A good article on Anu Aga of Thermax

Posted on Indian Express

In 1996, when Anu Aga took over as Executive Chairperson of the Pune-based Thermax Group after the sudden demise of her husband Rohinton Aga, she wasn’t really ready, having done only a stint with Human Resources. But she had two choices: either to compare herself with her husband, focus on her limitations and feel small or to be herself and do her best.

With a lot of fear and sadness and no excitement whatsoever, Anu Aga took up the challenge. A year later, there was another tragedy —her 25-year-old son died in an accident. But putting the pain behind her, she did her best. And more. Today, Thermax, the energy and environment major, is a Rs 538-crore company, having turned around after some very difficult years. When even the employees had lost the faith.

It’s perhaps fitting in the scheme of things that in her last year as Chairperson — she turns 62 in September and will most likely hand over the baton to daughter Meher Pudumjee (now vice-chairperson) — she is being honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award at the Financial Express’ Women in Business Awards.
She, of course, thanks everyone else for it: “I am the recipient, but the credit goes to many people in the organisation who have done a remarkable job of turning around the company. My family who have been always there for me, my husband who helped me grow into a career person. I may be the person to receive it, but I honestly believe the award belongs to Thermax.”

So, is Thermax where she wants it to be? No. “I would always want something more than where we are... for there’s no destination, it’s a journey”. In this journey, Thermax may have earned the right to exist today, but there’s a long way to go. “I am sure my daughter, who is a very value-based person, will do a fine job of taking us wherever we need to go.”

Thermax takes corporate social responsibility very seriously. Since last year, it has been putting in 1 per cent of its profit after tax for the community. It is a caring organisation, committed to the cause. In fact, Anu Aga, who raised her voice against the Gujarat riots, is still very unhappy with governance. She says though India has done economically well, there’s creation of wealth but very little distribution. And she’s pained at what’s happening to the Satyendra Dubeys of the world or to communal harmony or to the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute or to the IIMs...

Anu Aga’s also passionate about social work. And reading and travelling. She will try and fit all of it in her retirement plans. A host of people want her on their boards, but then she wants to take a year or two to look around at different NGOs of her interest (women’s issues, children) and maybe even compile a book, and then decide where to give her energies.

Among the books that mean a lot to her - she loves to underline favourite passages - are Charles Handy’s The Empty Raincoat: Making sense of the future; Ricardo Semler’sMaverick (an incredible book about how a 25-year-old turned around his company in Brazil through innovative practices), Hugh Prather’s Spiritual Notes to Myself...

Everyone has two sides to themselves, the ordinary and the extraordinary. During the hour-long conversation, we get a glimpse of the extraordinary self of Anu Aga, who pushes herself and takes no rest till she’s given her best. But has she always been this tough at heart? Yes, and meditation - now she does 10 minutes of pranayam too, besides vipashana - has done the rest