Amrita Sadarangani, the regional director at University of Edinburgh for South Asia, has worked out of "The Bay" Private Office at the Ministry of New for two years now and could not imagine a better base for the University and her team.
"I absolutely love that my team and I walk in, take a deep breath and have huge smiles as we connect with the space every day, more so in person, but also virtually just now."
Amrita represent the interests of the University of Edinburgh, seeking to strategically engage with partners across South Asia, including government, universities, alumni, students, corporates, research institutes and others. Very simply, her role is about creating and identifying opportunities and finding a creative path to delivering them, centred around the University’s vision of knowledge making the world a better place.
How has working from Ministry of New supported your work and helped you?
The Ministry of New is a creative and inspiring space, also an engaged and connected community. I absolutely love that my team and I (and all the visitors we’ve ever had) walk in, take a deep breath and have huge smiles as we connect with the space every day, more so in person, but also virtually just now.
We love the fresh air, the soothing colours, the gorgeous plants, the helpful, kind, efficient and considerate team.
Members of the MoN community are wonderful and since I’ve been a part of it, I’ve connected over chai, at events, chatting around the lunch table. Another team (CurryStone Collaborative) helped immensely while putting together an incredible Sustainable Fashion Trek for our Edinburgh undergraduates, connecting us with artisans who welcomed us to their homes and were so generous with their time.
What is your favourite part about working from here?
The wonderful conversations – I’d been struggling with clarity around a work issue and a five minute conversation around the chai dispenser – thanks to the wonderful Sudip Verma, another member at Ministry of New – really flipped a switch for me. That sort of things and the comfortable yet inspiring Library space are my favourite things.
What have the students you visit thought about the space?
The Edinburgh students and faculty who visit simply love the Ministry. A group visited recently, for an hour, that turned into the rest of the day – over pastries, coffee, the guest wifi – quite simply an oasis during their busy visit. Some are dreaming up projects or opportunities that would bring them back here to work with us and we’d welcome all of it.
Someone you met here who helped you in some way either professionally or personally?
Not just one, but several – Sudip, Bhavna, Mithila and Arpan – loved his Take Five session on content! And with an old friend, Ashraf Hussain who also happens to work here, I had several conversations and now we are working together on multiple fronts.
Before you go...
What are your top productivity tips?
List daily priorities, sprint for 20 – 30 minutes, walk and stand as much as possible and breathe!
Three words that describe you?
Persistent, focused and creative.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Time travel.
What is the one social cause you feel extremely connected to?
Access to education.
A collaboration between two or more people you have always loved?
University of Edinburgh and Animal Adoption and Care (an NGO run by fellow member Ashraf Hussain). I also adopted my puppy Molly from them!