Abhishek takes pride in calling himself a perfectionist and insists to be defined by his zest for numbers, logic, reason, optimization and problem-solving (be it maths or a real-life situation). He studied Information Technology at University of Delhi where he was always attracted more towards algorithmic optimizations than rote learning. He went on to pursue his Master's in International Business at Panjab University in a bid to understand the nitty-gritty and challenges of various businesses. Not surprisingly, at every stage during his education, he felt that the system prized the mechanical learners way more than the thinkers.
It was probably the desire to metamorphose the education system that made him choose a career with India’s leading Test-Preparation behemoth over other, conventional and more lucrative, lines of business. And here is where he found his true mojo! Over the next decade, he understood every single aspect of the Test-Preparation industry, through several key roles, be it Sales, General Management & Operations, Academics - Content Development, Mentoring, Counselling and Teaching. This exposure made him not only a jack of all trades but a Master of some of them.
He is a firm believer of leading by example and practising what one preaches. He has taken a plethora of competitive examinations and cracked every one of them, including two 100%iles in Logic & Data Interpretation section of CAT. He is an inspirational mentor to his students who can guide them to success because he knows how to get there. Abhishek possesses an amazing eye for detail, which also helps him anticipate where the students would get stuck while learning a new concept. This has enabled him to devise his own unique pedagogy which employs innovative ways to help students figure out the concepts and apply them with ease.
Having conquered the peaks of the Test-Preparation industry in the offline mode, he was keen to explore the Online space. To this effect, he joined a Korean manufacturing giant, who was foraying into Media Solutions as a Service, wherein Abhishek was roped in to lead the Education space, heading Alliances. He was in constant touch with leading Education Houses and this crucial exposure helped in shaping a sound understanding of the possibilities presented by the online market and the inefficiencies in the current system.
Anticipating a massive move into the digital space, years before it actually happened, Abhishek was one of the early proponents who firmly believed in the power of transformational education through the online mode. This faith was to such an extent that when Meritshine was founded, the team decided to do away with any offline centres and started completely online. This was a massive decision, way back in 2016, as offline centres would have meant a steady stream of revenues while online did not have many takers back then.
This calculated risk based on deep industry understanding paid rich dividends as Meritshine, today, has established itself as a leading player in the Online Test-Preparation market. Abhishek’s vision is to ensure Meritshine continues its Thought Leadership in the Online education space and delve deeper into the interlinkages between Core Academics and Technology so that each student gets to learn exactly what she/he is meant to learn at that point in time.
As he says quite often, we have just scratched the surface, there are miles to go before we sleep!