Authors: Priya Kumar and Jairam N. Menon | Publishers: Harper Business, Division of Harper Collins Publishers | Pages: 223 | Price: 699
As I went through this book for review, my memories went back to 1988 when in the maiden issue of Chemical Industry Digest, we managed to get an interview with Mr. AM Naik, who was then the General Manager of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. To get to agree for the interview, we had to send a prototype issue we had brought out, to Mr. Naik. He liked the contents very much and agreed to the interview. We met him at the L&T Corporate office at Powai, Andheri East, a suburb of Mumbai. I had taken a set of questions for the interview with me, which was requested. He glanced through the questions and set it aside nonchalantly. I was a little worried as I felt I wouldn’t be able to ask the questions I wanted to. But I needn’t have worried. He understood the train of questions and went on a marathon powertalk, chronicling the growth of L&T from a fabricator of dairy equipment to a multi dimensional engineering company taking on megasized projects. More than an interview it was a speech of a powerful orator that unveiled his vision for L&T, and displayed his action orientedness, with an indefatigable spirit to get things done.
Passion, Devotion, Conviction and Commitment
This biography by Jairam Menon whose long stint at L&T gave him a ringside view of AM Naik, in association with co-author Priya Kumar specialist in profiling corporate leaders, brings out the legendary dynamic leadership of Naik and how he transformed L&T into a world class global engineering conglomerate. The book is written in a racy journalistic anecdotal style. It is eminently readable and the reader is taken along the life’s journey of Naik. The book exudes the inspirational and motivational power that Naik is famous for.
In his own words, Naik says ‘Passion, Devotion, Conviction, Commitment are the four words that can change your life’ – all of which he put into practice at L&T. The story of L&T today, the transformational change that took L&T when he took over to what it is today is the story of AM, Naik well chronicled in this biography.
Through twelve chapters the biography narrates the journey of Naik, which started in 1964 as a twenty two year old engineering graduate who chanced upon a recruitment advertisement for Larsen & Toubro. As the blurb succinctly puts it, ‘ Despite almost botching up his final interview, Naik was hired.’ I’ve sacked thirty-eight engineers – don’t be number thirty-nine’ is what Naik’s boss T. Baker told on his first day at work. But from then on it was ‘Game On’ as the title of the first chapter in true advertising copy style announces. So are the other chapters titled such as : One Battle, Many Victories; The New L&T; India First, India Always, Building Tomorrows’ People; What Sets Naik Apart and lastly, The Flag Flies High. Naik swiftly climbed the ladder. He was made CEO and Managing Director in 1999 and was appointed Chairman in 2003.
Hardwork and Indomitable Courage
It is a gripping account of one person’s never-say-die attitude and dogged determination, through relentless hardwork, indomitable courage setting seemingly impossible targets and getting the entire L&T team inspired, energized and motivated to convert vision into reality. He ensured a technology driven transformation across all L&T’s businesses, utilizing latest technologies, including Digitalization & Industry 4.0 and driving indigenisation, be it hydrocrackers or nuclear reactors and took L&T into diverse fields from fabrication to engineering to mega projects to infrastructure like ports, highways, flyovers, metros to venturing into space and defence. Naik’s philosophy from mindset changes required to upskilling the human resources to being proud of one’s achievements, his patriotism and India First thinking, creating centres of excellence, all unfolds interestingly in the book. He was a people’s person, driving people towards performance and achievement with emphasis on values. He is a communicator par excellence.
‘The Man Who Built Tomorrow’ is probably the first book to get up close with the corporate legend and tells us his mantra for sustainable success. It also delves into Naik’s philanthropic initiatives – the hospitals (inaugurated in one instance by India’s Prime Minister), the schools and skill training centre. These occupy much of his time now, and he is as enamoured of building a new skills-training centre as he once was of building critical equipment for industry. In the book, we also meet Naik’s family, now tasked with taking his monumental legacy further.
Bursting with Creative Energy
Leaders of the Indian corporate world were lavish in extolling him in the book. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman & Managing Director of Reliance Industries speaks of Naik’s deep sense of patriotism and keen intellect combined to relentlessly pursue the mission of establishing India as a global leader in manufacturing. Dr. Prathap Reddy, Founder – Chairman of Apollo Hospitals lauds his compassion and philantrophy to set up hospitals. Deepak Parekh, former Chairman of HDFC comments, “ Naik can be aggressive, even combative in defending the interest of his country and of the company of which he is at the helm. He is bursting with creative energy and always wants to do something different.”
Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor in the Foreword to the book recounts how Naik made L&T into an entrepreneurial company by making close to one sixth of L&T’s ownership vest in employees and through this innovative strategy warded off hostile take over bids. Organisations vied with each other to bestow Life Time Achievement and other awards on on him.
But the crowning glory was the Government of India’s Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second – highest honour conferred on him in 2019.
The authors have done incredible research and wide ranging interviews, ‘spread across geographies’ to produce a book which is the closest to anyone could truely narrate on an outstanding corporate leader, a nationalist and philanthropist.
Naik’s experience holds lessons for young leaders across businesses because the rules are the same. Authors Priya Singh and Jairam N. Menon said that writing the book was like going back to university and tutoring themselves on the importance of granular detail as much as the grand vision.
It is truly the story of ‘The Man Who Built Tomorrow’.
— Vinoo Mathews
