Time Out

The Football Freak

From playing football, flute to whipping out South Indian delicacies, Dr Narendranath V, Joint Medical Director, MS Ramaiah Hospital, Bangalore is a multi-faceted personality

The lanky and soft-spoken Dr Narendranath V (39), Joint Medical Director, MS Ramaiah Hospital, Bangalore is as adept at churning out strategies for his Hospital as with dribbling the football. He plays football everyday from 6 to 7:30 in the morning in the Basavangudi National College playground. The secretary of the sports club-Bangalore United, this ardent footballer has been enjoying the game since the age of 10. His favourite position in the field is that of a mid-fielder. "That is a very crucial position. You need to support the forward and safeguard the backwards—it is a tough management job," says Dr Narendranath, who started his career at MS Ramaiah Hospital in 1999 as an assistant hospital administrator.

He has participated in various leagues at the B and C level and romped home with many trophies. And even fracturing his fore-arm did not deter him. "Once I had bumped into another player while trying to strike the ball, and was flung into the air. I landed on my fore-arm and for months was left nursing the fractured arm," he reminiscences. His all-time favourite teams are Mohan Bagan and Manchester United. And once in a while to break the monotony of playing football, he dabbles with volleyball, cricket and basket ball. A voracious reader of management books, Jack Welch's autobiography 'Straight from the Gut' is among his list of favourites. Organisational books by Keith Davis, CK Prahalad's 'Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid' and Arindam Chaudhuri's 'Count your chickens before they hatch' feature among his other favourites. He is often found engrossed in spiritual books— a recent one being Deepak Chopra's SynchroDestiny.

His choice in music ranges from instrumental (mainly flute, which he can also play) to Carnatic classical music, his favourite singer being Jesudas. He loves escaping to hill stations. Coonoor near Ooty is his favourite haunt. A self-confessed gourmand, he gorges on all kinds of foods. Well, he can whip up some South Indian recipes too!

Despite the kiss of early success, he believes in simple living. "I am a true-blue South Indian, who believes in the pursuit of knowledge and staying away from a life of ostentation," he informs.

There is a socialist side to Dr Narendranath. His Saturdays and Sundays are devoted to philanthropic work. He is involved with the NGO Janosthava, which is working with child labour in the slums of Bangalore. He helps them with organising sports for the street kids, which involves buying sports gears for them, organising talks explaining the importance of sports, etc.

He also lends support to the NGO-ACWA, an organisation that helps poor women artists. His beautiful wife Shubha, who is an artist herself, works for the organisation. "I help them market their paintings," says he. He occasionally participates in free evening clinics organised by the NGO Snehayalaya. He never finds it difficult to juggle his professional life with his personal and social commitments. "I give time to everything and that is how I stay complete," he opines.

The Mixed Bag

Your best prize in life so far

That was three years back, when our Management felicitated and awarded me for my efforts at completing the 300-bed new hospital project. I was the secretary of the project. That was completely unexpected. I was ecstatic!

Your first day in school

I went to 'Saraswati Vidya Mandir' in Bangalore. I remember crying the entire day. I don't know why I cried though!

Your first ambition

I was not so sure that I wanted to become a doctor as a child. But I remember I wanted to become a complete man, one who is knowledgeable, talented and also kind-hearted.

Your first day at work

That was funny. When I joined as an assistant hospital administrator at Ramaiah Hospital, I did not have any specific table, chair or room to sit. I found a place in the HR department. No, I did not make a fuss about it. I believe that if the path is laid out for one, then one does not have any role to play. One needs to carve ones own path.

Your first promotion

That was two years after I joined the Hospital. I was promoted from assistant hospital administrator to deputy hospital administrator. Both the promotion and the hike in salary were unexpected.

The first time you fired somebody

That was expulsion of an ambulance driver, six years back. The driver used to take money from patients and not enter it in the records. He would embezzle the money.

The toughest decision you have taken

When I had to sign purchase orders worth Rs 25 crore and above for equipment. I was entirely responsible if the equipment was not delivered, it did not work, or dealers closed shop.

The best memory of your childhood

Going to Ramkrishna Math with my parents and participating in community sports, prayers, religious discourse and 'bhajans'. That taught me money is not everything in life. That's why today I work more for serving people than for money.

Your happiest moment

In 1999, when I got my first pay cheque of Rs 20,000. But as luck would have it, I used that money to buy flight tickets for a friend who needed to travel urgently. He never repaid me.

Three things that you cannot do without

Coffee (20 cups every day), good food and football.

One trait that you would like to change about yourself

Procrastination. I am making efforts to mend that habit of mine.

Your first vehicle

A second-hand Bullet Royal Enfield that I bought for Rs 6,000 in 1978 when I was a medical student. I still have that.

One parental advice that you remember

My father said, "Son you need to be kind and work for the poor". I always follow that. Today, I ensure that good care is given to patients at an affordable cost.

Rita Dutta