I Always Focus On Hiring People Who Are Better Than Me And Stronger In Areas That I Am Weak In

“Achievement comes from ordinary abilities applied with extraordinary persistence,” is the mantra that has brought Vijay Gujarathi, director and COO of EOS Power India Private Limited, a long way and helped him become a successful entrepreneur. In a lively conversation with Baishakhi Dutta, business journalist for Electronics Bazaar, he shares his exhilarating 25-year journey in the industry.

About me Year of birth: 1972

Favourite food: Simple Gujarati food

Favourite film: Drishyam Favourite book: ‘Gung Ho’ by Ken Blanchard. This book was gifted to me by the operations manager of Jabil Circuits, as well as to all of his managers back in 2007. This impacted my working style a lot. ‘The Spirit of the Squirrel’, ‘The Way of the Beaver’ and ‘The Gift of the Goose’—these three cornerstones of Gung Ho are a must read for leaders who face organisational crises.

Favourite actress: Vidya Balan

Childhood

I was born and brought up in a middle class family at Shirpur, Maharashtra. We lived a simple life. At that time, my father worked with the state government’s soil conservation department and used to get transferred every couple of years, across Maharashtra. My mother was a housewife. I was the third child, among my three brothers and a sister. Though fun, fights and pranks were part of my childhood and growing up years. I was quiet and shy as a child.

Education