Thyrocare is a very common name in the field of diagnostics. It is India’s first fully automated diagnostic laboratory. You would’ve come across this brand while getting your routine tests done. Do you know who is behind making this diagnostic lab affordable for everyone?
The founder, chairman and managing director of this industry is Dr Arokiaswamy Velumani who is an Indian scientist and an entrepreneur.
This is not a classic “rags to riches” story but a story of focus, hard work, frugality, discipline, determination and so much more!
His Journey from a small village to the city of dreams
He was born in a small village, Dasnaickenpalayam of Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu. He was the eldest among his siblings. His father a landless farmer, worked on the field and his mother sold milk for sustaining their livelihood.
From a very early age, he learned that “Frugality” is very important in life.
He has seen poverty even before he knew what it was.
He studied in the village school which only provided education till grade 5. He didn’t have a school uniform just a slate and piece of chalk.
For gaining further education he had to move out and live with his relatives who weren’t fond of him and that’s when he learned to only “focus” on what’s important.
He scored well and finally got into college but due to his financial condition and relatives pressure couldn’t opt for science. Although within 20 days his professor realized that commerce isn’t a suitable field for him and shifted him to B.sc this offended his relative’s feelings and he had to move out of the house.
Now, as he left the comfort of his home he had to work multiple jobs to keep a roof over his head.
How He Ended Up Being An Entrepreneur
Even after facing so much of struggle, hardships never left his side. He got rejected in almost 100 interviews. As he was Keen to have a job he applied to BARC Mumbai where he finally managed to get a job in radiation medicine centre. He developed an interest in this field in a short period.
He got married and he and his wife now led a comfortable life.
But he decided to risk it all, as he now wanted to be his boss.
so they started saving and when he had around 2 lakhs in their saving account,
They finally quit their jobs and started a small diagnostic lab and grew their business.
“We lived frugally. Frugal people are not misers. They only spend on themselves. Stupid people spend because their neighbours are watching them. If you are frugal you are a king, if not you are a slave,” says Velumani in an interview.
Interestingly, he only hires people who have no work experience as in every interview he was rejected, they asked for experience and how could anyone get experience without a job! He is the first employer to all his employees.
His Success Mantra
Focus, learn, grow and enjoy.
He says, if you can’t focus on what’s important you’ll never learn.
If you never learn you can never grow and without growth, there is no enjoyment in life.
He is a die-hard optimist and says that “ Celebrate that you are poor as there is no downside to it”.
Poverty has made him what he is now, so don’t think you can’t do anything because you lack resources.
Just follow his mantra“ Focus, Learn, Grow and enjoy” and don’t change the order.