Sumanyu is a IIT Bombay CS undergrad and currently a Product Manager at Prodigal. In 2021 he started with Prodigal as an intern and contributed as a Data Scientist, Strategy Analyst, People’s Success Manager and Product over his 3+ years at Prodigal.

Where did you grow up, and where are you based now?

I have grown up in Mumbai and am currently located here as well. It’s been incredible to witness the transformation of the city over the last 20 years.

What's your educational background, and what were your previous work experiences before joining Prodigal?

I graduated from IIT Bombay with a B.Tech. in Computer Science. I did two main internships in college - one as a Data Scientist at Prodigal, and one as a Forward Deployed Engineer at Palantir. Through these experiences I realised that I enjoyed working at a startup much more than being a smaller cog in the wheel of larger companies.

What attracted you to join Prodigal, and how has your role evolved since you started?

The two things that motivated me to join Prodigal was the founding team and the impact I would get to make. The founders were great people to work with and I felt that I could relate to the 10-member team back then. This, coupled with the opportunity to see immediate and tangible impact of my work was my reason for joining Prodigal.

My role has changed quite a lot over the last three and a half years. I started as a Data Science intern, and then joined full-time as a “Strategy Analyst” to closely work with business and technology teams. A year in, we needed someone to lead our People/Recruitment function, and I decided to take this role up. As an introvert, I was pushed out of my comfort zone and learnt a lot. After doing this for a while, we hired a Director of Product and he needed more hands. That’s when I made the switch to Product Management and have been working with Akshat on it since then. My experience has been super diverse and a lot of fun.

Can you share a significant project or achievement you're proud of during your time here?

Setting up our performance evaluations, recruiting system and building a culture where people truly enjoy themselves while delivering high quality work has been one of the highlights. Also, I played a role in making ProInsight compatible with multiple languages, which is now one of the best alternatives in this market.

What are your favorite hobbies or activities outside of work?

I love music, and though my preferences change almost every month, playing my guitar has been a constant. Also, I have really gotten into gymming and running as a way to stay healthy so you will often see me come to the office with a gym bag!

Do you have any personal projects or passions you're currently pursuing?

I have received a Deferred MBA admit from Harvard Business School under their flagship HBS 2+2 program. Outside of work at Prodigal, I really enjoy interacting with the rest of the cohort, who are from across the world. I get to learn about different industries, cultures and approaches to problems. Also, as a tech-lover, I enjoy keeping up with GenAI trends.

Which of Prodigal's values resonates with you the most, and why?

‘Pursuing Excellence’ is the Prodigal value that resonated most with me. It continues to challenge me and I find a lot of joy diving deep into problems, rather than identifying surface-level solutions. Prodigal has been built around a passion for going two steps further than what exists and our ambitious goals contribute to our pursuit of excellence.

How do you approach challenges or learning opportunities in your role?

I have read that your 20s are the best time to learn, so I approach every problem from a ‘first principle thinking’ perspective while soaking in the advice of people who have far more familiarity with the problem space.

Is there an interesting fact about yourself that your colleagues might not know?

I am a huge K-Pop fan! One of my goals is to attend a Rosé or Blackpink concert in the next few years.