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JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY

2008[1]

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Mr. Akshaya Sethi, ex-JNUite and Vice President of Future General Life Insurance Company

An interview with Mr. Akshaya Sethi by Bhoomika Meiling

Bhoomika: When and how did your association with JNU begin? Where did you graduate from and what made you think of coming to JNU for further studies?

Mr. Sethi: I joined JNU in 1990. I did my graduation from Utkal University, Orissa. The reason for coming to JNU was to build my career. Before 1990, all the while I was in a town which had only one college and was away from the hub of learning in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. I was convinced that I can not do anything except farming unless I left the village. I found a friend who was studying in JNU and he inspired me to come to JNU, where I could get not only the best of education but also an affordable environment. To be precise, I had never even dreamt that one could study in Delhi with Rs.400 per month, that too in a premier institute like JNU. The admission test was an excellent and fair way of getting into the university and pursuing education.

Bhoomika: How was your life in JNU? How supportive did you find the teachers and classmates?

Mr.Sethi: I’ll put it in the simplest words, (and believe me, I’m not exaggerating) my JNU experience is that piece of my life around which all my success, achievements and accomplishments have evolved. Learning, no doubt, was incredible but the most important thing was that despite lacking in good communication skills and control over English language I could learn and complete my MA and I also made it to M.Phil which I could never complete.

One lovely aspect of my life in JNU was my relationship with Dr GJV Prasad, my teacher in English who taught me in Hinglish and encouraged me to speak and get command over the English language. I just can’t forget till the end of my life that whatever I have achieved today comes from only those three years of inspiring association with my teachers in JNU. I would also like to thank all those who taught me Prof. Kapil Kapoor, Prof. Harish Narang, Prof. Vaishna Narang, Prof. Sareen, Prof. Gill, Prof. Gupta, Prof. Meenakshi Mukherjee. They might have forgotten me as I was the lowest scoring student but I can not forget them and I think, together they form a great pool of knowledge.

My colleagues in JNU were arguably the best. In their association I learnt a lot. Most importantly, being a guy who could not afford even the monthly fee of Rs.400, I was supported by my colleagues financially too. What else can I ask for from the University?

Bhoomika: How has JNU contributed to your achievements in professional life?

Mr.Sethi: The study of literature and my own hard experiences taught me to understand people better. Modern management, even the Harvard Business School would agree, is all about people. Being a top executive in a MNC, one needs to have a command over this critical parameter because it is people who make a difference in any work place and bring about greater change. JNU culture is not only about classroom studies but also about the library, Ganga Dhaba discussions over tea, the post-dinner meetings with guests in the dining hall who come from different streams to discuss various aspects of the socio-economic scenario of the country. It gives you knowledge and confidence to face any given situation and an ability to make correct decisions.

Bhoomika: How has your career shaped up after leaving JNU? How has the shift from the relaxed JNU life to the fast-track corporate sector been?

Mr. Sethi: Well, JNU was never relaxed for me. I was the captain of the Cricket and Football team of the university. I promoted the game which the university guys never got involved in. Hence, I was always busy after classes. I had to leave JNU in between my M.Phil as there were family responsibilities and I had to take up a job. I joined LIC in 1993 as AAO. After spending 9 years there, I joined Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance as Branch Manager (BM) from where I was promoted to Senior BM and subsequently AVP. In 2002 I left Bajaj and joined METLIFE as Assistant Director (Sales). I have recently joined Future General Life Insurance Company as Vice President (zonal business head). I am responsible for all lines of business based outside Mumbai. It has been exciting as life has become an expressway and everyday you have to be in a new city dealing with new people. Trust me all this is because of JNU.

Bhoomika: How often do you come to JNU now? What changes do you see when you come here?

Mr.Sethi: I visited JNU only recently after a gap of fifteen years. It was a sort of homecoming as I could meet my teachers. In that short visit I observed that the greenery is lost to some extent. Hostels have grown older and of course they look older. But I feel that JNU still provides the best environment for excellent academic, intellectual and emotional growth. I am planning to be there in April if I get some time.

Bhoomika: If you ever get a chance to return to JNU as a student, what would you like to do?

Mr.Sethi: I would complete my M.Phil. And after that, in case my teachers feel that I have grown to be a good student and allow me to do Ph.D in literature, I would love to have a ’Dr.’ attached before my name.

Bhoomika: What message would you like to give to the present JNU student community?

Mr.Sethi: The fundamentals, on which this university was built to bring forth the most deprived students from the remotest places in the country and to provide education at the most affordable rates, still continue to mesmerize me. Being a rustic and having no means to afford even the bare minimum, I am proud to say that the university gave me the education and ability to become what I am today despite all odds. Hence the message is that JNU is one of the best places for all those who want to learn and who have a vision. It has given me life. What else can one ask for from a university? However much the path ahead looks difficult, just don’t give up. I would like to convey my best wishes to all the JNUites. If I can ever be of any help to any of you, I would be more than happy to do it you are all my family members of JNU. … I owe a lot to this place.