PORTADA
UNIVERSITY OF
NOTRE DAME INDIA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 STUDENT PROFILES
12 ALUMNI PROFILES
NOTRE DAME | INDIA
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STUDENT PROFILES
Avani Agarwal
Ishaan Goel
Zahara Kagalwalla
Ahana Sood
Kartikeya Mehta
Anusha Jain
Rhea de Souza
Lara Castellino
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STUDENT PROFILES
I chose Notre Dame because of its strong sense of community and its commitment to be a positive force in the world. Additionally, the unique approach of the architecture program, coupled with a tradition in innovation, really resonated with my academic and professional goals. Notre Dame was the perfect fit for me, as it offered a harmonious blend of rigorous academics, extracurricular activities, and service opportunities.
AVANI AGARWAL KOLKATA, INDIA CLASS OF 2019 ARCHITECTURE AND
Since my first year, I have been actively involved in the Student Association for Women in Architecture, organizing events and bringing guest speakers to campus. I also participated in sustainability-related projects and events with the GreeND club and had the opportunity to spend eight weeks volunteering in rural China with the International Summer Service Learning Program (ILSSP). Lastly, I am currently working with students and staff, conducting research on architectural designs in the Vatican City and the Taj Mahal. One of my favorite experiences at Notre Dame has been studying abroad in Rome with the architecture program. Our classroom was all of Rome and our textbooks were the beautiful monuments of Rome’s rich historical past. Through this experience, I was able to experience firsthand the evolution of architecture, learn from incredible Italian architects, travel around Italy and Europe, and develop my own architectural style and design principles. It was a wonderful experience to immerse myself in a new city and culture, making great new friends in the process.
SUSTAINABILITY MINOR
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STUDENT PROFILES
I chose Notre Dame because of its amazing school spirit and sense of community. Additionally, the great academic curriculum that the business school offers, combined with the myriad of athletic and extracurricular opportunities available, made Notre Dame the perfect choice for me.
ISHAAN GOEL HYDERBAD, INDIA CLASS OF 2020 BUSINESS
Over my two years on campus, I have been involved in a range of activities on campus. One of the highlights was participating in Bengal Bouts, a boxing program where students compete and raise money for Catholic missions in Bangladesh. I am also part of the International Ambassadors program, where we mentor younger students and organize internalization events. Through these activities, I have been able to extend my learning beyond the classroom and make countless life-long friendships. My favorite experience has been participating in Bengal Bouts. The program has been going on for 87 years, and every year raises hundreds of thousands of dollars that go into feeding and housing children, as well as building schools and hospitals for local communities.  This opportunity allowed me to find a new hobby and improve every day with the help of my teammates. At the end of the tournament, it was very fulfilling to see how much we all had improved – and, more importantly, while making a real impact on many kids on the other side of the world.
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STUDENT PROFILES
I chose Notre Dame because of its unparalleled academics and solid sense of community. I visited Notre Dame for a summer program before I applied, and I fell in love with the campus as well as the student body – which is dynamic, helpful, and driven.
ZAHARA KAGALWALLA MUMBAI, INDIA CLASS OF 2021 MARKETING AND
I am currently the publicity director of FlipSide, a social group that organizes fun events on campus such as murder-mystery role plays and trips to Niles, one of USA’s premiere haunted houses. I am also involved with the KiND club, where we plan random acts of kindness around campus – from distributing free flowers to chalking the pathways with supportive quotes – to cheer up our fellow students. As part of the Undergraduate Women in Business club, we got to meet one of Cosmopolitan’s top executives, Donna Kalajian-Lagani. It was a discussion-based interaction where we learned more about her life, her work, and the factors behind her success. It was fascinating to hear about how she started off at Wall Street and eventually moved into the publishing world, working with magazines such as Cosmo. Notre Dame has a wide variety great networking opportunities like this one, where you are inspired by truly amazing people.
GENDER STUDIES MINOR
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STUDENT PROFILES
I chose Notre Dame because I was attracted to its prestigious business school, Mendoza. I was excited about Mendoza’s great curriculum and faculty and by the fact that Notre Dame allows you to explore many different subjects before selecting a major. While at Notre Dame, I have realized that what sets it apart is its strong and unique sense of community, and the fact that Domers are always looking for ways to help out those around them.
