My Tryst with Corporates (An Autobiography)

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P. R. Krishnamoorthy had his schooling at the Government Boys' High School, Wadakanchery (Thrissur Dist.) Kerala. He went to Kolkata and took up a job in the Indian Chamber of Commerce and subsequently in the Sahu Jain Organisation. He simultaneously did his B.Com. and M.Com. studies. He was then appointed as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Group. Then followed his assignments as Deputy Secretary, Secretary and Secretary and Vice-President (Delhi) of the group companies.

Krishnamoorthy joined the Times of India Group towards the end of 1977 as Deputy General Manager and Secretary. He was promoted as Executive Director and Secretary and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Times of India Group. He also took up positions as President, Bombay Management Association, Member, Executive Council of the All India Management Association, President, Indian Newspaper Society, Director, Press Trust of India, Member, Executive Council of the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Managing Director, Times Guaranty and Financials Ltd., Director, Times Bank Ltd. & Andhra Cements Ltd., and Trustee, Shri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha. He retired from the Times Group in 1999.

Krishnamoorthy got himself exposed to many situations in the corporate management and legal world which some of his friends thought he should share with the public and hence this offering.

From the small town of Wadakanchery to the bustling city of Mumbai via Calcutta and Delhi, is a long journey traversed by the author. This autobiography traces out the life of a young boy born in a lower middle class family in a small village in Kerala and his success in fulfilling his ambitions, heart within and God above coupled with unrelenting hard work. The book has vignettes of the personalities of captains of industry, public figures and jockeying for power.

The book is written in simple style and appeals directly to the heart. I congratulate Mr. P. R. Krishnamoorthy for having brought out his autobiography, which should serve as a guide to youngsters on how success in life can only be achieved by sheer dint of hard work and grace of God.

After my retirement as Executive Director and Advisor of the Times of India Group, some friends of mine suggested that I should write my autobiography. I did not do so, because I could not think my life story would be of interest to the reading public. Last June, again, Shri Sivakumar 3 who was recruited by me as an Accounts Officer at the Times Group (now President - Revenues) suggested to me that I should write an autobiography as he felt that my life story could be of interest to aspiring professionals in the areas of : management and legal matters. I then started : writing my story in the Facebook. My relatives and : friends on Facebook appreciated my effort and suggsted that I should publish it as my : autobiography.

I talked to Shri Homi N. Dastur, Executive Secretary of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan whether Bhavan could edit the copy and undertake printing ? and publishing. He agreed and put me in touch with 3 P.V. Sankarankutty, the Head of Publications Division. He got the manuscript edited and sent me several proofs. I also sent the last but one proof to Shri S. Balakrishnan, former Metro Editor of the Times of India, who suggested some corrections which were carried out.

I sent the proof copy to Justice Shri B. N. Srikrishna, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, to write a Foreword to the book. He was good enough to do so.

I am grateful to all of the above and other friends who encouraged me to write this book.

I shall feel gratified if some of my readers at least benefit from my life story.

Wadakanchery, in Thrissur district of Kerala, is the place of my birth. Even after nearly 67 years of my being away from there, I cannot but recall memories of my early years in this town. There is nothing great to talk about them but the memories often come alive. The school, the football ground, the palace ground, the Siva temple, Uthralikav Bhagavathi, Mariamman temple, the temple tank, the shops and what not — they crowd my mind.

Above all, the teachers who taught me — Sankara Menon in the first class, Rama Menon in the second class, Krishna Aiyer in the third, Ammanchi master and Seethamma teacher in the fifth, Gopala Menon in the sixth, Venketeswaraiyer in the seventh, Sivarama Iyer and K. 8. Subramania Iyer in the eighth, Sankaranarayana Aiyer in the 9th and 10%, Swaminatha Iyer, Akhileswara lyer, Gopala Menon, the physical instructor — it is a long list.

They laid the foundation of what I have been in my life. Can I forget them? And of course, Sekhara Varier who taught me the A, B, C, D of Sanskrit which has stood me very well in my life. Oh, Wadakanchery, thanks to you for your wonderful gift of life to me!

How can I forget Konda Vadhyar, T. P. Damodaran Nair, T. V. Narayana Iyer, A. R. Gopalakrishna Iyer, Puthucode Narayana Iyer, Kadangode Viswanatha Iyer, Saragapani Sarma, Ammami of Mnaloor Kittan’s house, Mohammed etc. and above all my parents, Puthucode Rama Iyer and Gouri Ammal who nurtured me with love and care and my sisters and brothers, who contributed to what I am and gave me the opportunity to be a selfless person, if I may say so... again thanks to all for my wonderful life. And again, last but not the least, my wife Meenakshi, my daughter Gouri and my son-in-law Amol Iyer who gave me a purpose for my life and whom I value as diamonds — they have never given me an occasion for worry and have always stood by me in my tribulations.

I feel I have lived a full and satisfactory life as a Brahmin, as a son, as a brother, as a husband and as a father. I have always steered the middle path. I am follower of the familiy traditions, always taking care not to create volatility in the family. To my friends I have always been a helping hand, earning their appreciation and regards, to my colleagues I have always given guidance to make their own work light, to my superiors I have excelled in my work and earned their accolades. In fact my Chairman once told me that it was diffficult to find a man like me who contributed to all aspects of administration and business with sincerity and loyalty, without looking for rewards.

**Contents and Sample Pages**