Introduction- Professional Journey so far
I was checking on some of the dates
some time back and I realized that I almost completed 28 years of professional
life and 26 years in tax. I started my career in July 1985 as CA articled clerk and
in tax in November 1986 immediately after my CA Intermediate exam. My boss at
that time found something in me in tax and inducted me into tax. I was
recollecting the exams leave for writing CA exams that I used to get those days
on a different occasion. The leave for CA exams which my Partner used to give
me was less than a month and for my final it was hardly 15 days. My then
Partner Mr.N.Meenakshi Sundaram (whom we fondly called as NMS) was a seasoned
tax expert and was handling some of the best tax matters in Chennai those days.
After my intermediate exams in 1986 my audit partner whom I have never seen him
losing temper in any worst crisis (whom we fondly called as TSR) asked me to
meet NMS for an audit assignment. But true to my surprise NMS asked me some
questions on tax and audit. Surely the
answers must have impressed him and he asked me to do tax work with him and with
another qualified CA who was part of his team. The first day in my journey in
tax profession started with his blessing and it continues still and whatever
the little success I achieved in last 25 years is due to the initial fire
ignited by him. I have not met both TSR and NMS in the last 10 years but certainly
I should pay respect to them through this as my first few years in tax were
fuelled by their knowledge and wisdom. Certainly
I owe my success to the seeds planted by him on how to think on tax in my
initial days. I only hope I will get a chance to meet both TSR and NMS in the
days to come. Recently I wrote an
article on late eminent tax lawyer Mr.K.R.Ramamani in his memoirs and to my
surprise my article on such a senior and reputed lawyer was published along
with some of the best known professionals in India which included NMS too .
Post 1988 when I qualified I
developed association with some of the best known tax professionals in Chennai
from whom I learnt lot and those learning’s helped me so far. The relation
which started in 1988 with some of the best professionals like Hari, Ranga,
Sekar, Ramanujam etc continues even now and it continues to be stronger. In
addition to that I cannot forget my interaction with Mr. U.Suresh Rao of
Brahamya &Co who mentored and tutored many professionals in Chemplast.
Certainly tax was one of his favourite subjects and the way he used to interact
with us and encouragement to some of us made me to shed the fear and allowed me
to work so freely.
Later I cannot forget my stint in
Nagarjuna days for a period of 6 years where I have had an opportunity to
interact with some of the best professionals. That is the place where I learnt not
only the legal issues, but was forced to think differently on most of the
issues and challenges as every meeting with bosses and professionals within the
group those days was always a great interaction. The famous adages “Every
Challenge gives an opportunity to think you differently”. “Necessity is the
mother of invention” were just not confined to writing in walls but people were
encouraged to put into practice.
In addition to the above, the other significant
aspect which I learnt was the value of human relation and value of human
bondage. The successful person is not based on how much intelligent he is but
how much he is able to take the people with him and give them respect. I recall
the words of one of the best executive of Nagarjuna “Human bond and emotional
connect is more important to achieve in organization in addition to intellect”.
To recall an instance, in those days some of the Organisations used to insist on bond to
serve a minimum period failing which there would be some financial liability
arising out of bond or legal issue for breaching bond. In one of the
interviews, an entrant who was fresher from reputed college during the
interview asked the question to the well-known executive in Nagarjuna group on
how much years he should give bond. The answer from the executive was “We
believe in human bond and not in legal bond”.
A great words which made me to think on values of human relation which
is more important than legal nuances.
Movement
from Hyderabad to Bangalore
I moved from Hyderabad to
Bangalore. The movement from Hyderabad to Bangalore was triggered due to
professional and personal reasons. Sometimes in life certain incidents happen
without us contributing except that we are impacted by the incidents and we
need to take a decision on our next steps. Same thing happened in my life too
in Hyderabad. I was part of the dream project of Nagarjuna on Steel ad Power
which was created as a part of Vision document. I was hoping that steel project
and power project in which I was part would become operational and I was
dreaming to be a CFO or if not at least a leading corporate person. But
unfortunately the project did not take off. Not sure what should be next steps
and in 1997 the opportunities were also limited. I cannot forget the chance
call which I made to good friend Ranga in Chennai which changed my profile from
Industry to consulting. Due to the
project experience and also due to my
tax background, my good friend Ranga from Chennai encouraged me to move to
consulting. My boss in Nagarjuna at that time also advised me to choose
consulting as a profession. At the same
time my personal life was also impacted by an emotional loss which made me to
move from Hyderabad. Post my relocation from Hyderabad to Bangalore, god has
been extremely kind enough and I have been successful so far. I turned into
consulting into 1997 and during last 15 years I met and interacted with more
professionals who helped me in every part of my life.
