Jack of all trades

HARISH HARIDAS, WHO HAS BEEN RECOGNISED FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION AS A U. K.- INDIA YOUNG LEADER. HE TALKS ABOUT THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF HIS LIFE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, KEEN TRAVELLER, SPORTS ENTHUSIAST AND HIS LOVE FOR SALSA

He may be under 35 but that has not stopped Harish Haridas, a native of Trivandrum, Kerala from earning a significant laurel that has no doubt done his country proud. He has been recognised for his contribution as a UK- India Young Leader and has been identified as a leader who could contribute significantly to enhancing UK- India ties and in particular in relation to his community and public engagement with the British South Indian Chamber of Commerce. The Young Leaders Forum was held recently at the De Vere, Latimer Estate in Buckinghamshire alongside the 5th annual UK- India Leadership Conclave 2018.

Harish is also an alumnus of Oxford University and a portfolio entrepreneur with business interests and several years of wide- ranging international corporate experience ranging from investment management, investment consulting to private equity.

Born in Trivandrum, Harish went to Loyola school and moved to London at age 18. Harish explains the move, “I decided to move to London as I always wanted an international exposure to gain a broader understanding of how the world works and how economies operate. Economics gives you a broad background and provides exposure to various skill sets that can be used in several areas.”

His father Padma Shri Dr K. P. Haridas had done along stint in the UK from 1974 to 1980 and was an inspiration. Harish adds,” Despite being a career veteran, he never forced me to do medicine.” The move to London was also an eye- opener in terms of the good points that the UK system followed. He elaborates, “Both systems have its pros and cons. In terms of good points — UK system allows for a lot of opportunities for one to be creative and to selfassess. We are always taught to be independent thinkers. And unlike the Indian system of education, it is not prescriptive. Also, you are given the choice to move into a wide range of careers — not just medicine and engineering. One could do an undergraduate degree in English literature and still go into a career in banking, so the mobility to move into different career options is available. There are also so many avenues to pursue from art, literature, media industry, business et al.”

His success mantra is ‘ if you don’t like how the table is set, turn over the table’. Elaborating on this, he shares, “It is important sometimes to choose an unconventional path. The path of least resistance for me would have been to pursue the career chosen by my parents. Choosing a different path, allowed me the opportunity to work towards an international career, pursue education from the University of Oxford — one of the best universities in the world.”

But that's not all to Harish, he is passionate about his pet project mobD which focuses on providing patient care at home. He explains, “This platform — mobD — is dedicated to senior citizens who lack mobility and require care at home. Our aim is to be a healthcare concierge service. We support not only the elderly but also report back to their children who are abroad and keep them fully engaged in their parents well being. I believe in being involved in a business that has a social purpose and ensures that we are solving real problems. There needs to be a strong social and environmental purpose to everything we do,” he states.

Amidst all the hustle-bust le, Haridas makes sure he takes time out for himself and his family.

And the best way to do that is travelling. Till date, he has travelled close to 30 countries now and even his son Roshan was born while he attended a wedding in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “He is also known as Rio,” laughs Haridas, who a keen enthusiast of sports, especially basketball, cricket and tennis. Wait, there is more — he is a semi- professional salsa dancer. “I also enjoy Latin and Ballroom dancing,” concludes Haridas.

I believe in being involved in a business that has a social purpose and ensures that we are solving real problems — HARISH HARIDAS