Because I grew up virtually with no education, I learnt that education is the best way to improve your situation in life and pull yourself out of you poverty and so, setting up a clutch of educational institutions is my way of giving back to society.
Whatever work you are doing, keep thinking ahead of your trade or business or chosen calling. Learning is an endless journey. Have a vision, continually dream new things for yourself, build a body of work, never put limitations on yourself by being timid, never think that you are poor and can’t achieve anything. All of us came to this earth with nothing. Establish your credentials with hard work and commitment. Being poor can often be an advantage because it acts as an incentive for you to work hard and excel. And, if you have been blessed by God’s grace and have a good life, be humble and aware of the difficulties of people around you.
Aruna, unlike the earlier times in which you grew up, the younger generation is more independent. Let your children be free, be aware of the changes of society around you. The young have their own way of life, don’t interfere with it. Our cherished joint family system is gone and it is the best to accept things as they are. I have adopted silence as the best way for myself, leaving the young to find their own way, but I want you to be willing enough to give guidance and advice when your young ones want it.
While you were growing up, I never got the time to instill values in you but I know that if you are attached to your children, they see you and follow your actions and there is no need to teach them anything. Children follow and adopt the things they see around them, so show them by your own living what the right path is.
I admire your hard work, commitment, and complete involvement in managing the growth of an institution that is now already being counted as one of the most forward-looking in the country. You have made it the only organization in the state to get triple IT status (Indian Institute of Information Technology.) When we started, I never imagined that we would one day become an institution where scholars could register for their doctorate programs. Now I know that you will do much more with this, even when I am long gone.
You know I am not a religious person, but I am deeply spiritual. I want to tell you to learn always from those around you—your students and the professors around you will teach you things that you would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn. After I pass away, I pray that you will always be inspired to keep steadfastly on the journey that you have chosen.
Aruna, I wish you boundless happiness. Happiness is often an elusive thing and the quest for it is elusive too, so cultivate the ability to be happy with what you have. Draw your happiness from your family and those who love you for what you are. Happiness is a way of life, it is not anything that you can buy or borrow. Your happiness has to come from within you. Don’t let you happiness depend on anyone or anything else.
As you become a leader in your own right, I want to tell you that a leader should have his or her eyes open at all times, notice things around them, and lead by example. Keep your team happy because they are the people who make you what you are. Your success depends on them. Learn to recognize that often you will know the truth only from the humblest person in your organization because the ones higher up will only want to praise you and your work. Keep in touch with the ordinary folk in your company.
At Finolex, I took joy in interacting with the many people who spent so many decades of their life building our organization. I took great life lessons from the peon in my office who worked for over 39 years for me, so if he wanted to meet me for a mere five minutes, I made sure I met him.
A leader should always be aware of the things around him. Mentor those under you. Don’t let the position or the chair that you occupy distract you or make you feel self-important. Always be ready to pitch in with your own hard work. Know everything about your work and your line of business because I truly believe self-help is the best help. I did that when I was building up my small business and grew it to this stage, not with my education but with my common sense and my ability and fierce will to know and understand what goes into the making of every single thing in our group. Aim for that level of knowledge, my dear.
Already, I know that you have embarked on what might seem right now a challenging task of studying for your doctorate. It is a difficult decision to begin late in your life, after your own children are grown up and maybe you are a little afraid, but I will be a very happy father the day you get your doctorate. My lack of a formal education has always been something that I have regretted and I am happy that my daughter is more than making up for this.
I don’t have to tell you about hard work and its importance in your life. You work so hard that sometimes I worry you don’t give yourself any time to relax
