She Walks, She Leads by Jain Gunjan

Author:Jain, Gunjan [Jain, Gunjan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2016-07-20T16:00:00+00:00

AJAY PIRAMAL

Sitting at the helm of the formidable Piramal Group, Ajay Piramal is one of the wealthiest men in the country today. Wonder boy-turned-tycoon who transformed his inheritance of an ailing textile mill into a billion-dollar conglomerate – his story is a standing example of industry and public life. For close to four decades, much of his strength and inspiration has been drawn from Swati Piramal . He talks about his wife’s extraordinary strength of character and values – those that have held him, their family and the business aloft.

How does a power couple like Ajay and Swati Piramal make a partnership work?

The most important factor required in making a partnership work is to have unstinting confidence in oneself. In our case, I think we complement one another. I have strengths that Swati does not, and what she brings to the table, I cannot. So, for myself, I don’t even try and compete in the areas where she excels. She serves on the prime minister’s council of advisers, and she is a Padma Shri awardee. I am neither, but I am happy and proud of her achievements. It’s the yin and the yang – people need to remember that.

Can you list some of Swati’s attributes and practices that have an impact not just on her own growth and path, but also yours?

Swati, inherently, is a very creative person. Her thinking on an issue and her approach towards an opportunity have always been unique. And this creativity goes beyond business, into food, literature, art, even gardening. Swati’s life and career are replete with examples of this.

The second aspect of her success is sheer hard work. She is forever willing to not just put in that work, but also tie together the smaller details to make sure it pays off. Swati also has a great sense of self, impelled by supreme confidence in her own knowledge and understanding of a subject. She is, thus, able to hold her own, whether it is in a board meeting or among global leaders. This takes a lot of strength and conviction.

Moreover, she is an optimist, who is unafraid of facing challenges and it is this courage that has influenced me considerably. Through her, I have learnt to appreciate life more, and take bigger, bolder decisions – all with a positive attitude. She has been an inspiring and inclusive leader who has never relied on hierarchy, but has always believed in getting everyone on board on an equal footing, for the best possible results.

Let’s do a bit of time travel – when did you first meet her, and what drew you to her?

I met Swati in 1972, when both of us were very young – she was seventeen and I was eighteen. She was – and still is – much more outgoing than me; I am a bit shy and reserved. I remember her being this bubbly person – full of ideas and always up for a challenge. Though she belonged to a business family, she had decided to study medicine.

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