CHENNAI: Educationist, leader, industrialist, and a family man — these are only a few of the many hats worn by Palani G Periasamy, founder and chairman of PGP Group of Companies and Le Royal Meridien.
With decades of experience in the corporate field and having had a ringside view of the changes in the Indian hospitality industry, he opens up to City Express about subjects close to his heart — family, business, and society.
What’s your daily schedule?
I am an early riser, but I am swamped by phone calls as soon as I wake up. By 8:15 am I’m in the dining hall and by 9 am I’m out for office. In fact, I find myself taking calls throughout my journey from home to office! But over the years, it has become routine. Those close to me worry whether I get enough sleep at all. Just recently, I had gone to see a movie with my grandson, and I fell asleep in the theatre! (laughs)
Did you have any idols while growing up?
My sense of discipline was inculcated by one of my teachers during my undergraduate days at St Joseph’s College. Rev Fr Sequira was a stickler for punctuality and discipline. Every meeting, he had would begin and end precisely at the stroke of the clock. That helped mould my sense of discipline.
What was your earliest ambition?
My family was involved in agriculture in a rural area, but I used to read a lot even as a child. In fact in one of the magazines I read about the training of IAS officers...I was enamoured by it and it struck me that I had to become an IAS officer! What strengthened my conviction was later on, when my nativity certificate had to be notified by the Tahsildar, I had to wait for several days in line and yet could not get it! I decided that if I ever got into such a position, I must not do this to others. I wanted to do good for the people. However, what impeded me from achieving my goal was that my real birth date and official birth date didn’t coincide, because teachers often adjusted it to suit the admission date. Because of that slight quirk, my birth date was shifted from January to May of the previous year. So by the time I wanted to appear for the IAS exam I was already overage!
So what are your favourite books?
Mahatma Gandhi’s My Experiments with Truth is one book that I consider to be my bible. Apart from that the autobiographies of Jawaharlal Nehru and Abraham Lincoln are great influences in my life, and books that are very close to my heart.
What work ethic do you practice to keep in touch with your employees?
Accessibility is the secret of a leader’s success. A leader should not be a citadel of power; he is also responsible for people who work for him. But for that he needs to know how his employees are doing. Once in a while I step out of my office and meet and talk to employees — whether they are support staff on the ground or managers of my companies — to get to know their inputs. If someone is not happy with his particular job description, it is my responsibility to ensure that they are happy with their work.
Who do you turn to for support during times of crisis in your life?
My wife Visalakshi Periasamy has been my constant companion during my difficult times, and my guiding light whenever I find myself in a crisis.
You have four daughters, each one of them following careers of their own....has any of them shown an interest in following you?
Well, all four of my daughters were raised mostly in the US — the eldest is a physician, while the second is a counselling psychologist, both based in the US. The third is with me and is trying to learn the ropes of the business and the fourth is also in America after her management studies. What irks me sometimes is that they don’t seem to worry about how my business is going! I guess since they were born and raised in America, it is the American values of being focussed on their own lives, and making it big on their own!
What values would you ask today’s youth to imbibe?
Hard work and purity of thought go a long way in helping you become a better person. You should also be focused about your goal — big or small — and success will be yours for the taking. Be friendly with all, but when it comes to your opinion, take a stand with conviction.