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| Gopalan, Ligisha, Trust Puram 2nd Main Road, Kodambakkam, Chennai |
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If 3½ decades ago, a young man named Gopalan had passed through the interview of Avery India Limited at Chennai, perhaps he would have led his existence as a faithful and hardworking employee of the firm. But that was not to be. Instead, he failed in the interview but later founded the Gokulam group that now employs more than 5000 persons.
Born in 1944 at Vaikkalassery near Vatakara, Kozhikode, Gopalan was the eldest of 6 siblings. After graduation, he left for Chennai to find a job there and ended up as a medical representative in a small firm. As the days were proceeding with usual monotony, he was confronted with the need for Rs.600. Reluctant to ask his parents, he began thinking of other means to raise the money.
Suddenly the idea of the chit company run by his father came to his mind. He approached 10 persons and started a chitty with individual contribution of Rs.60 each. The immediate need for Rs.600 was thus fulfilled. But as more and more people came to him with desire to join the chitty, he began to think seriously about the idea. That led to the birth of Gokulam Chit Funds, which now has an annual turnover of Rs.1000 crores. The one quality that has endeared it to the more than 10 lakh investors from different States was transparency.
The diversification from Chit Funds was swift and successful. Believing that the lack of educated leaders is the bane of villages, he has ventured to start the Gokulam Residential Public School at Vatakara. The latest product in this line is the medical college at Venjarammood, Thiruvananthapuram getting ready at present.
Majority of the 5000 employees working under him are Malayalees. In his opinion, Malayalees are hardworking and honest. If one can unite them, then it is possible to reap dream-like output from them, he feels.
Courtesy: T.Sudheer, Kala Kaumudi, December 7, 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
