A Conversation with Manu – From Student to City Director in Hyderabad

You’re a Minerva alum and now Hyderabad’s City Director. How did your own experience as a Minervan shape how you design this rotation for today’s students?

‍

First and foremost, I think about what excites me about where I am from, and what are elements that I want to make sure they learn about. If you don’t feel the energy for the stories you are choosing to tell, it's going to fall flat 100%.

And then it's about listening to the students and providing them the space to let us know what excites them and what doesn’t.  More often than not, it's at the intersection of these two, you find opportunities to create something meaningful, impactful and memorable :) 

As someone who’s lived the rotation model, what do you think students need most in their first weeks to feel confident and grounded in the city?

‍

Every student is different, and they need very different things to find their footing in a new city. For some it may be finding out where to find good yoga classes or good co-working spaces in the city; or even simply where to get the freshest produce for dinner. 

That’s why, for me, a Student Life Team who cares deeply and who the students know they can approach is going to make all the difference in the first few weeks.  I love my team so much this semester. They are simply gems of human beings who care so much and put in the effort to make the experience the best it can be. 

Matthew Erskine (who is now the Dean of Students at MU), was my London City Director. Once he gave me a booklet of the London Film Festival and told me about a volunteering opportunity that I might like when I told him about my film aspirations. That opportunity led to getting to see Michael B Jordan in person (this was close to the time Black Panther came out) and learning about the British Film Institute (BFI) - which may have dictated the rest of my semester.

 It's sometimes the smallest things you do that lead students to finding spaces that make the city theirs and in some cases give them a whole new worldview. The goal is to become that for as many of the students as possible :)

Minerva partners with T-Hub and Hyderabad’s startup ecosystem. From your perspective, what makes these experiences especially valuable for students at this stage of their education?

‍

Minerva promises that students move through cities not as tourists but as emerging global citizens, and its partnerships like T-Hub that make the promise real. T-Hub is at the forefront of innovation in Hyderabad, and in our collaborations with them, they invite students not to be observers but as contributors to the work they do. 

Students engage with real, live challenges that founders and innovators are actively working on, and as such will leave India with a much more nuanced understanding of the on ground challenges than someone just passing through.

Beyond innovation and tech, how do you intentionally design opportunities for students to engage with Hyderabad’s culture, history, and everyday life?

‍

What surprised me most about the City Director role is how much of my writer and storyteller brain I get to bring into it. The pace, rhythm, and emotional beats all matter; and at the crux of it all -  the story you are telling. For me, experience design comes down to four questions - what story am I telling? Who am I telling it to? Why am I telling it? And what is the most emotionally satisfying way to tell it within the constraints I have?

Is there a city experience, partnership, or event this semester that really captures what makes Hyderabad special for Minerva students?

‍

Our Elevation Feast took place at the Bansilal Stepwells, a 17th century heritage landmark, where students were treated to an intimate music concert that moved seamlessly between Indian classical, Indian film music, and Western influences.

We hosted it in collaboration with one of our most important and amazing civic partners, Tangy Sessions. Easily one of the most satisfied I have felt this semester. I remember watching students walk out of that space with their hearts visibly full. It meant the world. There is simply no recreating that experience anywhere else. 

The stepwells themselves tell the story. Once abandoned and discarded, they were restored by people who saw their potential. They revitalized the space without stripping it of its history. That is Hyderabad. A city that creates opportunity through innovation while celebrating its rich past.

We have a couple of other events in the pipeline that I am sure will rival Feast for sure :) Especially the mid semester celebration - Quinquatria. The most common request from the incoming cohort was to get to attend an Indian Wedding. We have tested out the theme of the Indian Wedding in previous years, but this semester, we are diving in deeper with it; and I am so excited to make it happen.

What surprises you most about how students grow once they’ve spent time navigating Hyderabad, both academically and personally?

‍

It's always surprising to see the opportunities they unlock for themselves in the city; and sometimes they get to see more untold layers of the city through the local connections they build on their own. Hyderabad always starts off with a bit of caution from the students’ end, but by the end of the semester, they always leave with so many connections they built on their own, and a sense of confidence in crossing the road that did not exist that first week.

Do you have a signature tradition you love doing with students, like walks, food spots, or rituals?

‍

I grew up with Indian Cinema, and it has influenced so much of who I am and who I want to be. As an aspiring filmmaker, I would be remiss if I don’t share this core part of India with the students.

Every Friday, I host Desi Movie Nights, where we watch Indian movies that hold a special place in my heart. We began with Chak De! India :) This week we are watching the Oscar winning Telugu hit RRR, and next week, we’ve got Bangalore Days, a film from my mother tongue that hits all the right spots :)

I’m on a mission to ensure that no Minervan leaves India without knowing who Shah Rukh Khan is :)

Where would you recommend students go for (1) a good place to study with WiFi, (2) a place to relax outdoors, and (3) a must-try Hyderabad food spot?

‍

LastHouse By The Lake is a gorgeous cafe with scenic views of the Durgam Cheruvu (one of the big lakes from Hyd) and a great place to work from. For a place to relax outdoors, Hyderabad has some beautiful pockets, but if I am being completely honest, I have been encouraging students to travel to Kerala during their longer breaks. I am biased because that is home for me, but I truly believe there is no better place to slow down, breathe, and reset. 

For food, I’m a sucker for the Chicken Fry Piece Biriyani at Sri Kanya Restaurant.  That said, I would not send anyone there who cannot handle some serious spice :)

Looking back at your own Minerva journey, what do you hope students carry with them from Hyderabad long after the semester ends?

‍

One of the important skills I got from Minerva is this absurd confidence that no matter how alien of a situation you put me in, I will figure some way to navigate it - even if I falter.

India is one hell of a catalyst for bringing that sense of resilience to many Minervans who are not used to the chaos India can be :) Amidst the chaos, there is passion, depth, and opportunity that only becomes visible once you learn to move through it. As such, I hope they carry that resilience with them wherever they go, and unlock the opportunities that come with it.

‍