Amazing Goals – Example of a friend “Murli Nair”

by Satish Nair
(Jodhpur, India)

This is not a story, this is actual, the person i am mentioning here is a friend of mine, he was a locale of my place.
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“If you want to become the Prime Minister of the country in 5 years, at least you must be a Member of Legislative Assembly by one year”– on day my friend Murli Nair said, he is a friend of mine and CEO of an IT enabled service firm at Dubai.

The above is a quote of a friend of mine, though he in fact did not mean to become a prime minister, he meant to become someone different than ordinary. However this quote is relevant to all situations and to all people. It reminds us that we have to have a well set goals to nurture, let us surge ahead to the top, a mentor to guide us and above all it should be our aspiration, for which we should put our all out efforts to get it fulfilled. The goals may be vary from person to person and situation to situation, however everybody have to have goals and we, of course, have to employ our mental and physical efforts to achieve them shortly or later on, otherwise we are like a harbored ship on the dock, though the ship is not at all made for the purpose.

This is factual narrative of a friend of mine, named Murli Nair. He was a pal of mine in my teenage, he was from an affluent family and at that time (around 25 years ago) his two brothers were working in Middle East for last 30 years. He borne and brought up in Mumbai, where his parents were employed and later on along with his parents was shifted from Mumbai to Trichur (my hometown), when his parents retired from their respective services. He had no problem in switching over to a different and new environment. He completed his secondary and senior secondary schooling with ease and excellently well with 80% and 85% marks respectively, however the problem began once he went for his college education. Actually he selected a college, where everybody wants to go at least once (I desperately wanted, but could not), a college remembered for its culture, sports and above all its academic. Since he was shifted from Mumbai, he always intended to play cricket, I can say he was really mad at cricket. As he was an ardent fan of Cricket, after the completion of senior secondary schooling, he joined a summer coaching camp and started to train religiously, this reaches in such a state that he only thinks, eats and drinks cricket. Since being an excellent batsman and wicket keeper, he became a regular of his college team, after six months he was selected for Central Zone and then that year itself he had been selected for University and for two years he was an integral part of the University team. He was such a good batsman that once he scored 24 runs from an over, you ask what is special in scoring 24 runs from an over; he guided every ball of that particular over to the fence (6 balls X 4 runs).

However, there is another side of this laurels, accolades and applauds, as being a BSc student (subjects : Mathematics, Physics and chemistry), he should have been concentrated on his studies as well, attending the practical classes, lectures etc., however due to a regular absentee, he got scolded by his professor that either he has to attend the classes regularly or opt for playing cricket instead. The professor also warned him that he would not be allowed to sit next year in his class. His parents were also informed this, he censured to go to college, apart from his playing cricket, no studies, no cricket. He seek the advice of his friends (including me), we suggested him to shift the subject from Mathematics and Science to History or Politics or something else, so that he can pass the exams without practical and with ease. However his parents did not buy this idea, as they wanted him to be an Engineer and follow the foot steps of his brothers. As a result, he was sidelined. Inspite of his condition, not enough money, no support, he somehow managed to graduate.

After completing his graduation, he had no idea as to what to do, since no bright future in front of him, he decided to run away from his home, especially to Mumbai and try his luck there, he boarded the train to Mumbai. He has got some friends there, when he was there at Mumbai. Since all the friends were know him due to his parents, his parents proactively advised them to not to support him, but a fellow showed some sympathy on him and allowed him to stay with him for a month only. He needed a job urgently and he started his all out search. After so many days, he saw an advt. in the newspaper that needed sales representatives to prop up their brands, he initially was dejected to the idea, however he need a job anyhow, he attended the walk-in interview and could get the selection (he was a smart guy). He spent around 2 years there and by the time, the company decided to send some guys to Dubai for some promotional work, luckily he was also one of them. During his stay at Dubai, there he met a Malayali girl, who was a class mate of him, obviously they became friends. She was working in a bank and she informed him that there was an opening in the bank, as they are introducing a new branch for enhancement of their operations in the Middle East; with her religious efforts he got the opportunity, though on contract basis for one year. He worked hard and in the mean time he also started to study for an MBA from a UK University. After one year, the contract has been extended for another year and then again for another year, by then he earned his MBA and fortunately he got his permanent job with the same bank.

The story end here if we assume that they got married, they have two kids and lived happily ever after, however he had a goal, to be become somebody than ordinary and he had to achieve the goal. One day, while traveling, inadvertently he met his nephew, this is the first time he met any of his relatives, though exchange of communication with his parents were always there, he says what happened earlier was a bad patch in his life. His nephew got the MCA graduation and since his parents were working in Dubai for 25 long years, he has enough money. Murli informed him about his plans to set up a business and his nephew also agreed to this idea (as he was also searching for such a partner), they started a small concern for IT solutions, and the time went by it grows well, as that was a period of IT Boom and they got enough opportunities in Africa and Canada. My friend handled the situation excellently well and with the help of luck and acumen, their firm grew beyond their expectation and he became one of the CEOs of the firm.

Now the situation is such that whenever I mail him, I get the reply after a week or may be after a month, saying that he was at Nairobi, Durban, Las Vegas, London or the places, the names I rarely heard, seems a high flying executive. I only could meet him once/twice at Kerala and he in the same friendly disposition as we were having earlier, however I have to take care, as I fear that if I accept anything from him, it would ruin our friendship. I always declined to his any of the invitations, saying that I am busy in this or that. When I leave him I just think about the old days and his quote “If you want to become the Prime Minister of the country, you at least a Member of Legislative Assembly now”, I could only smile at that and in my mind, I wish him good luck for his advancement to become one of the best and great entrepreneurs at least in my home town.

He had a goal and after a long torment, hard work, enthusiasm, he could have achieved the goal.