Akhil Krishna was Manjunath Shanmugam's batch mate and friend from IIM-Lucknow and a supporter of the movie - Manjunath. In this case view, he highlights Manjunath's deep connection with humanism

1. Akhil Krishna
ET CASES
October 2014
Interviewed
by
Dr. Nagendra V. Chowdary
Interview
with
Akhil Krishna
Ref. OB-1-0033B/1Akhil Krishna was Manjunath Shanmugam's batch mate and friend
from IIM-Lucknow (2003 Batch) and a supporter
of the movie – ‘Manjunath’
CASE VIEW ON
IIM LUCKNOW’S MANJUNATH SHANMUGAM:
PURPOSE-DRIVEN PERSONALITY AND THE VALUE OF VALUES

2. 2
Interview with Akhil Krishna IIM Lucknow's Manjunath Shanmugam: Purpose-driven Personality...
ET CASES
1. How would you describe Manjunath in college? A few anecdotes that would showcase
his priorities, principles and therefore his values? Did he come across as an agenda
setter or an agenda follower? What was his conviction for and how would his friends
describe his conviction levels?
Manjunath was particularly interested in Human Resource Management, Leadership and
Values – while not much inclined towards theoretical courses like Finance & Accounting,
Operations Research, etc.
He had a unique style of looking at all of management theory from the point of view of
humanism. I remember a time when our Professor of Brand Management (a course in
Marketing) asked, “What is brand loyalty?”, and promptly came his reply – “Brand loyalty
is like a mother. Whatever happens, I will never leave her”… While the rest of us teased
him for giving such a ‘senti’response, he was quite unmindful. If the answer was from the
heart, how could it ever be wrong?
He met life on his own terms, and that’s something that struck all of us. He was an
agenda-setter–andhumanismwasalwaysthecoreofeveryagenda.Hisconvictionstemmed
out of a very simple, uncomplicated passion for doing only what he believed was right.
2. Why did he choose, of all the available openings, the assignment with IOC? Did he
ever discuss anything on this topic with you? Even before that, did he ever discuss his
future professional life with you? Can you describe specific conversations/anecdotes?
Manjunath wanted to do something different from the conventional. He always seemed to
have a soft corner for the economically weakest strata of society – as was witnessed from
the rapport he shared with the canteen workers, watchmen, etc., on campus. He wanted to
take up a position that would allow him to serve the interests of the economically weak
strata of the society. Even though we never discussed this explicitly, one could infer this
observing his generally humanistic approach to any related issues. However, he would
discuss his passion for the HR area, and his wish to work in that area – again driven by his
zeal for humanism and having a human connect with people.
“““““He was an agenda-setter – and humanism
was always the core of every agenda.”””””

3. 3
IIM Lucknow's Manjunath Shanmugam: Purpose-driven Personality... Interview with Akhil Krishna
ET CASES
While the IOC job happened by default as a part of the campus selection process, I believe
he was very much involved in the job once he joined – and realized that it offered him the
potential to effect changes and reforms that would percolate to benefit the weakest strata
of society. I also believe that even if he had taken up any other job his humanistic leanings
would have made him find ways and means of making his work beneficial to people in
general.
3. Anything else, that you would like to throw light on, which would help in bringing
out the real Manjunath for the reader, the formation of his value system and its
impact on him and other around him?
Manjunath is remembered by all of us (batch mates & faculty) for 3 reasons: music, football
and ‘values’ – yes that’s right, ‘values’. He was an excellent singer who sang from his
heart and full throat – I think his voice reflected his character. On the football field, he
always motivated the team to give their best all the time. In our classes, he spoke of
values, and of what he believed was right.
IbelieveManjunath’svaluesystemwasquitewell-formedevenbeforehejoinedourcampus.
His brother shared few anecdotes to this effect, from before his IIM days. Having said this,
I think a few of our Professors (Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Prof. Anil and Prof. Abha
Chaturvedi) had a deep influence in shaping his value system. He has also told me about
Manjunath’s stay at the Aurobindo Ashram during an internship in Bangalore where he
learned/practiced meditation which had a great impact on him. He was also deeply
influenced by the life and works of Sri Ramana Maharshi and J Krishnamurthi.