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N Vittal, former Central Vigilance Commissioner, presenting the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to M K Raju, chairman, M K  Raju Consultants Private Limited, in Chennai recently.

        The 'Lifetime Achievement Award' was conferred upon M K Raju, chairman, M K Raju Consultants Private Limited, at the final session of the 13th national convention of The Institute of Management Consultants of India, dedicated to the theme 'Indian companies going global, challenges and opportunities' held here recently.

        M K Raju, now over 80 years old, has been an eminent management consultant for nearly 35 years. Earlier as a corporate executive, he had hands on experience in the field of corporate management at all levels for more than 25 years. Thus in all, he has dedicated himself to the field of management for nearly six decades.

        N Vittal, former Central Vigilance Commissioner, delivered the valedictory address and extolled the qualities of head and heart of M K Raju as a management consultant.

        While presenting the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' to M K Raju, N Vittal aptly stated: 'Professionalism and leadership are intertwined with integrity and the right consultant is one who has hands on experience and brings that knowledge for the benefit of others. M K Raju is a definition of what leadership and professionalism means'.

        As a former civil servant, I am fully aware of M K Raju's contribution to the management movement in the country which has been phenomenal and legendary.

        He has been actively associated with several management associations in India for nearly three decades and thanks to his dynamism and untiring efforts, the gospel for good management got percolated through all the labyrinthine layers and sectors of the Indian economy.

        In his capacity as president of the Madras Management Association, he introduced the 'M M A Business Leadership Award' in 1969 which was the first of its kind in the country.

        J R D Tata was the first recipient of the award. As president of the All India Management Association, M K Raju was responsible for organising the first National Management Convention in New Delhi in 1971 with more than 1000 participants, which was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi.

        It will not be an exaggeration to say that this initiative of M K Raju set the tone, tenor and the pace for management development in India.

        What accounts for M K Raju's exemplary success as a management consultant? In my view, what counts most in the long haul of adult life is not brilliance, or derring-do, or charisma, but rather the quality that the great Romans called 'Gravitas'.

        The prime virtue is moral courage, because it makes all other virtues possible. M K Raju has been a man of great moral courage in the field of management and he seems to whisper into our ears: 'knowledge is proud that it knows so much; wisdom is humble that it knows no more'. No one can doubt that M K Raju is a man of unique management wisdom.