V. Krishnamurthy

1. Born into a family that lost its lands to floods in 1930, young Venkataraman Krishnamurthy's early life was marked by hardship and resilience in the village of Karuveli, Tamil Nadu, setting the stage for a remarkable journey ahead. 2. 🌟 In 1944, he began his career with the Madras Electricity Board, but it was his 1954 role with Jawaharlal Nehru's Planning Commission during the Second Five Year Plan that thrust him into India’s industrial spotlight, overseeing power projects that fueled the nation’s growth. 3. ⚙️ As chairman and CEO, he transformed Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) from a struggling public sector entity into a global powerhouse, rewriting the rules of industrial success in India’s post-independence era. 4. 🚗 When handed the reins of Maruti Udyog Limited, the dream project of Sanjay Gandhi, Krishnamurthy orchestrated the launch of the iconic Maruti 800 in under three years, defying market skepticism by pricing it at Rs 47,000 and revolutionizing Indian automobile manufacturing. 5. 🏭 At Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), overseeing 240,000 employees, he instituted human-centric management and operational reforms that elevated the company’s productivity and morale, showcasing his mastery of industrial leadership beyond technology alone. 6. Beyond industry, he chaired premier institutions like IIM Bangalore, IIT Delhi, and the Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council, shaping education and technology policy in India through decades. 7. His close working relationships with five Indian Prime Ministers, from Nehru to Manmohan Singh, gave him unparalleled political backing, allowing him to push bold reforms even when they clashed with ministerial opinions. 8. ❓ How did a boy from a flood-ravaged Tamil village rise to command India's largest public sector enterprises and influence national industrial policy for over half a century?