Visionary Pathfinder, a Charismatic Leader and an Exceptional Problem Solver
The Sanskrit word ‘Prachetas’ means the pre-eminently intelligent and observant one. A rare word for a name, it truly defines the brilliance of the man that is Prachetas Bhatnagar; all India National Level Sportsperson, excellent orator, and a strategic solution provider to world’s most pressing problems.
Although young, Prachetas’ illustrious career trajectory had its beginning at UNICEF India; addressing acute infant mortality and helping frame the UN SDGs. “It made me understand the drivers of poverty better and my exercised and emerging view held that this formidable challenge is certainly addressable. However, the right strategic outlook and behaviorally rationalized federated policy paradigms are absent. This felt need underpinned my transition to McKinsey & Company, India,” shares Prachetas.
Fortunate to be at the world’s premier management consulting firm, he worked extensively with public, private sectors and international organizations in industries ranging from – power, healthcare, education, urban planning, renewable energy, oil and gas, banking, finance, IoT & artificial intelligence, and infrastructure – in mobilizing change, shaping strategies and driving execution. “I often argued that in light of changing expectations of consumers and the disruptive nature of technology, upcoming policy prescriptions should be probabilistic and not deterministic in nature,” he adds.
As a member of the Global Shapers Community – A World Economic Forum, Davos initiative, Prachetas got the opportunity to engage with other youth leaders at multiple events at the European Parliament, Brussels. This made him realize that youth centrality in solution building needs more recognition by public policy makers and led him to a Masters in Public Policy at London School of Economics & Political Science.
This was Prachetas’ first step in transitioning to his passion of public sector which further sophisticated his understanding of concepts and the ‘craft of government’. Passionately keen to be positioned at a vantage point where he could influence national policy paradigms by putting his ideas into practice, and translating multitude of views into executable policy, he segwayed into the Tony Blair Institute of Global Change, London.
“Governments, globally, oftentimes are the victims of algorithmic decision making, but when we bring social science to bear upon public policy it provides the runway to test the power of ideas across political systems of different configurations.
The Strategy & Operations Manager, Technology & Public Policy role best positions me to provide that visionary, inclusive and coherent development narratives for nations,” says Prachetas of his envious work role.
As an effective strategy manager, what approach does Prachetas follow to stand out from the crowd? He answers: “Being publicly spirited is not enough, what matters is how inventive you are in providing solutions in light of current and emergent expectations. At present the entire ecosystem is at an inflection point as opportunity lies at the intersection of multiple sectors. I fundamentally believe that the best strategic answer is finely balanced somewhere in the ‘impossible trinity’ – Maximised Value with Minimised Effort/Risk and Efficiently Deployed Capital. Rewards arise from a diligent synthesis of talent, foresight and greater understanding of people and prevailing subconscious biases.”
What strategies did Prachetas adopt to convert the Covid -19 pandemic in his favour? He quietly reflects, “As we pivot from a crisis to revenue and recovery, it is important to distinguish between what preference shifts are here to stay and what aspects will further evolve. Marrying this with end user affinity mappings give us very clear directional insights for framing the new normal. Once we have coherently marshalled these ideas and understandings, we can then assess the digitization potential and scope of digital enablement to design asset light and agile platform based solutions with the right sequencing and timing of initiatives.”
Prachetas’ skill goes beyond economics. That he is multifaceted can be gauged by his varied awards and honours: He’s an All India National Level Swimmer; Elected President – Department of Economics, Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi; 2nd Prize Winner at NASA’s Lunabotics Competition, Kennedy Space Center, USA; Guiness World Record Holder for Highest Tree Plantation (50 million in 24 hours) Event in Uttar Pradesh, 2016; Represented University of Delhi at ‘Advancement of Data and Strategy In The Cognitive Era’ congregation at HEC Paris, France.
In the current dynamic world order, Prachetas is determined to position himself where passion intersects with real need. “I believe the diversity of human thought is an immeasurable wealth, but to leverage that to measurably solve the world’s most pressing problems is the difficult part. We have to be absolutely unflinching and relentless about our objectives while conquering temptation and the lethargy of the past,” he says.
With true visionaries like Prachetas at the helm, we can retain our faith in the world to come.
