Dr. A. Selvaraj is responsible for giving the Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA) a permanent address – the double-storeyed building on Dr.Ambedkar Road, which has now become a prominent venue for various expos, weddings and other events. It also marked the country’s first public-private partnership project. During his tenure as the association president from 1996 to 1998, Selvaraj trained, guided and lead delegations of small industrialists to various countries for an exposure to the global market. His work made him so popular that he is often referred to as the “Maditssia Selvaraj”.
Even after two decades of his moving on from MADITSSIA to Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) and the Confederation of Southern States Small Industries Association (CONSSIA), fellow industrialists, media and the people recall his unique understanding of the potential of small and medium enterprises.
Though he is known for his vision for guiding entrepreneurs, Dr.A.Selvaraj makes a fascinating subject for a variety of reasons. He has a string of degrees to his credit that includes triple M.A in Social Work, Philosophy and Applied Psychology, an MBA, Bachelors in Law and a doctorate in neuro-linguistic psychology. It gives him an edge over others and makes him deeply conscious of the impact his personality can have on others. “Unless you are clear about the ‘internal you’, you are never equipped enough for anything,” he says. “Self-awareness is the strongest foundation for every action,” is his point.
His desire to help others triggered him “to do something different”. After working with big names such as Madura Coats, Dalmia Cements, Sundaram Fasteners and Fenners where he evolved as an Industrial relations and HR person, he quit in 1989 to set up his own ancillary unit manufacturing tooling components, nuts and bolts. “Instead of working just for myself, I also wanted to provide employment opportunities to others. The idea has never been to make money or earn profit. I do not believe in charity but in providing opportunities to people to help themselves,” he says. This is something he practices everywhere including his home. His wife Meena Selvaraj is an active politician and a Councillor in the mid-90s. “I have empowered her by always encouraging her to do her work instead of getting it done by me or others,” he smiles. He always tells students and young professionals to change their thoughts to change their lives. “Individual transformation is the only solution to every problem,” he underlines. To parents he advises not to shout at children but to listen to them in order to bridge the disconnect that exists today.
Though he runs a full-time business, Selvaraj enjoys psychotherapy. He has earned a reputation in the last 10 years for giving free consultation to those needing it. People now flock to him for self-evaluation and clarity. Many of his points sound familiar but the power of his arguments lies in the fact that they come from a businessman with a difference. The flair with which he explains the importance of growth for the small and medium enterprises to bolster the economy match the academic side of his personality that helps him to express himself in highly quotable remarks.
Selvaraj has had a rural upbringing and he says this has fostered in him a love for the outdoors as well as given him a sense of values. His father was a Development Officer and his mother was a school teacher. “I grew up watching them help others,” he says. This motivated him to focus on working with the youth by giving them extensive training programmes in communication and presentation skills, interpersonal skills, personality development, leadership, goal setting and team building. He believes that if the youth is guided along the right path, they will build a stronger tomorrow. He feels people largely suffer because they fail to analyse their thoughts. “Every individual’s mind is programmed and has a conditioned picturisation. “But unless you notice your thoughts and have an internal dialogue, you will never have the clarity and joy for your action,” he says.
Selvaraj hopes to have a positive impact on those who he meets. A voracious reader with a library that holds more than 5,000 books besides newspaper clippings, Selvaraj hopes to have a positive impact on those who he meets. “You should always be known,” he says, “for your sense of fairness and by the cause you support.”
