Employed in a company for 37 years. At a time when the prevailing belief is, the sooner you move jobs the quicker you rise, S. Ramadorai's professional journey in the same company for close to four decades is impressive. He acknowledges the growing trend as a sign of the changing times, a genial smile lacing the point though. “I never felt the years because I grew in the company. If I had remained a data operator for 37 years, my story would not have been worth talking about.”
Yet the book he wrote, his debut effort — “The TCS Story…and Beyond” — recently published by Penguin India, is largely his story, told through the tale of TCS, his sole employer after he returned home from a stint at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the U.S. As TCS grew to become one of the handful India-born corporate giants, Ramadorai too scaled the steps of success there, from being an assistant systems programmer and analyst in 1972 to becoming its CEO and MD in 1996. “This is an organisation where there is no hierarchy, ideas flow free here. If you have it in you, you will rise,” states the affable Padma Bhushan recipient in an interview.
In the book, he tries connecting the dots between work and life, vital to his success, jotting down details like how his first pieces of furniture were a dining table and chairs from the TCS staff (“We didn't have anything else…we didn't even have a bed.”); while he worked past office hours his kid would have a free run playing around the empty office; it was his wife's prodding that led him to start TCS Maitryi that imparts skills to the physically challenged.
Edited excerpts:
What compelled you to write the TCS story?
Much as it is the story of an Indian company making it big globally, it is also the story of hope for young Indians that they can build that dream too. Perseverance and hard work with a vision pays. I have highlighted in the book that many can make money, but making it by keeping ethics and values by one's side is important. That's what makes the TCS story significant. Also, there are books elsewhere in the world which talk of how a company started from scratch and made it big. India doesn't have the tradition of such narratives. I wanted to break that.
It is also an autobiographical work. How was it writing about you?
The book took me a year to complete. I had to meet people who were a part of it then and had moved on. I had to refresh my memory at times. My team at TCS also helped. While writing it, I had to keep in mind three things — to put all that I wanted to say in a story form, to get the story right, and to weave in a personal side so that it becomes an interesting read. Many already know about TCS but few knew my personal story. I had to think about what I wanted to put in and what to hold back. I have put whatever is relevant to the story of TCS. I realised that writing about yourself is not easy as it can border on bragging at times.
There is a general perception that corporate houses make money and don't give back to society. How do you think companies can find a meaningful role in the community?
It is not enough to demarcate some amount of money annually for social work. You have to encourage your employees to contribute by volunteering for a cause. Giving money is not enough: the companies should ensure action on the ground. I think that way there is a connect between the company and the community and both can grow together.
What is your focus as the advisor to the Prime Minister on the National Skill Development Council?
It is both a challenge and opportunity, how to make one's hobby a means of livelihood, how to encourage market linkages of skills. We have to rope in ITIs, polytechnics, etc. to achieve success. Over two dozen Ministries are involved in this endeavour. The mandate is to create 500 million jobs by 2022. The difficulty is, the people we are addressing are mostly in the unorganised sector. We also have to keep in mind to promote those skills which will give employment and pass the test of time. Also, skill development will be region specific; say, in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir, there is a lot of scope for floriculture, sericulture, silk promotion, etc. We are hopeful of coming up with a solution.
As NSDC advisor, you have the rank of a Cabinet Minister. Any political ambition?
No!
