BENGALURU: Back in 2014, when he was employed as an automobile design engineer in Pune, Shantanu Naidu’s life took a turn for the better when he donned the role of an entrepreneur. Looking back at his career choice, the founder of the startup Goodfellows, which is into services for the elderly, is quite clear that he does not want to change anything in his life.
“When I was into automobile engineering, it was an important aspect of my life looking back now. It was necessary because it helped me become the person I am today. It is not something I would have ended up doing,” says Naidu, who was in the city to receive an award.
Naidu also became a sensation when he was appointed as the general manager to Ratan Tata, an industrialist and philanthropist. A job profile that probably he himself never thought would become a part of his résumé. Of course, with such a high-profile job comes the attention, which Naidu says he is not quite fond of. “I try to channelise the attention into creating a positive impact for the communities by talking about the right thing or coming up with entrepreneurial startup ideas. So whatever attention I’m getting, instead of just leaving it, I’m trying to use it to generate ideas,” says the 30-year-old. His relationship with Tata, a ‘friendship that is quite dear’, can be seen in the pictures he shares on social media, including Tata taking a look at Naidu’s second car.
Working or being mentored by Tata is definitely not something that everyone has access to. However, Naidu, being the lucky one, says there is no secret he is holding. “It’s not that he sat down and taught me something new. Shaan-tnu (as Tata pronounces his name), I want you to remember this lesson. Nobody teaches that way. Neither does he.
You have to observe and learn things yourself. Just being open to hearing what people have to say is important. Honestly, there is no new lesson that only I know. If people read about Tata, and the work he does, they have a chance to know what he stands for,” explains Naidu, who completed his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University in 2014 and went on to pursue a Masters in Business Administration from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management in 2016.
Despite his proximity to stalwarts like Tata, Naidu keeps his life as real as possible while continuing his coffee rituals with friends. And probably, being so approachable makes him quite a favourite among youngsters. This could be seen when many queued up at a quick book signing session, for his recent release, I Came Upon a Lighthouse.
Representing the youth of the country, Naidu feels young people are more inquisitive about what impact they are creating in somebody else’s life. “They’re definitely more attentive about where they stand in the grand scheme of the world. They are thinking about what impact or change they are leaving behind as they progress through their careers,” says Naidu.
A spark of an idea
Shantanu Naidu first came to the limelight after a video of him celebrating Ratan Tata’s birthday went viral. In 2014, after his graduation from Savitribai Phule Pune University, Naidu landed a job at Tata Elxsi in Pune as an automobile design engineer. Being an ardent dog lover, he would be heartbroken when dogs were run over by speeding vehicles. To resolve this problem, he got an idea to make collars for dogs that would make them visible at night. Naidu wrote a letter to Tata with details of his business venture, as he was looking for support. Tata, a dog-lover himself, surprisingly, invited him to meet and discuss the venture. That’s how Motopaws, a volunteer-run, non-profit organisation, was founded. And going back to their meeting...it turned out to be the beginning of their friendship. Naidu’s compassionate and strategic thinking helped him land a job as Tata’s assistant.