Faculty of Alliant: Jyotsna Sanzgiri

By Chastity Harper, Summer 2010

Jyotsna (Jo) Sanzgiri hails from Mumbai (Bombay), India, and has been a professor in MGSM’s Organization Studies Division in San Francisco for 22 years.

Degrees:
BA, Commerce and Economics, Sydenham College, Bombay, India
MBA, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
PhD in Business Administration, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (Majored in Organization Development and Strategic Planning)

Your dissertation was about professional women. What sparked your interest in this topic?
There were no women in my classes or female professors when I got an MBA or PhD in business. I wanted to inquire into the reasons for this phenomenon.

Hobbies:
Studying ancient civilizations—Indian and Chinese in particular.

Favorite Movie:
The Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray

Favorite Book:
“A Suitable Boy” by Vikram Seth

Where is your favorite place to travel?
Cape Town, South Africa, because of its legacy related to transformational change and cultural diversity.

Do you have any interests few others at Alliant would know about?
I write creative fiction and poetry and publish book reviews on South Asian fiction in my spare time.

What advice would you give graduate students?
Take the time to discover your research interests early in your career as a graduate student and direct your research papers towards these areas, join professional organizations, and meet with core faculty often to discuss your area of study. Also, be persistent and consistent with your goals - complete your degree program in spite of hardship and financial constraints. Develop a strong network of family members, colleagues, mentors and professional friends to create a support group to help you through the difficult times. Lastly, always celebrate your achievements.