Notes from Dubai

Sarath Babu visits BPD
_{By Vishal Hemrajani (’04 EIE)}

Sarath Babu with Dr. Ramachandran, Director, BPD
and Mr. Riazuddin, Director, ETA-NET

To a student of BITS, Pilani Sarath Babu needs no introduction. From the slums of Chennai to the hallowed portals of IIM, Ahmedabad, Sarath's journey has been nothing short of inspirational. Sarath Babu visited the Dubai campus on the 6th of May 2007 and addressed the students about his life story and how he got to where he is right now.

Sarath grew up in abject poverty, his mother used to earn a salary of Rs.30 from her government job with which she educated her children. When he was young his mother used to make idlis and he used to sell them on the streets. Though he had a difficult childhood, when he would often go hungry he did not compromise on his studies. He worked hard and always performed very well in class. When he finished his schooling he joined the Chemical Engineering Program at BITS Pilani, thinking that it would help get him a job – his priority at that time.

Impressed with his organizational skills at the college festival his friends suggested that he do an MBA. Sarath Babu then decided to get an MBA degree from the best institute offering it – the IIM.

Sarath Babu addressing
the students of BPD

After graduating he took up a job in a software company and was finally able to earn some money for his mother. He also started preparing for the CAT. The first time that he gave the exam he did not clear it. For his subsequent attempt he prepared really hard and although he was sick during the examination he gave the exam only to realize that the CAT paper had leaked. He gave the exam for the third time and was accepted at IIM Ahmedabad. When he graduated from there he turned down a job offer of 8.5 lakh rupees to setup his own catering business - Foodking Catering Service. He feels that he should employ as many people as possible so that they do not need to go through what he had to.

Aspiring entrepreneurs among the audience were especially eager to interact and learn more from him. In his interaction with the students Sarath Babu encouraged them to follow their dreams. He said that he was happy about the Dubai Campus and wished the students all the best for their future endeavors.

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