AHANA SOOD NEW DELHI, INDIA CLASS OF 2021 BUSINESS
At Notre Dame, I am involved in a myriad of activities. As an international student ambassador, I get to interact with a diverse group of prospective students. I am also a part of the Club Coordination Council, responsible for distributing the budget of $250,000 to all clubs on campus. I also participate in the Student Standups of Notre Dame, performing with a group of students at Legends Night Club. Lastly, I really enjoy being part of the Cavanaugh Hall intramural basketball and volleyball teams. My favorite experience so far has been participating in Student Standups of Notre Dame. Being part of this club has allowed me to meet a lot of like-minded, hilarious students and collaborate to improve day after day. Before coming to Notre Dame, I thought that there wouldn’t be much room for me, an international, non-Catholic student, to express myself. However, contrary to my expectation, I have never been made to feel out of place – partly because of supportive networks such as Student Standups.
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STUDENT PROFILES
Notre Dame to me represented an idyllic college experience. It seemed incredible to be able to grow intellectually as a student in the prestigious Mendoza College of Business while having the experience of the close-knit Notre Dame family, extensive research opportunities, and sporting events at the very highest level.
KARTIKEYA MEHTA MUMBAI, INDIA CLASS OF 2021 FINANCE AND ACMS
Notre Dame makes it a priority to fuel student growth both within and outside of the classroom. Last semester, as a Research Assistant, I collaborated with a very talented professor who focuses on behavioral strategy – a niche and interesting field in Business. I look forward to finding more extracurricular activities to continue learning in the next three years at Notre Dame. Students at Notre Dame use the word “community” a lot. You will hear it in the hallways, in the classrooms, and at the dining hall. My experience here has proven to me that there is no better word to describe Notre Dame’s student body. My favorite memories have revolved around my residence hall, Dunne Hall. I have had great opportunities to make new friends, sitting by the pool table, engaging in philosophical conversations with other girls in my residence hall. This truly is the essence of Notre Dame.
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STUDENT PROFILES
I chose Notre Dame because of the strong sense of community we build here. Traveling far from home to a country very different from your own can be very difficult. Notre Dame welcomed me with open arms. People truly care about each other here and work for the benefit of everyone.
ANUSHA JAIN MUMBAI, INDIA CLASS OF 2019 PSYCHOLOGY
At Notre Dame, I am a member of many groups, including the Student Union Board – where we plan movie showings, concerts, and other events on campus – and the Women’s Boxing Club. Since my first year, I have worked at the University Call Center, where we reach out to the Notre Dame Family and friends of the University. I am also involved in the APCAT research laboratory in the psychology department that works to create responsive testing interfaces for AP-Statistics students. One of my most memorable experiences at Notre Dame was my first snowball fight in the middle of South Quad. Several hundred students gathered at midnight out of their own volition to play in the first snow of the year. As tradition would have it, we lined up on two fronts and, when the clock struck midnight, we began throwing snowballs. It was a moment of pure joy and simple fun before finals approached. We played beside friends and strangers, and the next day we all returned to our classes as usual.
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STUDENT PROFILES
I chose Notre Dame because of the perfect amalgamation of experiences that are offered here. The equal emphasis on academics, extracurriculars, and community-based social life is unparalleled. Everyone looks out for one another, which inculcates a strong sense of belonging to the Irish family. Education here truly makes you not just a better student, but also a better person.
RHEA DE SOUZA MUMBAI, INDIA CLASS OF 2021 BIOCHEMISTRY
In my semester-and-a-half here, I have been very involved with the Glynn Family Honors Program, attending various lectures by esteemed professors on their research and visiting Chicago to compare the evolution of art by going to the Art Institute and the symphony and lyric operas. Over Spring Break, I visited the Glenmary Farms and interacted with the people of the Appalachian region to learn more about their culture as part of a Social Concerns seminar. I also volunteer with kindergarten children as part of the EMBRACE after school program, which is a community outreach initiative started by Beacon Health Services. The best thing about Notre Dame is the people here. I enjoy talking to people from various background and listening to their unique life stories. I was surprised by how rewarding experiencing a new culture is and how greatly it contributes to making me a global citizen. It is interesting to know that people from around the world are so different, yet so similar. Notre Dame is an extremely welcoming environment, and there are countless events on campus to meet new people and make new friends. I look forward to seeing what Notre Dame has in store for me in the next three years.
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STUDENT PROFILES
I picked Notre Dame because it was the only school that gave me a sense of home. Every single person I spoke to told me about the amazing community here. The campus is absolutely gorgeous, and the people are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.
