<p class="bodytext">A 60-year-old farmer turned scientist turned entrepreneur Arokiaswamy Velumani believes there are many formulas for achieving success.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There is nothing like a good decision or a good job," he said. “There is a decision, make it good,” he stressed while taking centre stage at the final session organised as part of the fourth edition of Knowledge Factory (#KF2020)--a daylong festival of knowledge, insights and trivia, organised by St Agnes College on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Velumani, tracing his journey from a small village in Coimbatore district, revealed how he became a scientist at BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) and how he and his late wife Sumathi Velumani quit their plum jobs to launch their own thyroid testing laboratory, Thyrocare, in 1996.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He recollected that at the time of the interview at BARC in 1982, he was not aware where the thyroid gland was. A decade later he had a doctorate in thyroid treatment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“You will do well if you do work, which you have studied. If you do something which you have never studied, you will become a leader,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Velumani recollected that he had failed in interviews attended after graduation as he was always posed with the stupid question; “Do you have any prior experience?”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Today, his companies make it a point to appoint freshers. “The mean age of employees in my Rs 3,000 crore worth company is 26,” he declared with pride.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sharing tips from his chequered career, Velumani advised students, in particular, to focus, learn, grow and enjoy. “Do not copy neighbours, plan to lose, learn story-telling and life has two innings,” he stressed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Unlike conventional entrepreneurs, Velumani adopted an informal style relying on his personal life to ensure that his every word had a strong impact on the young minds. His punchline ‘Marks are Marks. And Marks are not Knowledge’, was greeted with thunderous applause.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He paid glowing tributes to his mother and wife, Sumathi who passed away in 2016. “If man becomes a success, his family prospers. But if a woman becomes successful, society will prosper,” he declared as loud cheers filled the hall.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, Nandini Srikar shared her thoughts on different music styles and making music. Later quiz master Gaurava Yadav conducted a history quiz.</p>
<p class="bodytext">A 60-year-old farmer turned scientist turned entrepreneur Arokiaswamy Velumani believes there are many formulas for achieving success.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There is nothing like a good decision or a good job," he said. “There is a decision, make it good,” he stressed while taking centre stage at the final session organised as part of the fourth edition of Knowledge Factory (#KF2020)--a daylong festival of knowledge, insights and trivia, organised by St Agnes College on Friday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Velumani, tracing his journey from a small village in Coimbatore district, revealed how he became a scientist at BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) and how he and his late wife Sumathi Velumani quit their plum jobs to launch their own thyroid testing laboratory, Thyrocare, in 1996.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He recollected that at the time of the interview at BARC in 1982, he was not aware where the thyroid gland was. A decade later he had a doctorate in thyroid treatment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“You will do well if you do work, which you have studied. If you do something which you have never studied, you will become a leader,” he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Velumani recollected that he had failed in interviews attended after graduation as he was always posed with the stupid question; “Do you have any prior experience?”</p>.<p class="bodytext">Today, his companies make it a point to appoint freshers. “The mean age of employees in my Rs 3,000 crore worth company is 26,” he declared with pride.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sharing tips from his chequered career, Velumani advised students, in particular, to focus, learn, grow and enjoy. “Do not copy neighbours, plan to lose, learn story-telling and life has two innings,” he stressed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Unlike conventional entrepreneurs, Velumani adopted an informal style relying on his personal life to ensure that his every word had a strong impact on the young minds. His punchline ‘Marks are Marks. And Marks are not Knowledge’, was greeted with thunderous applause.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He paid glowing tributes to his mother and wife, Sumathi who passed away in 2016. “If man becomes a success, his family prospers. But if a woman becomes successful, society will prosper,” he declared as loud cheers filled the hall.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Earlier, Nandini Srikar shared her thoughts on different music styles and making music. Later quiz master Gaurava Yadav conducted a history quiz.</p>