When the country’s top corporates were signing on graduates of the country’s top B-school, IIM-A, for plum jobs, G Ramachandran chose to opt out of the placement process entirely. A student of the 2013-15 batch, which has just passed out, Ramachandran is instead plunging into a career in politics.

A member of the student wing of the AIADMK even before he was selected for the two-year post graduate programme in management at IIM-A, Ramachandran is headed to Coimbatore, where he hails from, to carry on his political work.

“It excites me that I will be able to leverage my management education in my political career. I learnt and worked with some of the best minds in the country,” he says.

Ramachandran, who graduated from the PSG College of Engineering, worked for a start-up firm in Coimbatore before cracking the CAT and was selected to the elite institution.

Public sphere

Being in the public sphere attracts him more than a plum job offer, he says. “I am not saying money is not important; it is, to enjoy life, but it cannot buy me the happiness that I can get when I do things I am passionate about,” he says.

He will be operating a canteen for an engineering college which will take care of his monetary needs.

So, how will a B school education help in politics? Put this question to Ramachandran and he says: “I have not only gained a business perspective but also other perspectives on administration, public policy and governance. Since I had joined this programme with the view to becoming a politician, I have been careful in my choice of courses and electives.”

Most of the IIM-A graduates, he believes, will be the change makers of tomorrow. “Having been part of this system, I have learnt from both sections: my teachers and my peers. I take with me valuable knowledge and insights and, most importantly, networks,” he adds.

IIM-A’s Chairperson, Placements, Satish Deodhar, says: “Quite a few graduates seek venture capital these days. Ramachandran sought to venture into politics.

“Though a unique venture in the footsteps of a senior alumni, PD Rai (from Sikkim, 1978 batch), it does not come as a surprise, for he has been a very popular student general secretary at IIM-A.”

A B-school education also prepared Ramachandran with a structured thinking approach while solving a problem. “It taught me to manage my time effectively and prioritise things when there are too many issues to address,” he explains.

Ramachandran says he will not be overwhelmed in a large party like the AIADMK, of which his late father too was a member.

“I don’t think I will get lost in the party, rather I feel the party will encourage young people like me and give challenging problems to solve, great opportunities to work with where I can use my skills and past experience and contribute.”

This young MBA graduate also expects to leverage his skills in other ways. Currently, he says, the prominent politicians in most of the national and regional parties tend to be from a law or political science/economics background.

“Seldom do we see an MBA from a top B-school enter politics. Many students actually shun politics. Having seen such students and interacted with them, I think I have a clue as to why that might be the case. This perspective will definitely help me navigate my political career in a complex political sphere as well as fix some problems in it,” he explains.

Peer pull

Ramachandran says he would seek to bring his peers who studied along with him at IIM-A and alumni to solve problems related to society and create systems which will improve the quality of life for people.

“Many of them will be interested in contributing to society but not work full-time directly as a politician.

“I would like to be the connector between them and some public issues which they can help fix.

“I feel there should be more such bridges for the people who want to contribute,” he elaborates.

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