'Prioritize ruthlessly to use time efficiently'

Imarticus Learning's Nikhil Barshikar discusses his productivity principles

- Shail Desai

While working in the US, Nikhil Barshikar observed a significant skill gap among professionals. Fresh graduates had a good grasp of theoretical knowledge but lacked practical skills desired by employers. Those with experience, on the other hand, had limited upskilling opportunities.

"My 18-plus years in investment banking and capital markets gave me an insider's view of what skills truly mattered at the workplace," says Mumbai-based Barshikar, 46, founder and managing director of ed-tech company Imarticus Learning, who moved back to India in 2010. "I saw firsthand what separated high performers from average ones and it often wasn't just technical knowledge."