REPORT ON YI CONNECT SESSION WITH MR. SARATH BABU, CEO, FOOD KING CATERING SERVICES

   This is to share my thoughts & experience at hotel “the METROPOLE”: a place where YI connect session was held on 20 May ‘11. Eleven of our 1st year students—Balamunia Samy, Syed Ali, Francis Ruban, Manivel (CIVIL); Naveen Kumar, Madhan Gopi (MECHANICAL); Alan John Samuel, Balaji, Ravi Kumar (CSE); Ashok Kumar, & Mathialagan (EEE)—took part in this meet.

Mr. Sarath Babu’s target was on the following—

     Babu made the distinction between born & made entrepreneurs apt by citing Anil Ambani’s lineage where they stand as born entrepreneur—passing on wealth within the family; hence commencing a business doesn’t demand any hard foundation; whereas the rest falls under the made-entrepreneur category. He suggested the Madurai citizens to make an appeal to the politicians, put more pressure on the toppers of Madurai to construct more IT companies & be technologically sound like any other metropolitan place. Getting back to the heart of the topic, Babu stressed on the importance of “waiting” in any work by bringing an analogy of a Japanese bamboo tree. A bamboo tree grows up to 6inches for the first 6yrs., and up to 90-foot for the next 6yrs. The reason why it takes 6yrs. initially to grow for such a small height is to spread its roots in all possible directions, strengthen itself and then grow to a massive height of great value. Likewise a made-entrepreneur should make him valiant by taking risks, gaining experience and thereby spreading his roots of progression. Also he spoke of throwing aside one’s ego and bump into action under all circumstances. Working on a small scale business as, say, an idly shop, one must not be ashamed of it, but instead be proud considering it as an experience that would certainly help them to grow in business arena. His final touch was on the vitality of focus & concentration; to elucidate it he brought his real life instance: as a child, Babu used to help his mom in selling the idllies after school and later sits to study. While studying his mind would wander & wonder at the privileges his rich classmates have; and has even thought of quitting his studies at times. But then a flash struck him which enabled to realize how gifted in a way he was—when the rich could afford to study in a well-furnished room, they are vulnerable to diversions—to look around the bright lit room—intrusions—as to see who talks to whom etc. And for Babu, with just a kerosene lit lamp whose light would not reach over a foot, the room prevented from distraction & taught him to be focused only on his “books”. This created a fire in him and has made him to reach greater heights; the proof of which is the “MTV Youth Icon Award” he received in 2008.

     For Babu, his mother, who once sold idlis on the pavements of Chennai and worked as an ayah, is a pillar of strength. From a slum in Chennai to the top stratum of academia with an enrollment in Chemical Engineering at BITS, Pilani and IIM-A, Babu is now a 30-year-old, rags-to-riches whose life stands as a foundation of success to many aspiring young citizens.

    Our students enjoyed interacting with Babu & coped to answer his questions. The crowd, including the press members enjoyed & applauded the brilliance of Balamunia Samy (I CIVIL) who spoke in par with Babu & cross-examined him effectively.