Time Out

The Quiz Master

From his first pay of Rs 2, Dr Sirangi Ramesh Babu (49) has come a long way. Now, the Medical Superintendent of Global Hospital and Health City, Chennai, he tells us why he loves to don the hat of a quiz master

It often happens that when one is in the comfort zone, circumstances forces one to come out of the cocoon of comfort to embark upon a different journey. How one responds to such a crisis decides the future course of one's life. Dr Ramesh Babu, Medical Superintendent, Global Hospital and Health City, Chennai experienced this many years ago as a Medical Officer in Ooty-based Hindusthan Photo Films, a public sector enterprise which produces Indu roll films.

"I was settled in Ooty in a comfortable job at Hindusthan Photo Films for over five years and wanted to stay there for the rest of my life- enjoying the magnificent beauty of the Nilgiris. But, slowly growth of Hindusthan Photo Films hit a plateau and hence my growth opportunity was also stifled," says the seasoned administrator. He was depressed about his bleak future, and also felt unsettled about the fact that he had to move out of Ooty in search of a better career leaving his family behind. But, he eventually mustered courage to leave his comfort zone and joined the 500-bed Meenakshi Mission Hospital (MMH), Madurai as the Medical Superintendent. That was a life-changing decision, a decision that paved the path of his future success. And that journey of learning that he embarked upon has since then not stopped even after 16 years.

Dr Ramesh's medical career kick-started by doing private practice in Ooty, after doing his MBBS from Stanley Medical College, Chennai in 1984. Wanting to get into administration, he enrolled for diploma in hospital administration at Apollo Hospital, Chennai. That turned out to be a trying time for Dr Ramesh Babu. "I had to sustain my family and also had to sponsor my education. I used to attend classes for a few days in Chennai and then rush back to Ooty to earn my living as a GP for the rest of the days. I used to study mainly while commuting from Chennai to Ooty," he remembers.

After this course, in1989 he joined Hindusthan Photo Films. He joined MMM in 1997.The next stop in 2001 was in 100-bed Apollo Hospital, Erode in Tamil Nadu. At MMH, he mainly focused on setting up quality standards. Then, in 2003, he went eastwards and took charge of Kalinga Hospital, Bhubaneshwar as the CEO. This job provided him a life-time opportunity of turning around the hospital. "I increased the occupancy rate from 40 to 75 per cent in a span of a year. It was the most satisfying experience of my career," he beams, serving there for a year.

His next halt was at Saumya Hospital, Vijaywada as the CEO and then at Vinayak hi-tech Hospital, Salem in 2004 as Executive Director. "Vinayak Hospital was unable to commission its facility for many years. Within three months, I appointed staff and opened the hospital with 100 beds. I am told that they have not added more beds since then," he informs. At this point, he also managed to do M Phil in Hospital & Health Systems Management at BITS, Pilani.

At this point of time, Dr Ramesh was once again approached by MMH to re-join. He agreed and joined as the Administrative Director at MMM. After working for two years at MMH, he wanted to pursue his long-cherished dream of setting up a hospital in Ooty. He wanted to be an entrepreneur and start a 100-bed multi-speciality hospital.

Dr Ramesh Babu with his family

"Ooty's healthcare facilities are a lot to be desired. It does not have a single hospital. The nursing homes do neither have an ICU, cardiology unit or dialysis facilities. As a Medical Officer at Hindusthan Photos when I had to accompany patients to hospitals at Coimbatore, which is around 100 kilometers from Ooty, it was disturbing to witness patients dying on the way," he explains.

The hospital project at Ooty had to be stalled after initiation because of credit crunch, the fallout of global recession. Not a person to be deterred by challenges, he decided to join Global Hospitals, Chennai. So, while he is based in Chennai, his wife Sandhya (43) and daughter Arthi (17) are based in Coimbatore. Arthi is studying BCom in Company Secretary-ship from GRD College, Coimbatore, while his son Siddharth (21) is pursuing MBA from Manipal University, Bangaluru. Though he has traversed the country to work in various hospitals, it's surprising that Dr Ramesh does not enjoy traveling a lot. "I travel only to meet my family and or take them out on holidays," he confesses.

What he rather loves is watching quiz programmes. Once in a while, he also happily dons the mantle of a quizmaster. "I have been quizmaster right from my college days and continue to do so in the hospitals that I work," he says. Quizzing, he insists, is an extension of his liking for public speaking. His favourite subjects are history and politics.

An avid reader of religious books, his favourite is 'Tirukkural' by Tiruvalluvar, which has a collection of 1,300 couplets dealing with every aspect of our lives. He also enjoys reading management books by Philip Cotler and Stephen Covey. His love for music is mainly for old Hindi movie songs by Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi. He loves to get lost in 'gazals' by Jagjit Singh and Pankaj Udhas.

The Mixed Bag

Your best prize in life so far

My family. As a kid having asthmatic attacks, my parents and my brothers had always protected me and shown me a lot of tender love and care. I am also glad that I have such a supportive and understanding wife, who takes care of our two children and home, while I am mostly away pursuing my career.

Your first day in school

It was a Montessori school in Chennai. I don't remember its name. I felt very lonely being packed away to school, far away from my family.

Your first ambition

To build a hospital. My father wanted me to be a doctor, while my mother thought I should be a collector. Today, I am blend of both my parents' wish- an administrator (he smiles).

Your first day at work

Immediately, after passing my MBBS, I was invited by a friend who was a doctor to assist him in his clinic. After an entire day of cleaning wounds, putting bandages and other such chores, I was paid Rs 2 only. I did not know how to react to that.

The first time you fired somebody

Not fired anyone, so far.

The toughest decision you have taken

To move out of my birthplace Ooty. And I must thank a wise man for this decision. During one of the sessions on motivation and spirituality in Hindusthan Photo Films, I came across an aged man who came there as a speaker. When I lamented about how unhappy I felt about my stagnant career and the fact that I have to move out of Ooty, he advised me never to feel settled in life as one becomes useless when one settles down. This wise man advised me to be always on the move. That night itself I called up Dr N Sethuraman, Chairman, MMH and accepted the job offer of Medical Superintendent there.

Your happiest moment

Wherever I work, I always try to lighten the atmosphere of the place by humour and jokes. Ones workplace should not be too serious.

Three things you can not do without

My spectacle as I am myopic, my inhaler to safeguard against any asthmatic attack and my mobile as my hospital and my family need to be in touch with me.

One trait that you would like to change about yourself

That I naively trust a lot of people and get betrayed by many.

Your first vehicle

A black-coloured Honda City. My family uses that car. Though I know to drive, I don't drive. I prefer using a driver.

One parental advice that you remember

That I can realise my dreams.

Rita Dutta