Flying High - 2 : R Sivakumar & V Pattabhi Ram

 Grateful, to be part of the writing desk of Flying High - 2 an humbling experience, here is the link to the release:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzz0DRbonYE

Phenomenal work by Pattabhi Ram Sir who was fully responsible for writing and Sivakumar Sir for coordinating with the CA's choosing them and ensuring that all this happened from the start to finish. All the settings were done by Malai Selvam. 

C A Ravishanker was given first copy of the book followed by Bhupathi Sir. Those present were:

In person: R Bupathy,

Thro Rep: Brahmayya, NCS, Kumbhat, PBV, M Balsubramanian

Absent: M R Narayanan, N Srinivasan, T Anantha Narayanan, G Sitharaman, T N Manoharan, R Balakrishnan

Would you like to get an entry ticket to a dinner party that has seven past presidents of the ICAI, a few central council members, three outstanding teachers, one Padma shri, One big four partner - in all 12. Yes, some of these positions are held by more than one person. What would you like to know about them? Flying High - 2.0 narrates the extraordinary of the rise and rise to fame of 12 men who have an entrepreneurial steak in them. 

Thrilling to see the people covered in the book, each ordinary man standing by values, did fly high; thus creating extraordinary tales. 

 12 men are:

P Brahmayya - Changed Lives - 1908: Only one here, who did his CA from England, gentle, urbane and suave, would have been 113 if alive. His bio written by Oviya fetched the best bio nomination.

P.B. Vijayaraghavan - Life Long Learner - 1925: Cool-headed, firm but fair stalwart, with a love for learning and teaching marks him out as a man to emulate. Given his erudition and good personal and professional values, he would be fondly remembered as a star teacher, a cerebral auditor, and an ace motivator. Was fortunate to write about him, and interact with his son, PB Srinivasan as he passed away at 94 and had been to office until few months before death, and stopped only because of the lockdown. 

M R Narayanan - The perfectionist - 1926: Like his height of 6'2; he was a tall man, who let go high-profile client as their moral compass did not match his. 

N.C. Sundararajan - Man of Steel - 1929: A solution provider at heart, suave and habituated to reading, he possessed exemplary arbitration and negotiation skills and was at the helm as president during the calamitous 1992 scam.

N. Srinivasan - A Pioneer - 1931:  set in motion a chain of events that saw Deloitte Consolidate in India, he was instrumental in Fraser & Ross's foreign connection being the youngest Indian partner in all-European firm.

Ashok Kumbhat - Cricket Aficionado - 1934: An ace go-getter, networker was one-time cricket administrator and close to levers of powers. 

G Sitharaman -The millennium surprise president - 1937:  intensely religious and bravely orthodox, he was a past master in taxation and incredibly strong-willed man. 

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M. Balasubramaniyam : Avid Reader - 1940: At 81, with 60 years in his fathers office, he still works 6.5 days a week, spending half sunday with his wife visiting temples. Was fortunate to interact and write about him. 

R Balakrishnan - Man for the World - 1941: He could have been and IIT scholar, constitutional attorney, but choose to be a CA. Though he moved with powers, believed in non-solicitation. 

T Anantha Narayanan - Captain Cool - 1945:  strode the corporate world like colossus, karmayogi by practice, an organic farmer by passion and CA by profession be breeds innovative thinking and positive approach. 

R Bupathy: Consensus Seeker: 1951: Like a lion and PBV, he started his profession from scratch, loved teaching, has been corporate board member, eloquent orator, and past president of the institute. 

T N Manoharan - Padmashri Awardee - 1956 - Most of us know him, for his IT text books, first practicing CA to get Padma Shri, I remember his advise - to pass in CA exam what you need is 50% Hardwork and 50% Confidence. 

The writes were presented with a memento. 4th/5th of 2022, but am yet to get the hard copy of the book, and read about all. 

Traits common to all are:

• Work-discipline, punctuality and compassion
• Human approach, dissenting without hurting, and aiming for larger public benefit in every step
• Providing enough opportunities to peers and subordinates in decision making
• Sacrifices of professional or material opportunities while in office
• Proper mix of professional and personal life and
• Deep faith in divine grace

Am sure these 12 biographies of  Seven Wonders and the Famous Five will enthuse and inspire many; and it is 'a' list and not 'the' list of high-flying CA's.