Education
Aakash names Alka Garg as CFO, Kanika Nijhawan as SVP marketing
Leadership hires signal sharper growth focus and stronger governance push
MUMBAI: India’s leading test prep powerhouse, Aakash Educational Services Limited, has strengthened its leadership bench with two strategic appointments aimed at fuelling its next phase of growth.
Alka Garg has joined as chief financial officer, while Kanika Kumar Nijhawan steps in as senior vice president – marketing. Together, the duo brings nearly four decades of combined experience across finance, branding and high-growth businesses.
Garg arrives with more than 22 years of strategic and operational expertise, having partnered with founders, CEOs and executive teams to build enterprise value and scale sustainably. At AESL, she will steer the finance function, shape long-term financial strategy, enhance efficiencies and reinforce governance frameworks as the company sharpens its growth ambitions.
Prior to this role, Garg served as chief financial officer at Yum Restaurant India, where she played a key role in strengthening financial strategy for the KFC brand and driving business performance. Her career spans leadership stints at Siemens, GreyOrange, Bharti Airtel and Deloitte, giving her a rare blend of corporate discipline and entrepreneurial agility.
On the marketing front, Nijhawan brings over 17 years of experience across media, retail and sport. Known for her expertise in brand building, digital performance marketing and omnichannel engagement, she most recently spent a decade at Adidas India as director of brand marketing.
Her earlier career includes roles at HT Media and Sony Entertainment, equipping her with a strong understanding of storytelling, audience engagement and consumer insight, skills that align neatly with AESL’s student-first focus.
With these appointments, AESL is signalling more than routine leadership changes. It is doubling down on professionalised management, operational excellence and disciplined expansion. As competition intensifies in India’s test preparation landscape, the company appears intent on pairing academic strength with sharper financial rigour and stronger brand resonance.
For students and parents navigating the high-stakes world of engineering and medical entrance exams, that could translate into a more streamlined, responsive and future-ready learning ecosystem.
Education
Internshala launches 6 founder-led internships with stipends up to Rs 50,000
Intern With Icon offers direct access to top founders, mentorship and hands-on roles
MUMBAI: Internshala, an upGrad company, has launched a new initiative titled “Intern With Icon”, offering six students a chance to work directly with some of India’s most recognisable founders and faces from Shark Tank India.
The programme brings together a high-profile line-up including Vineeta Singh, Varun Alagh, Peyush Bansal, Namita Thapar, Kunal Bahl and Aman Gupta. One intern will be selected to work with each founder, gaining hands-on exposure across business functions along with direct mentorship.
The internships come with stipends ranging from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000, along with a one-on-one session with the assigned founder. Applications open on April 27 and close on May 10, with final selections to be announced on May 18. The internship will run from May 27 to July 31, 2026.
Unlike traditional programmes, the initiative is degree-agnostic and focuses on potential rather than pedigree. Candidates are expected to demonstrate curiosity, adaptability and problem-solving skills, with basic familiarity in tools like Excel, PowerPoint and Canva seen as an added advantage.
Internshala founder and CEO Sarvesh Agrawal said, “Intern With Icon is designed to bridge aspiration with access. Young talent often admires iconic founders from afar. This programme gives them a chance to learn directly and understand how businesses are built.”
The initiative reflects a broader shift in early-career learning, moving from classroom-style exposure to real-world, founder-led experience. By placing students in the thick of decision-making and execution, Internshala is aiming to make internships less about observation and more about participation.
As competition for meaningful work experience grows, programmes like this could well set the tone for how India’s next generation of professionals gets its first real taste of the business world.
