The Happiness Road: ‘Being qualitative is my idea of happiness’

Krishna makes it sound easy. Sundram Fasteners is over 50-years-old. In all this time, there has been no labour unrest in the company, and it is a torch-bearer for world-class quality in Indian industry. At 80 Krishna, however, does not count either of these measures as achievements. He says, “Our quality focus, value system of transparency, work culture — all these are mere tools. What makes me really happy is that our employees and their families are leading wholesome lives.” Krishna says, thanks to his mother Ambujam Krishna, he showed interest in music, painting, poetry and was naturally inclined to the arts and humanities. When he finished college, he was drafted into the family business to independently set up Sundram Fasteners. “I knew nothing about nuts and bolts. But I learned fast. I soon realised that whether it is listening to music or reviewing manufacturing, the resonance from both sides is the same. There has to be quality in both. And being qualitative is my idea of happiness,” says Krishna. 

Krishna’s father taught him, early on, the value of being content. “He used to tell me that you can’t wear two shirts or ride in two cars at the same time. So, that’s how I learned not to take life seriously. I don’t work for more than 10 hours a day. In fact, no one can work efficiently if they work any longer – it doesn’t matter if you are leading a small business or a large empire. To be happy, you must work smart.” Working smart, to Krishna, means making time for music, poetry. For instance, he has completed a year-long exploration of the poetic, linguistic and spiritual nuances of the Thiruppavai. He has written 50 poems in English that he will never publish. “I felt happy writing them. That happiness is deeply personal and priceless.” 

Clearly, Krishna’s ability to do all that which makes him happy does not come with age alone. It comes from a deep understanding of the transient nature of life. 

The writer is a life coach, happiness curator and author of Fall Like A Rose Petal. You can reach him through his blog avisviswanathan.wordpress.com