pivot

18 May 2025
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Sudarshana Babu’s journey is a testament to how passion, adaptability, and holistic learning can transform one’s career path. From an arts and architecture student to a restaurant entrepreneur, and now a business analyst at Accenture, her story exemplifies the power of evolving with purpose and embracing diverse experiences.

An Artistic Beginning

Sudarshana’s early academic choices were shaped by her deep-rooted love for the arts. After finishing her 12th grade, she enrolled in a Bachelor of Architecture program at the prestigious CEPT University in Ahmedabad. Her artistic sensibilities influenced her design perspective, planting the seeds for a future beyond conventional architecture.

A Global Perspective and Culinary Awakening

An exchange semester in Germany proved to be a turning point. Living away from home exposed her to cultural differences, especially in cuisine. The lack of Indian food inspired her to start cooking-a passion that quickly evolved into a potential career path. It was during this time that her entrepreneurial spirit began to take shape.

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A Restaurant Built from Passion and Design

Returning to India, Sudarshana fused her love for food and architectural design to launch a restaurant. She took charge of the venture’s concept, menu, and even interior aesthetics-an embodiment of her unique skills. Running a startup gave her hands-on business experience, but she knew she needed more to transition into the corporate world.

The SOIL Experience: Fast-Tracking into Business

With a clear goal of pivoting into the corporate sector, Sudarshana joined the one-year Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM) at SOIL Institute of Management. The program’s immersive structure, focused on business fundamentals, leadership, and analytics, provided her with the tools she needed for this career shift.

Unlike traditional MBA programs, SOIL’s holistic approach emphasized emotional intelligence, collaboration, and values-based leadership. Sudarshana thrived in this environment, where learning extended beyond textbooks into peer-driven projects and experiential modules.

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Embracing Holistic Learning

What stood out to Sudarshana was SOIL’s emphasis on a well-rounded education. Group assignments, interactive workshops, and leadership labs encouraged reflection, peer learning, and personal growth. She credits this approach for helping her develop the confidence and business acumen that would prove vital in the consulting and corporate world.

One of her most enriching experiences was participating in the Inspired Leadership Conference 2024 (ILC), where she interacted with students from Shizenkan University. Their warmth, thoughtful discussions, and collaborative mindset deeply inspired her. The exchange of ideas and cultural understanding made the event memorable and reinforced the power of cross-border teamwork and sustainability-focused problem solving.

Winning at SustainX: Collaboration Meets Purpose

Sudarshana also took part in SustainX, a competition hosted via Unstop as part of ILC, where her team’s innovative ideas earned them a third-place finish among entries from leading institutes like IIT Delhi, Masters’ Union, and IMI. The opportunity to pitch ideas on a prestigious platform, receive feedback from respected judges like Sanjay Lakhotia and Raman Girdhar, and present alongside top peers was a milestone moment.

She acknowledges her teammates and mentors, including Ajay Walia for technical guidance and Shivam Sood and Pragathi Kotha for their leadership in organizing the event. This experience further honed her ability to collaborate, communicate, and lead with impact.

Gratitude and Growth

As she reflects on her time at SOIL, Sudarshana expresses immense gratitude to her faculty and mentors. She describes SOIL as more than just a business school – it was a transformative ecosystem that prioritized curiosity, compassion, and character over grades and pressure.

A heartfelt note of thanks goes to Anil Sachdev, whose emphasis on ethical leadership and human-centric values continues to inspire her. Recognized as the Role Model of the Marketing Cohort, Sudarshana sees this honor not just as recognition but as a responsibility to continue leading with purpose.

Words of Wisdom for Future Professionals

Now working at Accenture as a Business Analyst, Sudarshana reflects on the importance of staying open to learning and making the most of every opportunity. Her advice to aspiring students? Be curious, get involved, and embrace the full journey-academic, professional, and personal. It’s through such intentional engagement that one can shape a truly fulfilling career.

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A Journey of Reinvention

Sudarshana Babu’s story is more than a career transition-it’s a powerful example of reinvention through intentional learning. Her path-from arts student to corporate professional, with milestones in architecture, culinary entrepreneurship, and management education-showcases how diverse experiences, when tied together by passion and purpose, can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

For anyone contemplating a bold career pivot or seeking deeper meaning in their professional life, Sudarshana’s story is a reminder: it’s never too late to transform. And with the right mindset and learning environment, every step can be a foundation for greatness.

Watch Sudarshana Babu’s full story in her own words.