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Ajay Rathi

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Ajay Rathi

Head of IT

Meraas Holding

Ajay Rathi is a member of:

Important decision

I am firm believer in action. The hardest thing about the road not taken is that you will never know where it might have led. Many a time in life I did have to make hard decisions. Going for Indian Engineering Services interview or continue with my public sector job. Staying with a Cosy job at a government entity vs moving to a private company in an unknown country. Moving children from a CBSE school to IB curriculum. Today, i do not regret any of my decision. The problem, simply put, is that we cannot choose everything simultaneously. So being paralyzed by indecision, terrified that every choice might be the wrong choice is not my cup of tea. Leaving a comfortable 9 to 5 job with a well established public sector company and taking an uncharted and unexplored path to private sector and that too moving from an oil industry to construction industry was one my a most important decision and it has paid off well.

More about myself

Support of parents and my wife at every stage has been a big guiding force. Success comes with lots of sacrifices and these people have sacrificed a lot, so that i can reach the heights.

Thoughts on Education system of our country

Indian education system is passing through a very tough phase. The new system of CCE brought in by CBSE has failed miserably. Too many tests, assignments, projects, homework and review tests.The projects are being given to students lead to no real learning as they are either done by siblings/parents or conveniently outsourced to entrepreneurs who have set up shop. The teaching faculty is overloaded with documentation, with little or no time to concentrate on teaching. The basic foundation of education is shaky. In my view, before changing the curriculum pattern, the teachers need to be trained and general awareness that marks in science and maths are not only the criteria to better future. A holistic development, including the soft skills, are required to be inculcated in minds of students. College need to focus more towards practical application of theory, with more exposure to industry. Teaching faculty salary need to increased and the best way could be partnership with industry.

My family background

Born in a small village in Muzzaffar Nagar District, I am the third of the 4 children of my parents. My father was a state government employee and my mother a housewife. We are two brothers and two sister, with the eldest brother living with parents. All the siblings are well educated and settled. Married in 1997, I have two loving kids Neha (15 yr) and Aditya(13 yr). My wife taught at DPS, Dubai for 5 years and have taken a break to concentrate on kids education. Both my kids have won multiple awards at school and national level. Presently, they are pursuing their study at IB curriculum based school. As a family, we enjoy spending times together,

Degree that I recommend

I completed my Engineering in electrical and my masters in system engineering and operations research from IIT Roorkee. Multiple technical certification were acquired during the 20 years of professional life. With CISSP and PMP under my belt, I am looking for Enterprise architecture and MBA as the two missing degree/certificate. I would recommend people going for certification in the field they work. Certification enables you to dig deeper into the content and you get better understanding of the subject

Qualities needed to become a successful leader

In my view, a successful leader is the one who can delegate effectively. Lots of managers are afraid to loose the technical control and thereby frustrating the sub-ordinate. Give due recognition to the works of the subordinate and praise them for good work. Lead from the front and do not expose your Juniors to your seniors. Integrity is also one of the most important trait of leader. Inspiring and motivating your subordinates will generate lots of positive vibes at the work place. Setting goals and monitoring the progress, with proper inputs at milestones is what a leader need to do. Always working towards excellence and taking the entire team together will benefit the entire team as well as the organisation. In the nutshell leader should instill confidence in his team so that the team does not fear him but revere him.

My role model

My role model is Amitabh Bachhan, the great survivor. He risen from many lows in his life to be the greatest actor India have seen. From being a struggler he rose to become a supper star of Indian Cinema. From being almost on the deathbed after the incidence during shooting of coolie to being a bankrupt after the disastrous Miss World Contest, he have risen like a phoenix every time. His contemporaries have long retired from the active acting career but he is still going strong. Inspite of various controversies, a celebrity have to pass through, he have come out unscathed every time.

Initiative to develop a country

Entrepreneurship is what can take India ahead of other countries. What China did was to innovate and bring cheap products in the market and marched way ahead of India. What does a developed country have, which is not available in India. We have good education, good mineral resources and large workforce. What we need is to think out of the box and bring innovative solutions for the country. We don't need to built massive warships or aircraft's but solutions for the people of the country. We need to increase agriculture production and setup Small scale industries in every nook and corner of the country. Professionals need to collaborate and create a platform for the youngsters to prove their mentle.

Couple of years from now

In couple of years, i would be 50 plus and that would be an appropriate time to give back to the society and the country. I would like to join hands with my batch mates and start a small financing arm to provide funds to SME in remote villages, so that we can bring progress in the remote areas. We need to stop the migration to large cities by making the smaller village and cities more productive and self sufficient. The model of creating mega industrial cities, initially successful is failing in China. So my aim would be to have holistic development, particularly in remote areas.

My strongest skill

I am in the technology and hence need to be strong in technology. Besides the technology, people management is an important attribute. Having 360 degree healthy relationship with subordinates, colleagues and seniors requires a good amount of understanding people, their ambitions and expectation. Being firm and polite at the same time is the best means of communicating your point. Taking calculated risk is an attribute which pays of well most of the time.

My achievements

Coming from the village and studying in schools at many backward area and reaching to this level is an achievement in itself. Being recognized and respected by the company, i have worked and implementing multiple projects are all achievements to be proud off. Maintaining a balance between the worklife and home life and seeing the children perform at various level are moment to be proud off.

Influenced by

My first boss, H.S. Pati, had a lasting impression on me. He is a man of integrity and strong values. Never dropping a ball and completing the task at hand, respecting your subordinates and how to delegate power to juniors were his prime traits. Compassion and firmness built together and very effective communication were his hallmark. I can proudly say 70% of what I am today is all because of him

Important lesson learned

The most important lesson i have learnt in life is never to give up. I have never won any lottery or scratch card, but i have always been graced with success after the hardwork.

One of the other lesson is not to be too concerned with the career ladder in the company you work for, rather concentrate on the goals in life. From an electrical engineer working in a government sector, today i head the IT division of a large private sector company.

Ensuring success

At any stage in life, if a person stops to grow, he will stagnate and left behind. Knowledge is power and continuously upgrading myself is once thing that have kept me ahead from my peers. Networking with like minded people through various conference and symposium leads me to the path of growth. Taking challenges in speaking at various forums and panel discussion definitely have help in my development. Joining Power yoga and toastmasters international club provide all round development

Brief description about me

Its been 20 years since I graduated from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (Erstwhile University of Roorkee. Since then, the professional and personal life have seen multiple ups and down, but overall it has been a very satisfying Journey. After working for 13 years with leading Navratna, Indian oil corporation, the quest to achieve something brought me to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In my 6 years since I landed at Dubai, I have seen the full hype to bust cycle and the V curve rise in last one year. With a very able and diligent life partner, we have raised our two kids 13 year old son and 15 year old daughter. As an expat in Dubai, We are a very close knit family and there is abundance of joy and happiness. I am an active member of toastmasters international and currently Vice President Public relations for Discovery Gardens toastmasters club. Not a fitness freak, but thrice a week, I go for power yoga. Life has given me more than I wished for.