Amitabh Bachchan’s granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda on pursuing MBA at IIM Ahmedabad: It’s been tough but...

Describing the experience as both “tough and fulfilling,” she admitted that adapting to academic life after nearly six years away from formal education has been challenging.

Amitabh Bachchan’s granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda has often stood out for taking a path different from her family’s showbiz legacy. Instead of entering films, Navya has carved her own space in entrepreneurship and social impact, and now, she’s adding another feather to her cap by doing an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Currently enrolled in a two-year blended programme that combines online and on-campus learning, Navya recently opened up about her journey during a conversation with journalist Barkha Dutt on Mojo Story.

Describing the experience as both “tough and fulfilling,” she admitted that adapting to academic life after nearly six years away from formal education has been challenging.

“It’s a two-year full-time blend of on-campus and online. Of course, it has been tough — anyone who’s done an MBA, especially from IIM-A, can attest to that,” she said.

Reflecting on her past year, Navya shared how the programme has helped her grow personally and professionally, adding that the friendships and learnings from her batchmates have been the most rewarding part.

“What I’ve learnt from my batchmates is far more than what I’ve learnt inside the classroom,” she revealed.

When news of her IIM-A admission first broke, Navya faced criticism from some corners of the internet, with users questioning her choice to study in India instead of abroad.

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In response, IIM-A professor Promila Agarwal publicly defended her on X (formerly Twitter), asserting that Navya had earned her place on merit. She wrote, “Even if people want to discredit her interview & CV, she, dammit, cleared the cut-off.”

Beyond academics, Navya continues to balance multiple ventures. She is the founder of the non-profit Project Naveli, co-founder of Aara Health, a women’s health tech startup, and also hosted a popular podcast featuring her mother Shweta Bachchan Nanda and grandmother Jaya Bachchan.