SERVE MOTHER INDIA – A LESSON FOR NRIs

KARMA YOGI SHRI KVK RAJU – PART 4

After completing his Engineering in the Madras Institute of Technology, Shri KVK felt that unless a person acquired knowledge of the latest technology and practical experience in an area of specialisation he would not be able to deliver the goods in the best manner. He wanted to study in the United States which had great reputation for modern scientific knowledge and latest technology. He pursued higher studies in the Michigan State University and Minnesota University in the United States of America in the subjects of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering. Shri KVK took up a part time job in Olds Mobile factory in Lansing, Capital city of Michigan to finance his living expenses while studying.

Even at that time Shri KVK entertained ideas and plans of starting an industry to generate wealth and employment and be of some service to his countrymen. Shri KVK’s work experience both within the university and in industry while in America gave him valuable insight into industrial production practices and their work culture.

In spite of his agricultural background Shri KVK was determined to acquire technical expertise and experience so that he could serve his country by starting an industry. His slender means did not prevent him from entertaining the ambition of becoming an industrial entrepreneur. However he did not like to ape the western ways and fashions but to attempt something that would suit the Indian ethos and the essential requirements of his country. Given an opportunity he wanted to start an industry which would cater to the needs of the farmers, and modernize agriculture in his homeland.

What all INDIAN should note is that Shri KVK cherished a desire to return to his own country after finishing his studies abroad and serve the people by acquiring modern knowledge in the USA. In this respect he was unlike most of the US educated young men and young women of India who hanker after lucrative jobs in foreign countries and refuse to return to their motherland on some pretext or another. Even as a student in America Shri KVK used to advise his Indian friends to service their motherland after finishing their studies.

While most of his friends remained in US and Canada as NRIs or long time residents, Shri KVK chose to come back to India, prepared to face the umpteen problem and uncertainties of our country only to build South India’s largest conglomerate into Agri, Oil and Energy sector.

His is the only conglomerate in the private sector that is into all the sectors essential for sustained growth, self sufficiency and development of our country.

One should feel proud that not only Shri KVK Raju but also his generations have inherited the value to return to the motherland to serve the nation after their higher education abroad.

“Serving Society Through Industry” and “Serve Motherland” are the Mission fulfilled by Shri KVK which is a great value to be imbibed by all NRIs.

Source Prof IV Chalapathi Rao

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KARMA YOGI – SHRI KVK RAJU - A CATALYST OF CHANGE

This is the first of the series of articles as narrated by Prof IV Chalapati Rao, about the life of Shri KVK Raju the founder of NAGARJUNA GROUP, South India’s Largest Conglomerate.

Kanumuri Venkata Krishnam Raju delectably known to his friends and the professional admirers as KVK, was a first generation technocrat and a entrepreneur. He scaled great heights by dint of his hard work, persistence, fortitude and vision from a very humble beginning to attain a paramount position as an industrialist. He broke new ground and blazed new trails to become a torch bearer and a beacon to many others to become entrepreneurs.

Hailing from a small hamlet and born in a traditionally agricultural family, Shri KVK rose to eminence to become one of the few self-luminous, self-propelled figures who lit up the industrial scene. By sheer force of his character and unremitting labour he established NAGARJUNA GROUP bringing his own State Andhra Pradesh into the spot light in the industrial world. He was a common man who achieved uncommon things.

Shri KVK faced hard times and led a life of utter simplicity and intense activity. Inspired by him no less than 42 entrepreneurs most of whom were under his tutelage came into industry.

Shri KVK’s had laudable objectives of generating employment, achieving material progress and upholding ethical standards in a co-ordinated manner each complementing and completing the other, and providing enduring value to all his business constituents, customers, employees, shareholders and the public. His ambition was to create wealth through industry and use it for the good of the nation.

Few industrialists make it to history during their own life time. What appeared as a miracle or mirage to lesser mortals seemed within reach to Shri KVK who was an incurable optimist. Many of his friends wondered that only a maverick would aspire to achieve exgtraordinary results with such slender means at his disposal. Moreover he started his industry rather late in his career when most of his contemporaries gave up because of the fact that the country was sailing in low financial waters, what with its huge international debt and the depleted state of foreign exchange. Besides, an entrepreneur had to face the problems of bureaucracy and red tape. Adding to this, his own people including elderly relatives were not in favour of his forsaking a comfortable and lucrative career in Union Carbide in search of “fresh fields and pastures new”.

Despite all these discouraging circumstances and every other adverse factor, he persisted in the passionate pursuit of his goal. Naturally this appeared to others as a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) or a wild cat venture. His conviction, indomitable courage and infinite patience saw his through all the obstacles and carried him through. The man who invested his provident fund as a capital astonishingly achieved success as one of the leading industrialists of the country.

No doubt Shi.KVK is an ordinary man with an extraordinary commitment.

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