What makes a TAS Officer different from others? Is it just what you can deliver on a daily basis as part of your job or the processes you create to optimize the full potential of your organization? Or there is more to it? Well, TAS believes in creating more than just a career and hence wants you to Settle for More. This is the first article in the series of articles that we would be doing with the TAS Officers who did not choose to settle for less. Today, we have Akshay Ravindran, a people strategy associate at TCS, who hails from a small village in Kerala. Akshay worked hard to crack TISS after multiple failed attempts in SSB. Here are a few excerpts from the conversation we had with Akshay:
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- A B.Tech degree and then to TISS. How has this shift been for you?
I was pretty young when engineering happened to me. And while I was on it, I realized machines don’t pull me as much and then I actually started thinking about what I needed to do in my life. I was looking for jobs as well and that is when I decided to do my masters and TISS happened.
- Tell us about the endeavors you took up in your life that give you the most satisfaction beyond a corporate life?
While I was studying at TISS, I got in touch with people from varied backgrounds and courses. It was at this time when I came across students who were looking for help in certain areas and presentation skills. It was then that I decided to set up classes within the campus and designed mock interviews and presentations for the batches. It helped a lot of students and they felt prepared with the support and guidance. At the end, I felt very empowered, as I once also received similar help coming from a humble background.
- How do you connect yourself with the TAS philosophy of Settle for More?
Over a period of two years, I had six to seven attempts at SSB and that somehow prepared me for the worst and made me self aware. It also helped me understand what is well suited for me. I come from a humble family where both my parents did not have a college education and our roots belong to an agricultural set up. It made me grounded and rooted. I also grew up at a farm and I feel much more responsible and accountable with the choices I make now, because of my upbringing.
For me, how I connect to Settle for More is that I didn’t choose to stick to what I have, but wanted to achieve things that were unthinkable for both my family and my surroundings. I am probably one of the first people from my small village in Kerala who have pursued a Master's Degree and now works with a brand like TCS through TBLA organized by TAS.
- You are working at TCS currently as People Strategy Associate. What is the best part of the day during your work and why do you enjoy it the most?
The best part about my job at TCS is every day I strive to solve a particular problem. We also deal with a lot of data, which interests me a lot. I look forward to learning something new every day.
- What are your future plans within the Tata Group and how do you plan on settling for more?
One thing that I learned after joining the Tata Group and TCS in particular is that, you need to take challenges head on. During my training year with TAS, it was very exciting to work on different domains where there was a lot of learning that came my way. And I am currently looking forward to keep learning more from my current job profile. And I think Tata with its wide range of sectors and businesses will provide me just that.
- Along with work, what is that one thing that you would like to delve into and pour your energies in?
Along with one of my friends, I am planning to expand what we started in college. To help guide people. I have once struggled to find the right path for myself and maybe with proper guidance, I could have found my way more efficiently. I want students who come from humble backgrounds or places like mine to have a level playing field, so that they can choose the best for themselves.