Again a chance call to my good
friend Ramanujam in 2002 changed my course again and he introduced me to
present leadership team of Deloitte and I joined Deloitte. My present Organisation made me what I am
today. My present organisation found something in me and encouraged me and made
me what I am. I salute my present organization in which I have been an integral
part for last 12 years (my longest stint so far) which has contributed very
significantly to my professional and personal growth.
I have still long way to go and I
believe at least I have 25 more years of professional life. I only hope the
lessons I learnt in the last 25 years will be a good foundation for me in next
25 years.
Emotional Life- Ability to overcome
The biggest challenge for me for
the last 25 years and the years to go will continue to be my emotional
life. It is said in Gita that “Your
Strength is weakness”. My strength is Emotions which made me to be more determined
but at the same time the ability to take emotional loss or emotional failure is
very less. The first emotional loss was my father’s death in 1989 which made me
to work hard. I cried and I continue to cry even now when I do some good
thinking of my dad.
My father always used to say “God
brings the man in deep water not to drown him but to cleanse him”. I never
realized the importance of the statement but I realized later in another
instance. Though I left Hyderabad in 1997 and came to Bangalore but in the
process I lost the friendship with one of the persons whom I considered as very
close friend in Hyderabad. Precisely the date was on October 1 1997 when I was
travelling in train from Hyderabad to Bangalore. I cried to myself and I was in
tears completely due to the emotional loss. It was very difficult to hide it. The
first failure in a friendship or relation which hurt me more made me to realize
not to get closer to any person in any way and keep a distance from every
person so that one would not have to go through the pain of loss or
disappointment or a one sided friendship. But life is not easy. We may decide
to lead life in particular way but circumstances will force us to relook at our
thinking. God continued to test my
emotional life even after my relocation to Bangalore and particularly the
period from March 2009 to July 2011 was very severe. The intensity and the
impact on me were very severe but I cannot afford to allow my professional life
to be impacted because there were lots of expectations from me as a
professional. Thanks to God and I fully realize now that but for his blessings
I am not sure whether I would have navigated the most testing part of my life. This
time though the impact was severe but I managed to float without impacting my
professional life .
Respect for other
The important aspect which I
learnt from my father and from some of the best professionals is the integrity
and value for others. If one needs to be successful, it is just not intellect
but it should be accompanied with integrity and more also respect for others. I
have come across people who are certainly more intelligent and more knowledgeable
but they are not successful as I expected them or promised. The issue is not on intelligence but lack of respect
for others thus leading to arrogance. Very often the term” aggression” is
misunderstood. People use this term without understanding the real meaning. In
my view one can be aggressive on your views but lack of integrity and lack of
respect for others will lead to downfall. If a person adopts the arrogant
approach, he will overestimate himself and underestimate others. In this
process one lose sight of facts on both side, and the consequences leads to
disaster.
I don’t want to sound arrogant
that I mastered the art but certainly I introspect every action and I try to take
corrective measures to ensure that people around me does not get impacted adversely
due to my actions.
My prayer to God
Every day is learning experience in life and experience of others will
teach us more. Hence I would like to
learn on continuous basis. My entire life so far is based on only one belief
that “God will not give you unless you work hard. Further he will give you
only if you deserve it. If you don’t deserve you will not get and even if you
get it will not stay with you.” I pray to god to enhance my attributes for
the following:
·
Let me not be greed on money, wealth and
position
·
Let me not go after power, money and wealth.
·
Let me and my mind should search for good things
which increases the intellect quotient
·
My mind should search for good and better things
which would lead to improvement in the quality of life.
·
I need to stay positive through my life. Even if
I get hurt for any reason I should take it into my stride and I should not tell
other person that I get hurt or show to other person that I get hurt.
·
Give me strength and ability to fulfill my
commitment to others notwithstanding the issues or difficulties which I face
from the same people whom I have committed.
·
Let me not think that I own everything, as it
would make me easier to give up something. In life one should have the ability
to give up something, if we need something and more so when we are keen to
build a relation or a friendship.
·
My favorite star Rajinikanth used to say in one
movie” God will not give you everything you ask for. Every person born in this
world will have to miss something and will have at least one issue or problem to
think about. No man is free from problems.” I pray to god that, make me to think or brood
about issues in which I have been facing and not to give any other issues or
problems in which I don’t have experience.
·
I have tried to be good to the best of my abilities.
I considered some people as very special. I love some people much more than any
normal person will shower love. My only prayer to god is that allow me to
continue to have this trait and make me more useful to those people whom I
love, who matters to me notwithstanding the less favorable treatment or impertinent
treatment which I receive from them.
·
It is said “The best and most beautiful things
in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart”
Let my heart be happy with good thoughts, good acts and positive mind.
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