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About
Beginnings
My early life in Chennai in a Government supported school was rich with great friends, joint family life and a frugal lifestyle. Two incidents changed my life forever. My admission into IIT Madras and my selection for the merit cum means scholarship of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The first changed my outlook to life. The second made it possible to study in IITM despite the very low fees. In a sense, I owe a lot to the people of India who funded my scholarship. Studying in prestigious institutes like IIT Madras (1979) and then IIM-Ahmedabad (1981) opened my mind to the vast potential of people.
My first test of putting my knowledge to work was at NOCIL, India’s largest Petrochemicals MNC at that time. Spent a good 7 years at NOCIL, I learned the art and skills of of working in a corporate. My entry into Entrepreneurship was an accident – a happy one in retrospect.
First Step as an Entrepreneur
My entry into Entrepreneurship was a sheer accident. No one from my family is in business. My first start up with life savings of Rs 50,000 was an Agri Seed venture started in Sep 1987 in Hyderabad in partnership with my close friend from IIMA – TM Lakdawala. Three years into it and I learnt that I was unfit for this seed business. Failure was written on the wall and we decided to quit and go back to the corporate world. But I had committed to my partner’s father that I will not quit for at least 1000 days and this commitment forced both of us to stay back for the remainder of 50 plus days which was a blessing. Two friends came into our life in these crucial 50 days and helped us start two new businesses – one in advertising and the other in Recruiting. TMI start-up 2, in recruiting, was born in 1991 with me driving the recruiting and Lakdawala driving the advertising business.
Leap into Success
It was 1991. As India opened its door, thanks to reforms, a paradigm shift in manpower, jobs, and skills happened. TMI was there at the right time with the right product.
Sreedhar joined us in 1995. The next ten years were marked by steady and organic growth and a very planned, graceful and clean partnership split. Lakdawala exited TMI with the advertising business he nurtured in 1997.
Millennium changes
Year 2000 saw the arrival of the Dotcom era. An investment by a PE fund in our new third start up – C&K – happened. This boosted our capacity to build a large institution that grew into TMI that it is today.
The next 10 years – 2000 to 2010 was full of big changes with C&K going global after a lot of ups and downs. To serve the fresher hiring demand we launched our fourth start up – TMI First in 2007.
And The Journey Continues ...
Indian Youth Story
It was 1991. As India opened its door, thanks to reforms, a paradigm shift in manpower, jobs, and skills happened. TMI was there at the right time with the right product.
The next ten years were marked by steady and organic growth and a very planned, graceful and clean partnership split. Lakdawala exited TMI with the advertising business he nurtured in 1997.
Entering the World of Automation
In 2020, TMI’s seventh start-up, Robotic Process Automation was born to be pioneer in Automation in HR. In 2022, we are launching our Eighth start-up, C.L.A.N – a high tech platform for performance learning.
TMI Success Story
TMI started with an investment of Rs.50,000. Today, it has grown into one of India’s largest Talent Services group. Thanks to serial entrepreneurship, our turnover crossed the Rs.1 Billion in the 30th year of operation. More importantly, TMI group has impacted over a million lives through skilling and employment.
Employing over 3,500 associates, with over 2,000 gig workers and with customers all over India, in USA, Africa, Middle East, Germany and Japan – we have come a long way.
Public Policy Activist
Today even after 75 years of Independence, Public Policy is in the domain of Executive (Ministers and Bureaucrats) and the Citizens have a very limited say. I dream that one day Public Policy will be co-created with the stakeholders and public. To reach that stage every one of us must participate and contribute to public policy.
I have been active as a member of FICCI since 2010 and have been associated with various ministries like MSME since 2015.
Being in the advisory panels of various state and central governments of India has been a very satisfactory journey.
Accredited Independent Journalist
Since 2000, I have been writing in leading news papers like The HINDU. Writing gives me great joy. It helps me structure my thoughts and helps me look for and write on solutions to national problems. Being a great student of life, I always believed that a mode of expression like writing is both stress relief and motivation for me. I became an Independent Accredited Journalist in 2018 and have continued to write on various issues and my articles have appeared in many National and Regional newspapers and magazines.
Social Activist and Fund Raiser
We grow when we share and pass on what we got from others – money, knowledge, skills, experience, etc. It is this philosophy that has driven me to associate with social causes to build a better India and a better world. As India celebrates its 75th year of Independence, it is time for us to look forward to economic independence to break the cycle of deprivation in society.
Udbhav School, started with my co IIM-A alums leaders, is giving an opportunity for the unprivileged to rise up the economic ladder through STEM focused education.
Career Consultant
It was 1991. As India opened its door, thanks to reforms, a paradigm shift in manpower, jobs, and skills happened. TMI was there at the right time with the right product. The next ten years were marked by steady and organic growth and a very planned, graceful and clean partnership split. Lakdawala exited TMI with the advertising business he nurtured in 1997.
