Navya Naveli Nanda’s IIM-A journey: Got both friendships and a degree!

Navya Naveli Nanda shares her experience of IIM Ahmedabad’s blended MBA. Find out how her journey went.

The Challenge of IIM-A after Studying Abroad

Amitabh Bachchan’s granddaughter, Navya Naveli Nanda, recently opened up about her MBA experience at IIM Ahmedabad.

In a conversation with Barkha Dutt, Navya explained that it was a two-year blended program—some classes on campus and some online.

She admitted, “It was very tough, only someone who has done an MBA from IIM-A can understand.”

Back in the Classroom After Six Years

Returning to academic life after six years of completing her studies abroad wasn’t easy.

Navya found it difficult to adjust to the exams and extensive coursework.

But she says the entire experience gave her immense personal and professional growth.

Learned more from friends than from the classroom

When asked what was her most memorable experience at IIM-A, Navya said, “The best thing for me was the friendships.

What I learned from my batchmates far surpassed what I learned in the classroom.”

She added that meeting people from diverse backgrounds broadened her horizons.

Did her privileged background raise questions?

When news of Navya’s admission broke, some questioned why she chose to study in India despite her privileged background.

IIM-A professor Promila Agarwal clarified that Navya had met all the admission requirements.

She said, “Even if some questioned her interview, she cleared the cut-off.”

These jobs are ongoing alongside her studies

Navya isn’t just studying—she runs an NGO called Project Naveli, co-founded the women’s health startup Aara Health, works at the family business Escorts Kubota, and hosts the “What the Hell Navya” podcast, where she converses with her mother, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, and grandmother, Jaya Bachchan. Truly, it’s the life of a superwoman!