LARA CASTELLINO PRUNE, INDIA CLASS OF 2020 NUEROSCIENCE AND
I have been involved in a variety of activities around campus. I am a part of a Music and Memory program, where we play music for people suffering from Alzheimer’s at senior care centers. I also tutor firstyear students in calculus. This summer, I will be doing a social service learning program through Notre Dame in San Francisco, where I will be teaching basic computer skills to low-income adults who cannot afford to buy a computer. My favorite experience at Notre Dame has been the football games. I found that they really highlight the family aspect of Notre Dame. Although I knew nothing about football coming in, I eventually became a fanatic. There was something magical about 80,000 people cheering for the Irish and embracing each other to sing the Alma Mater after the game. Week after week, these games remind me of the strong and supportive community that we have at Notre Dame.
BUSINESS ECONOMICS AND CDT MINOR
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ALUMNI PROFILES
GAUTAM SHEWAKRAMANI
TARIQ ANSARI
SAHIL MEHTA
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GAUTAM SHEWAKRAMANI CLASS OF 2005
ALUMNI PROFILES
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND FILM MUMBAI, INDIA
WORK EXPERIENCE
I am currently India country manager at Quora, a Q&A platform that empowers people to share and grow the world’s knowledge. In my current role, I lead Quora’s growth efforts in India. I joined Quora from AudioCompass, where I was founder and CEO, and named among 15 entrepreneurs who are “shaking up India’s travel scene” by Conde Nast Traveller. I did my MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management and am an active angel investor and member of the start-up ecosystem in India.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND INTERNSHIPS While at Notre Dame, I was a resident assistant at Zahm, and spent a summer on campus working at a research lab in the Department of Computer Science. In my junior year, I interned at Credit Suisse in their technology division.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT NOTRE DAME
My favorite thing about Notre Dame is the friendships I formed with my roommates and other fellow Zahmbies (the members of Zahm Hall). To this day, I stay in touch with the people that I met at Notre Dame. The strong sense of community really makes you feel like part of a family, a feeling that transcends the four years of college and follows you wherever you go.
HOW NOTRE DAME CHANGED ME
My four years at Notre Dame transformed me in many different ways. I credit my time there, for example, for teaching me how to adapt and deal with challenges, and for making me a more grounded individual.
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TARIQ ANSARI CLASS OF 1983
MANAGEMENT AND JAPAN STUDIES
ALUMNI PROFILES
MUMBAI, INDIA
WORK EXPERIENCE
After graduating from Notre Dame I joined my family newspaper publishing business in India, expanding operations to three dailies and two weeklies in three cities. We listed the company and eventually sold it to a larger group. I now own and run a radio broadcasting network across seven cities and a commercial printing business in Mumbai. I have been active in a number of newspaper trade associations, both in India and internationally, and industry bodies like the Confederation of Indian Industry.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND INTERNSHIPS Given the wide range of extracurricular activities at Notre Dame, one is spoiled for choice. I went abroad to Japan in my sophomore year, which led to my active participation in the Japan Club as well as the International Students Club.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT NOTRE DAME
Without a doubt, my favorite thing was the sense of community in the residence halls. My hall was Holy Cross (which doesn’t exist any more) and after thirty years I still count my friends from there among my closest friends and make it a point to meet them on campus every two years or so.
HOW NOTRE DAME CHANGED ME
As a business major, I went into Notre Dame expecting to gain skills in the rapacious and cut-throat world of business. What I didn’t expect was the solid grounding in ethics and values that Notre Dame instilled in me. I count myself fortunate in being exposed to and influenced by a worldview much larger than I had.
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SAHIL MEHTA CLASS OF 2010
ALUMNI PROFILES
FINANCE
KOLKATA, INDIA
WORK EXPERIENCE
FAVORITE THING ABOUT NOTRE DAME
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND INTERNSHIPS
HOW NOTRE DAME CHANGED ME
I began my career at Deutsche Bank in Mumbai, India, working in their Prime Brokerage business. Subsequently, I moved to Wealth-X to set up and build their India business and later relocated to Hong Kong to head up their North Asia business as well. At the end of 2017, I moved back to India and am currently in the midst of setting up my own entrepreneurial venture.
I had the opportunity to be a part of the Applied Investment Management (AIM) class whilst at Notre Dame. The experience was unparalleled, with the University entrusting us with millions of dollars to invest on behalf of the Endowment. I also interned at Intrinsic Value Investors while studying abroad in London.
My favorite thing about Notre Dame is the extremely supportive and accomplished alumni network. In fact, I was hired at Wealth-X by a former Notre Dame graduate, Jay Jhaveri (‘87). I had met with Jay while in Singapore in 2010, and he asked me to join him at Wealth-X three years later. I continue to be involved in the University’s endeavours to attract international students from India as well.
My experience at Notre Dame taught me the value of relationships and friendships. I set foot in America for the first time when I was moving into Keenan Hall as a first-year in 2006. I left having forged life-long friendships and innumerable memories.
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