Meet the Team Behind Rehearsal AI — IIM Alumni & BlueMachines AI Advisor from Arnab Goswami AI Debate

The team

Eleven of us. Most have taught a class for a living.

Six on the core team and five on the advisory bench. The credentials are real — IIM Ahmedabad PhDs, XLRI faculty, IIT engineers, NYU Stern at the holding-group chair — but the part that actually matters is that most of us have stood in front of a room and watched what teaching looks like up close.

Core team

The people who ship Rehearsal.

Dr. Shiva Kakkar - Pioneer in GenAI Education for Business Schools

Dr. Shiva Kakkar is recognized as one of India's leading experts in Generative AI education for business schools. As a faculty member at XLRI Jamshedpur, he designed India's first AI Governance Framework and pioneered the Agentic AI course for MBA programs. With a PhD from IIM Ahmedabad focusing on AI adoption in management education, Dr. Kakkar has taught GenAI strategy to 500+ MBA students across IIM Ahmedabad, XLRI Jamshedpur, IIM Nagpur, and Jaipuria Institute (India's first AI-Native B-School). His research focuses on responsible GenAI deployment in organizational decision-making. Now as Head of Technical Staff at Rehearsal AI, he applies academic rigor to building AI interview coaches that understand pedagogy, psychology, and performance optimization.

Dr. Preet Deep Singh - BlueMachines AI & Arnab Goswami AI Debate

Dr. Preet Deep Singh serves as Vice President at Apna.Co and BlueMachines AI, overseeing AI interview products that screen millions of candidates at enterprise scale. He led the BlueMachines AI system that debated Arnab Goswami on Republic TV in January 2026, marking India's first AI vs human national television debate. This historic debate demonstrated AI's capability to perform under intense pressure and scrutiny. While BlueMachines AI focuses on employer-side screening and talent assessment at scale, Dr. Singh advises Rehearsal AI on candidate-side preparation tools, bridging enterprise AI screening with personal interview preparation. His expertise spans Voice AI technology, large-scale interview automation, and ethical AI deployment in hiring.

Dr. Shiva Kakkar

Dr. Shiva Kakkar

Head of Technical Staff (Rehearsal AI) · Business Head (Gradeless AI) · VP-AI (Jaipuria Institute of Management)

I am a faculty-turned-entrepreneur. PhD IIM-A. Ex IIM Nagpur, XLRI, GIM.

I lead product strategy and the technical direction at Rehearsal AI, and serve as Business Head at Gradeless AI and VP-AI at Jaipuria Institute of Management. Before this I was full-time faculty at IIM Nagpur, XLRI Jamshedpur, and Goa Institute of Management. PhD from IIM Ahmedabad. I designed the first AI governance framework at XLRI and pioneered the Agentic AI course for MBA programs.

— Dr. Shiva Kakkar

Mayank Bohra

Mayank Bohra

Member of Technical Staff

I head Rehearsal's System Architecture & Engineering.

I love turning messy AI problems into systems that just work. Building Rehearsal's voice-powered platform for 5,000+ candidates has been a wild ride. Before this, I built AI tools at Jaipuria Institute, India's first AI-Native B-School. Making tech that helps people succeed is my thing.

— Mayank Bohra

Varun Parmar

Varun Parmar

Member of Technical Staff

I run Rehearsal's Design & Development.

I love turning ideas into beautiful, functional experiences. At Rehearsal, I craft the interfaces that help candidates feel confident and prepared. There's something magical about watching someone nail their mock interview!

— Varun Parmar

Rajika Patel

Rajika Patel

Member of Technical Staff

I oversee Rehearsal's DevOps & Infrastructure.

I make sure Rehearsal runs smoothly, 24/7. Behind every seamless mock interview is infrastructure that just works. I love the challenge of keeping our platform fast, secure, and ready for thousands of candidates practicing at once.

— Rajika Patel

Gourab Chatterjee

Gourab Chatterjee

Member of Technical Staff

I drive Rehearsal's Business Development.

I build bridges between Rehearsal and the companies that want to prepare their talent. From B2B partnerships to hands-on workshops for students, I love turning AI ideas into real-world solutions that actually work. Seeing students become placement-ready is the best part.

— Gourab Chatterjee

Vaibhav Nalotia

Vaibhav Nalotia

Member of Technical Staff

I lead Rehearsal's Mobile App Development.

I'm passionate about bringing Rehearsal to your pocket. Building our mobile app means helping candidates practice anytime, anywhere. Previously, I built AI-driven hiring tools at Jaipuria Schools that transformed how they find great teachers.

— Vaibhav Nalotia

Advisory board

Five advisors who actually moved a number.

Shreevats Jaipuria

Shreevats Jaipuria

Chief Benefactor

Vice Chairman, Jaipuria Group. NYU Stern

I've spent my career growing Jaipuria Schools from a single campus to 60 across India. As an NYU Stern alumnus, I believe every student deserves world-class preparation. That's why I'm excited to back Rehearsal AI.

— Shreevats Jaipuria

Prakash Tiwary

Prakash Tiwary

Technical Advisor

OpsHub Inc. IIT Madras

I have more than 20 years of experience building enterprise SaaS, I've learned that the best products solve real problems elegantly. I have a penchant for leading engineering teams that deliver innovation. Advising Rehearsal AI lets me help shape tech that actually changes lives.

— Prakash Tiwary

Dr. Chirag Dagar

Dr. Chirag Dagar

AcademicAdvisor

Faculty, XLRI Jamshedpur. IIT Bombay

I am a faculty with XLRI with a Ph.D. from IIT-Bombay. I believe that communication is a vital competency for professionals in the machine age. And that's exactly what Rehearsal does. Helping candidates find their voice before the big interview is meaningful work.

— Dr. Chirag Dagar

Dr. Preet Deep Singh

Dr. Preet Deep Singh

Industry Advisor

VP, Apna.Co and Blue Machines AI. IIM Ahmedabad

As an IIM Ahmedabad alumnus and VP at Apna.Co, I've led AI products that screen millions of candidates at enterprise scale. Having seen both sides—employer screening and candidate preparation—I advise Rehearsal because quality practice tools are essential for interview success.

— Dr. Preet Deep Singh

Prashant Jha

Prashant Jha

Strategic Advisor

Business Strategy. PGDM, XLRI, Jamshedpur

Strategy is about making the right choices at the right time. I have 3 decades of experience advising companies on growth and transformation. Rehearsal AI caught my attention because it solves a real problem: bridging the gap between knowing your stuff and showing it.

— Prashant Jha

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