A reflection of the life and times of Dr. A Besant C Raj (PGP1966) by Mr. Reuben Raj [PGP 1983]
Dr. A Besant C Raj, a PGP of the 1st batch of IIM Ahmedabad, passed away peacefully at his home in Chennai on March 12th, 2018 at the age of 85.
He is survived by his wife Dr. (Mrs.) Amirtha Besant Raj, his three children: Irene (Ph.D., Indiana University 1991), Reuben (PGP IIMA 1983), and Irwin (PGP IIMC 1989), their spouses, and seven grandchildren.
Dr. Besant Raj had a deep interest in education. Prior to attending IIMA, he completed a Master’s degree in Philosophy from Madras University and a Master’s degree in Psychology from Banaras Hindu University. After graduating from IIMA, Dr. Besant Raj continued his education at Harvard University where he received a Doctorate in Business Administration in Finance in 1971.
As he was very keen to contribute to the progress of the Indian economy, he returned to India to pursue his career. He initially worked at the National Institute of Bank Management in Mumbai and then moved to the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) Hyderabad where he rose rapidly to become the Director of Studies. In 1979, he established Besant Raj Consultants in Chennai. Given its expanded activities, the consultancy organization later became Besant Raj International Ltd.
Dr. Besant Raj was one of India’s leading Management consultants, with expertise in Financial Management and Corporate Planning. Given his background in Psychology, he was also an expert in Human Relations. He is the author of six books on Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Financial Management and Economics. He was an advisor to many governmental and non-governmental organizations, including IDBI, ICRA, and CARE. He served on the boards of several large private- and public-sector companies such as Lakshmi Mills, Tamil Nadu Petro Products Ltd. and Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers.
As a teacher and corporate trainer, many generations of students and course participants fondly remember him and his teachings. He was blessed with the ability to teach the most complex of subjects in a way that a layman would understand. He even developed finance programs for clergy and educational administrators.
He has been closely associated with many educational institutions including the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Development Banking of IDBI and was the co-founder and Chancellor of ICFAI and ICFAI University, Hyderabad. For the last 20 years of his active career, he was the Chairman of the Board of Madras Christian College in Chennai (his alma mater). It was a source of great pride to give back to the institution that set him on his road to success.
He was motivated, determined, disciplined, and willing to share his wisdom with others. A regular churchgoer, among his finest qualities, was his spontaneous generosity to those who needed assistance. With his many acts of kindness, Dr. Besant Raj touched the lives of family, friends, and even complete strangers.
Dr. Besant Raj’s larger-than-life presence will be missed by his family, friends, and associates.
