Gautham Mallya - Reckitt Benckiser

Hi everyone! I’m Gautham Mallya, a final-year student in the department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Bombay. I hail from Mumbai and have been living in Mumbai for the past 13 years. I am a show and movie buff, who also loves to play the game of chess in my free time. Also, I’m somewhat a big foodie too! I am a semi-core and semi-non-core enthusiast, so I applied to both kinds of roles when our internship season began. I finally landed an internship at one of the world’s largest FMCGs: Reckitt Benckiser in the R&D profile.

How did you find out about this internship and what made you pursue it?

To be fair, I hadn’t really heard about the company before it came to IITB through our Placements Cell. However it was only when I looked it up that I realized it is the parent company of some of the world’s most recognised brands: Harpic, Dettol, Lizol, Vanish, Strepsils, Durex, Mortein, etc. I believe it is the first time Reckitt has come to our campus for internships. Having a good amount of interest in pursuing core, that too in a corporate setting, I was interested in pursuing this internship. I had also heard from previous year interns of other IITs about the work they did and the ownership and freedom they were given to bring about product innovation.

Could you describe the selection/ interview process?

The first step in the process was a resume shortlisting. I believe a 7+ CPI and core course projects were sufficient for being shortlisted for the Group Discussion (GD) round. The GD and interview both were online.

The GD was quite typical, with discussion on a business case study (not core related!). I think what went in my favor was my initiative in starting the discussion and regularly interjecting to put forward my points, which can be challenging in an online setting. I could make my participation stand out, and that would be my advice: Make your presence felt and exude confidence, even if you might not be an expert on the subject being discussed.

My interview lasted for 20-25 minutes, wherein a mix of technical and HR questions were asked. The focus was more on a course project in which I had worked in as a team. The panel was interested in my approach and how I faced various challenges. They asked me follow-ups on the project to understand my conceptual base too. Lastly they asked about my motivation to join Reckitt as an intern.

How did you prepare for the internship?

In general for the core chemical domain I had done a revision of the basic concepts of Chemical Engineering which we had studied in the DIC and second year. Specifically for Reckitt, I went through their website, understood their mission, values, purpose and also their major portfolios and brands. Also, I made a mental note of points from the Job description itself, and that proved to be very useful, in terms of answering questions.

Could you brief us about the work allotted to you?

Before we started working we were made to sign NDAs, so I cannot be very descriptive about my work :P.

At Reckitt R&D, there are 2 broad teams: Innovation and Operations. The former deals with new product development and the latter deals with enhancement of existing market products. I was working in the Operations team for Harpic, where I was tasked with improving the performance of one of Harpic’s products. As part of my work I did literature search, patent study, competition mapping, raw material sourcing, new formulations development, and testing.

How has the experience of working been?

I found the work to be quite self-paced. I had complete freedom to do my own research and lab work and my guide used to validate my work at a once-a-week review meeting. It was a good experience interacting with people across different brands with diverse backgrounds. Everyone was extremely helpful. It also really matters that the work we do is contributing to either ongoing projects or towards launch of new product formats. The work was indeed impactful.

What was the process of shifting to a new city like?

The initial struggle was that of finding a good PG to stay in. However Gurgaon offers a lot of options at reasonable prices. We were provided accommodation in a hotel for our first week so we had time to scout for PGs close to our office. Office commute was not an issue as Reckitt operated its own shuttle service. Oh, the weather could be a little unpleasant. When we arrived in May, Gurgaon was an extremely hot and dusty city. But with the rains starting a few days later, the temperatures dropped. Adjusting to the city was a challenge in the first week, but we soon got used to it. :D

What were the challenges that you had to overcome during your internship? Could you share some of the learnings you picked up along the way?

Part of my work involved collaborating with members of other teams. So it was essential to do regular follow-ups so that things move according to my timeline. Also, for procurement of specific raw materials for my formulations, I had to reach out to many people, from whom I got contacts of vendors. So I had to shed my inhibitions and connect with different people. However, it was a new experience altogether.

Is there anything you explored outside of the internship? What was that like?

Gurgaon is a city known for its malls and pubs. My co-interns and I would explore Gurgaon on the weekends. I found Cyber Hub to be a really lively and energetic place, with tall corporate buildings looming over great cafes, pubs and restaurants. We would also make use of the super-connected Delhi Metro for weekend getaways to Delhi. One must surely visit all the historic monuments and other famous tourist places in Delhi. With that said, it is better to travel in a group due to safety concerns.

What are things one should keep in mind before joining this internship?

This internship may not be heavily reliant on Chemical Engineering concepts. It is all about product development, and your ability to bring a new and fresh perspective to the table.

Any tips for juniors for making the most out of the opportunity to do an intern?

I think you should take any internship as an opportunity to learn and figure out your true interests. You should have curiosity, ask good questions, and leverage your ability to interact with highly senior professionals who shall be working with you. Networking is an essential part of internships. If there is scope, offer to help out others in their tasks, so that you get to know more about their work and also learn much more outside your assigned project.