Deepayan Roy

Tell us about yourself, where are you from, and where did you previously study? 

I was born in India in Kolkata, aptly described by French author Dominique Lapierre as “The City of Joy”. I’ve had a cosmopolitan school life, spanning across India and the Middle East, finishing high school in Dubai, UAE.

I then studied Computer Science Engineering at the University of Engineering & Management, Kolkata. It was here that I discovered the ground-breaking applications of Artificial Intelligence.

During my third year, I created a start-up, Baskett, to provide AI-powered inventory management solutions to supermarkets, and ensure that all grocery items are sold prior to expiry. Since then, I have been working to make my start-up bigger and better.    

What kind of career are you headed for?  

Entrepreneurial, definitely. However, I plan to take a detour across management roles in global companies, with a focus on strategy and innovation. This will allow me to understand and appreciate management practices across the globe and build international connections, all of which will contribute towards my start-up aspirations.

Building a high-growth, future-ready enterprise and eventually donning the hat of an investor is my long-term ambition.

What made you choose INSEAD?

I chose the INSEAD MIM because it offered me a unique fusion of management studies, technology and sustainability, exactly what I needed.

Further, I was on the lookout for one-year management courses, and I believe it’s safe to say that INSEAD has mastered the “10-month model”! The international exposure is also appealing. I hope I get to visit the newly-opened San Francisco Hub for Business Innovation during my field trip to USA. 

Share your admission journey with us! Where did it start? Did you attend any events online or onsite? 

I got to know about the INSEAD MIM in April 2019. The accelerated format really appealed to me. I attended two online webinars, which were informative and well-conducted.

But what really amazed me was the efficiency of the INSEAD MIM recruitment and admissions team, which was by far the most responsive and helpful out of all those of the business schools I had applied to. They even reviewed my CV and provided helpful feedback, suggesting to bolden my international experiences and foreign language skills, for example.

I believe Nancy Piacentini deserves a shout-out in this regard. I remember feeling somewhat vexed before my Kira video interview. On expressing my disquietude to Nancy, she sent me a comprehensive guide on how to prepare well for the video interview.

It’s instances like these that cemented my decision to study at INSEAD. After my admission, the scholarship committee shortlisted me to apply for the prestigious Eiffel Scholarship, and then assisted me in every step of the application. When I found out that I was one of the 320 winners of the Eiffel Masters Scholarship, I felt both proud and thankful, because I knew I couldn’t have achieved it without INSEAD’s support.  

Did you meet or speak with alumni?

I did. INSEAD alumni have been supportive to say the least. I would even say it’s part of their DNA! For example, when I asked Rashmi Vittal (MBA ‘08) about the MIM programme, she admitted she didn’t know much about it since it was newly launched, but gave me important information about INSEAD itself, career opportunities post graduation and how to leverage INSEAD’s seemingly-infinite resources. Such insights helped me make an informed decision.

How long did it take you to write your essays?

I would say two to three months. As any INSEAD MIM student will admit, the main challenge of the essays was brevity. In hindsight, I now realise that writing the short essays was a great exercise of self-reflection, forcing me to ask myself “what one or two things REALLY define me?”

If you find the correct answer to that question, you can probably define yourself in even 50 words, as compared to the 100 words INSEAD offers per essay.  

Was it easy for you to find information and the support you needed along the way?

Absolutely. Initially though, I had my reservations on the matter of availability of information surrounding the MIM programme. But as I progressed with my application, I found all my questions answered effectively either by a proactive admissions team or by supportive alumni.

Even after I was admitted, I was granted almost immediate access to the MyINSEAD portal, which allowed me to connect to my classmates before the start of the programme. Not only did peer discussions help in resolving queries, but we could feel ourselves evolving into an international community even before we physically met.   

Any tips for future MIM candidates?

Know yourself. Be yourself. Do that and you’re halfway there. Treat the essays as you would treat real estate, every word a valuable piece of land. Use each word to your advantage. Highlight international experiences wherever and whenever you can. Finally, don’t shy away from asking whatever is on your mind to the admissions team. In many cases, you might ask one question, and receive answers to more than one!    

What are you looking most forward to?   

The INSEAD MIM experience in France and Singapore! While I have worked in international environments, the prospect of learning in a classroom with students from more than twenty nationalities really excites me.

As it is, being part of the first ever INSEAD MIM batch is perhaps as historic as can be! I believe the things I’ll learn and the friendships I’ll forge will last a lifetime.