The growth wasn’t without conflict between
When asked why lesser numbers of the next generation are taking over their family businesses, he quips, “Even my next generation isn’t too involved in the business. The profits at Amara Raja Batteries had tanked to 0,000 from . However, when I finally returned from the US, the odds were heavily stacked against entrepreneurs. We planned well, sensed the glitches and moved ahead. He reveals that at one point, he told his father, “This town isn’t big enough for the two of us and one has to quit. Jayadev’s grandfather was a freedom fighter while his mother was in politics for 25 years. How-ever, I am happy that they are following their dreams and passions.Passing the baton from one generation to the next proved to be even more difficult. I finally convinced him and Amaron batteries was launched in 2000. Galla, founder and chairman of Amara Raja Group discovered when he started off in 1985 in his home district of Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh.He shares, “For the first nine months of this fiscal year, we’ve run way ahead of our earlier pace. That’s why it took me 22 years to take the first step into politics,” says Jayadev, a TDP LS member.” He adds, “The worries weren’t unjustified.
People have started to believe that I can carry forward my family business in the way my father used to. “The biggest lessons in life are those you learn from people around you, that you implement to benefit others. We rose like a phoenix,” he says proudly. We were going down with every quarter. “I felt disconnected from the people and culture and realised the need to live in India. I am following my interests too.Ramachandra and Jayadev Galla“When I took over, everyone thought that the business would be ruined, and my dad asked, ‘why did you get into this?’ But I was confident of getting us out of the morass. Now, my father says I can inspire people!”Just like his business, the decision to enter politics too was taken at a young age. “Legacy definitely mattered. I took aggressive steps famous car batteries and brought in new ideas,” recalls Jayadev, candidly admitting that it was difficult to work with his father. I felt that I could use my experience and knowledge to make a difference in India,” says Jayadev. When I moved back to India, I wanted to enter politics too. As Ramachandra N.”Ramachandra reasons, “The automotive battery foray needed expertise in branding and distribution, which we did not possess. This is a really proud moment for me.While originally, the business focused only on batteries used by the telecom, power and oil-and-gas sectors, Jayadev wanted to expand into vehicles which were dominated then by Exide industries. It’s only after you have lived as a citizen, contributed and achieved something for the people of this country, that you can enter politics. We were established but also had to go to the next level. I am happy that I finally gained my father’s trust, and he admits I took aggressive steps and brought in new ideas. It was a huge company which he had created after years of hard work and dedication.“But the overall economy when I entered the business was weak.
The growth wasn’t without conflict between the two generations. “We worked hard and started to innovate and from that low point on, our revenues grew 18-fold. “The dynamics of the economy were changing rapidly. He took over the business from Galla senior in 2003, by when Amara Raja had already come a long way. But like all other things, one needs to have the right skills.The early ’80s in India weren’t an easy time to do business.6 million the previous year.” Ramachandra took a backseat and Jayadev took over the full reins. Be it business or politics, one can’t move ahead alone. I worked very hard on convincing him and putting my ideas into action.”Despite the apprehensions, Jayadev was confident that they’d be able to pull themselves out of the crisis. While ensuring that the business grew and met all its targets, I also had the responsibility of ensuring that my father’s vision for the company remained our guiding principle,” says Jayadev, admitting that the challenges faced by him and his father were different. Every person in the company began to think that I might ruin the whole business. Finally, after three years of constant arguments with my father, he relented and I got the opportunity to introduce my ideas,” says Jayadev. Issues like lack of infrastructure, logistics, and non-availability of skilled labour made it an uphill task,” says Ramachandra. At the same time, there were expectations and little options for failure.”. Initially, my father was apprehensive if I could do justice to our business or not. But my father resisted, because the sector had an entrenched player like Exide on one end and unorganised players churning out cheap knockoffs on the other. My sons — Ashok and Siddharth — are interested in movies.”“It took five years to convince him. The government at that time was supporting non-resident Indians for entrepreneurship to take the country’s industrial growth forward. My father too had some loss of faith in my capabilities. Timing played a key role as the industrial battery prices had crashed, the auto segment that we forayed into didn’t take off, and the overall economy was weak. “I pushed for auto batteries because being only in industrial mode made the company vulnerable. I wanted to be in politics and am balancing my commitment as a politician and life as a businessperson. His son, Jayadev (Jay) Galla’s (Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Amara Raja Batteries) entrepreneurial journey began in America
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