D.R. Nagaraj

D.R. Nagaraj
CEO: NMS HR Solutions, Bangalore & Adviser: Corporate Relations

1. Introduction about your job/career, define your career? 
NMS (Nagaraj Management Services) providestotal  HR Solutions and has its operations in India and also in ME. Has over 35 years of varied experience. Clients spread over India, Dubai, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Colombia, Malaysia and Bangkok.

2. Qualification required for this job:
MSW (Then DSSA from NISS, Bangalore)

3. Personal qualification/skills required for this job?

• Good Communication 
• Public Relations Skills. 
• Through professional approach – No Nepotism, casteeism, language or parochial feelings. 
• Open an broad mined approach

4. Best aspect of this job
Meeting and understanding different people

5. Challenging aspects of this job:
Uncertainty  of business and disruptive technology and processes

6. Your achievement:

• Over forty years of consulting experience 
• Continuous self –development and training)
• Becoming Chairman of KAPSW, 
• Achieving the position of NIPM-Karnataka Chapter 
• Becoming National President of NIPM (Perhaps the youngest President in those days)

7. Your secret of success in your career
Selflessness, complete devotion to my jobs, micro comprehension;
human relations, large scale even organising capability ability to interact with the least and highest persons;

8. Give some interesting accounts of your academic/education days:
Organised trips for fellow HR professionals to TISCO Jamshedpur, met senior professionals from social work  field like Dr. MV Murthy, Prof. SK Ramachandra Rao etc. 
Field work at Devine School for Blind (Taught the blind children with high level of commitment, Organised an Orchestra programme of blind students and arranged a Show by them at Bangalore Town Hall)

9. How did you plan your career?
It happened on its own: But made use of the opportunity I got. Starting my career at MICO was a golden opportunity since I learnt there systematic working, the concept of excellence, discipline at work etc.

10. Describe your experience of your first day at work in your first job?
It was not too happy: I am theatre persons; that I had to ensure a play needed to be staged at National College. Evening I came straight for my work at MICO, to National College and I was arranging stage, lighting, Curtains etc., I fell down from the steps of the ladder and fractured my right hand; Next day I went to meet my Boss and explained my condition to him; he was so gracious and kind - he told me to take it easy and when comfortable come to work. I started to attend to my work after about four days with plaster on and it was really embarrassing but an unforgettable experience. 
Bosses in those days were made of different metal. They were Gurus, teachers and highly understanding individuals. My Bosses Mr. MVA Raja and Mr. VN Gopinath were excellent human beings; I owe my current stature in the HR field because of their encouragement and support.

11. Your major achievements:
I have listed above:
Besides I have organised over ten national & regional level HR conferences and the first ever young Pex Competition, One National Social Work Conference, first E-HR Conference (When I was the President of NHRD Bangalore Chapter).
Presented Papers at Tokyo, Jakarta and Malaysia IR & HR Conferences:
Offered training programmes and handled HR projects at Kuwait, Dubai, Ajman, Muscat, Thailand, Sri Lanka etc.,
I have also authored and co-authored three books on HR.

12. Being a leader what do you think you possess as a leader that sets you apart from other leaders?
I am a compassionate person and understand what others expect from me. 

• I am able to work all the details in a project when I assume leadership of the Project. I can see the end in the beginning;
• I plan effectively what needs to be done and when and by whom;
• I am highly disciplined person and expect the same from my team members

13. How as a leader you go about developing yourself today?
Today things have changed and people are different; They have different capabilities but most of them are not serious in pursuit of their careers or in the projects they handle. Most of them take a casual approach. This makes me feel sad and at the same time difficult to achieve results from any project. Of course people face different kinds of problems today and their priorities have widened and changed. But the seriousness and focus has diluted and to that extent leaders role has become difficult

14. What keeps you passionate about social work?
Theinitial training given by our professors when we were studying DSSA has really influenced us to look at social work profession from a professional perspective. It has also created a new enthusiasm in us to grasp the real objectives of professional social work which is different from social service (which is purely voluntary and unsystematic).

15. What are your ambitions for the next phase in your life/career?
Since I have reached the other side of Seventy, I carry no dreams now. But if given an opportunity I wish to open a first class charitable old age home for senior citizens and a residential school for village and rural children and ensure they become world class citizens when the grow up.  Let me tell you this is only a dream since today I feel I have nether the resources nor do I possess the physical stamina to sustain and ensure the dream become a reality.

16. Your reading:
I read all books but book on modern technology, robotics, humour interest me more.

17. What are your interest/hobbies?
Now Walking, playing with Grand Children. Otherwise theatre and HR is my passion.

18. Family:
My wife Vishalskhi, an ever enthusiastic person. Appreciates all new things and tries to adopt them. She is very friendly. We are blessed with one son and one daughter. Both married. Our son has two young daughters .

19. Tips for aspiring professionals social workers:
Be serious in you pursuits, Listen to elders with lot of experience, read books in the field and update continually. Be human always. God has created us to share our might with those who suffer.

20. Bitter experience in your career:
I forget such experiences because it is not worth remembering them. I am an optimist and like to be happy always.