There is a large opportunity for everybody to create a story in some or the other way and a voice to share these stories. There is independence for you to decide what that charter is but also ownership to deliver it also. There is of course a framework, having the resources to research and come back with their opinions and charter.

My recruitment style is different, I don’t sit in technical rounds. I get the right people there. When it’s my key members, I go for cultural fit, because then, the fine tuning is done. I would not get someone who is not going to be a team player. Operations is not about an individual.

Pulkit once said I want the engineers to feel for our mission. I want them to know what we are doing. We are not doing AI & ML, we are actually impacting real lives. It’s not what you make, it’s what you make possible.

So the way they empower, the way they support allows me to do what I'm doing right now.

They are not in that kind of self belief that they are the only ones who can do it, they are also aware that they have started from somewhere.

There is a large opportunity for everybody to create a story in some or the other way and a voice to share these stories. There is independence for you to decide what that charter is but also ownership to deliver it also. There is of course a framework, having the resources to research and come back with their opinions and charter.

My recruitment style is different, I don’t sit in technical rounds. I get the right people there. When it’s my key members, I go for cultural fit, because then, the fine tuning is done. I would not get someone who is not going to be a team player. Operations is not about an individual.

Founder's Mindset is very very important. If I die in a plane crash, any direct reportee should be able to run the company. You are functionally responsible but you are not having a functional agenda but wearing the Vedantu hat.

There was no pushback when I proposed Child Safety at Vedantu. They could have said that no competitor is doing it. And I asked for a huge budget. But now we are the one platform that is safe for both students and teachers.

If you make mistakes, it’s not a problem here. Noone is going to scold you for it. We are all intelligent here, so we will sit and discuss what the problem was and how to fix it the next time.

You take ownership of all that you are managing, from uptimes, to SLA, to performance.

There was never a conversation about what I am supposed to do over here because I thought that that was inherently aligned with whatever needs to be done.

Take ownership and execute it. I have never heard anyone ask for things to be left as is because it is not a part of your job. Whenever I have gone to discuss some next steps, they always say make a plan and execute.

Pulkit will treat you as an equal. He will leave you with a brief and give you autonomy. Then he will intervene and say could we do this? He just gives feedback.

Founder's Mindset is very very important. If I die in a plane crash, any direct reportee should be able to run the company. You are functionally responsible but you are not having a functional agenda but wearing the Vedantu hat.

There was no pushback when I proposed Child Safety at Vedantu. They could have said that no competitor is doing it. And I asked for a huge budget. But now we are the one platform that is safe for both students and teachers.

...which is Vamsi’s favourite question: what gives you energy and what sucks your energy?

IITians…I didn’t know what those people look like, studying all the time, or like super bright and all that. But then talking to these people, it felt like these are fun human beings. So that kind of mental shift happened for me.

One guy named Supreet said that if Pulkit Sir wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have ever left Patiala.

If a mentor has changed my life, then there’s no looking back. Every student should meet their lakshya.

I met with Vani Ma’am also, and I see so many young kids come up to her. They don’t come to her because she teaches Bio very well. They come to Vani Ma’am because they are inspired to become like her.

This is why we are here, inspiration and making anyone believe in themselves. If every average child started believing, they can do miracles in the world.

Everyone remembers that teacher that had fun in class, supported you and mentored you.

Becoming a teacher at vedantu is very tough. We have rejected a lot of people who may have been brilliant, but they’re not inspiring, or not able to make students believe. Content and skills can be trained, but these are a core part of the value system, it's either there or not there.

...which is Vamsi’s favourite question: what gives you energy and what sucks your energy?

IITians…I didn’t know what those people look like, studying all the time, or like super bright and all that. But then talking to these people, it felt like these are fun human beings. So that kind of mental shift happened for me.

In 2014 we got AIR 6. He was getting less marks a few months ago. I witnessed what was happening and told his father to let him sleep before paper 2. Lunch, then nap, get up fresh and do the second paper. And suddenly his marks improved. It was a learning experience for us also.

First point of mentoring is where does the student stand right now.

I still remember it very sharply, I was just panicking. I was like okay, I don’t belong to this world. Pulkit came to me and he was like, you know why are you sitting here? Chal class chalte hain. So, I went and he made me sit on the first bench. He was talking to me the entire class. Made me so comfortable.

We had to do a layoff - lowest point in Vedantu. I got a call saying we might not be able to pay salaries. I broke down in the office, I was crying cause I couldn't take it. I offered to leave if others could stay, but it didn’t work out. We needed to let go of some of the finest people.

Let’s just say it was very bold of them to admit that because I have never really heard someone admit this frankly that we don't know the answer. We will figure out the answer later on. But we honestly don't know.

Somebody tells me there is a layoff happening. The founders gave a speech and they cried. I was prepared, assuming I wouldn’t make it. They had no reason to keep me there. Then AP came and asked me not to worry. I was shocked cause a founder personally had come and spoken.

In 2014 we got AIR 6. He was getting less marks a few months ago. I witnessed what was happening and told his father to let him sleep before paper 2. Lunch, then nap, get up fresh and do the second paper. And suddenly his marks improved. It was a learning experience for us also.

First point of mentoring is where does the student stand right now.

Having a teacher who believes in you is what I am here for. It got me here, it will obviously get a lot of kids to where they want to be.

“I know, ho jayega. It’s okay”. That phrase matters to you a lot. That mattered to me a lot.

My mom and dad couldn’t relate to me at all. They were like, “we don’t know this kid, who is this kid?” The way they spoke about me, because obviously I loved working with them... those young chaps. Like they’re IIT-ians and they’re saying such good things about me while talking to my parents. And my mom was like have I ever known you?

Vamsi said we will let you do whatever you want to, but one thing I won’t let you do is hedge your bets. Be clear about what you want to do, whatever happens ahead, we’ll see.

Founders gave full freedom and didn't make me feel that I was working for them.

Kids are very capable by themselves. If they become confident in their work, then they can do incredible things.

Having a teacher who believes in you is what I am here for. It got me here, it will obviously get a lot of kids to where they want to be.

“I know, ho jayega. It’s okay”. That phrase matters to you a lot. That mattered to me a lot.