User:Subbu.krishnan/sandbox

Verghese K Jacob is an Electronics Engineer, with an MBA in Marketing and Finance from XLRI, Jamshedpur in 1979. Verghese has over 44 years of corporate and social sector experience. He is  a leading figure in India’s social impact sector.

Verghese worked for over 20 years for the Godrej group of companies, one of the largest industrial groups in India, handling multifunctional assignments such as Head of Marketing of Industrial Products, Head of Machine tools division, Group Vice President (HRD), CEO of a Joint Venture, etc.

After moving on from Godrej in the late nineties, Verghese has been active in the social sector, guiding many charitable Foundations and social enterprises. He is still involved in the corporate sector with a few companies as a Director and Mentor. He also actively guides the CSR programs of some corporates.

As the Chief Integrator of Byrraju Foundation for the last several years, Verghese spearheads one of India’s largest NGOs focused on rural transformation. Byrraju Foundation has adopted 200 villages and runs several programs in rural healthcare, education, literacy, livelihoods, women empowerment, drinking water, waste management and digital empowerment, impacting over two million people. Verghese is also a Six Sigma Master Black Belt. In fact, Byrraju Foundation became the first NGO in the world to champion Six Sigma methodologies in 2003.

Byrraju Foundation and Verghese were actively involved in incubating 108, the most advanced emergency management initiative in the country, and also 104, a state-of-the-art technology-driven health helpline cum mobile clinic program. Both 108 and 104 now have scaled across India and are ideal examples of successful public-private partnerships.

Verghese played a key role in protecting the downtrodden segments and creating one of the best Customer Helplines in the country for microfinance customers of a leading NBFC, serving over 70 lakh borrowers.

Verghese actively supports many other social causes and organizations across India. He is the Founder and Trustee of the Hyderabad-based Care for Your Kidney Foundation, which focuses on awareness and prevention of kidney failures. He is also the founder trustee of the Foundation for Capacity Building for Science (FCBS), which promotes science education in Kerala colleges in a big way. He also mentors MEHAC, which is the premier NGO for community-based Mental Health programs in Kerala.

Verghese played a key role in Rebuild Kerala Mission, during the floods of 2018, mobilizing resources and rehabilitating many affected people, including building many new houses.

Verghese serves as an Independent Director on the board of Malayala Manorama group company MMTV, one of the largest media houses in the country. He also guides the CSR programs of IBS, a leading business group in Kerala. He is also a Director on the board of Share Microfin, India’s pioneering Microfinance organization.

Verghese is now actively involved in the new technology cum knowledge start-up, Brane Enterprises, which has patented a revolutionary new concept, replacing programming languages with Natural Solutions Language (NSL). NSL solutions are being implemented fully in the Byrraju Foundation, which serves as a CoE for helping many other NGOs implement these solutions on a pro-bono basis. These solutions are also being rolled out to other Not-for-profit Organizations.

Verghese was one of the founders of Cochin Round Table and later served as Chairman of Bombay Round Table, where his passion for social causes found expression.

Verghese has also served as a member of several CII National Councils, such as HR, Quality, CSR, and NGO forums. He has also served on the Andhra Pradesh CM’s Task Force for Rural Development, as the sole NGO member.

Verghese’s mission in life is to make many NGOs and the Indian social sector much more efficient and increase their impact by enabling them to incorporate the latest management and technology innovations from other sectors. In 2008, Computerworld, USA, awarded him the Tech Laureate award at their annual award ceremony at Carnegie Hall in Washington, DC.

Verghese is a keen tennis and bridge player and has played both games at the national level. He has overcome many health crises in the last 24 years and still leads a very active life despite undergoing two kidney transplants, heart surgery, and many other close calls.

His motto is “Never say die, till you really die”.

Key Highlights

Background and Personal Life:


 * An Electronics engineer with an MBA from XLRI.
 * A well-respected leader in both the corporate and social sectors.
 * Enthusiast in tennis and bridge at the national level.
 * Supported and nurtured by a loving family, including his wife, Sunita, and daughter, Roshni.
 * He exemplifies resilience and gratitude, crediting his family for his health and vitality.

Career:    


 * Academic Phase: Transitioned seamlessly from engineering to business education, valuing the broadened perspective it offered.
 * Corporate Phase:
 * Accumulated diverse experiences over 20 years, spanning sales, marketing, manufacturing, and joint ventures.
 * Held senior roles at the Godrej group, including CEO of a joint venture.
 *  Social Sector Phase:
 * Transitioned to social work, starting with the Byrraju Foundation in the early 2000s.
 * Under his leadership, the foundation focused on rural development, targeting villages where the majority of the population lived below the poverty line.
 * Advocated for partnerships between government, corporates, and NGOs to enhance rural development and reduce poverty.
 * Believes in utilizing technology, especially digital advancements, to scale and amplify the impact of NGOs.

Philosophy & Views:    


 * Highlights the difference between the corporate and social sectors, emphasizing empathy and the heart over pure intellect in the latter.
 * Stresses the need for economic, social, environmental, and digital considerations in rural transformation.
 * Strong proponent of Six Sigma and its application for NGOs, exemplified by its adoption at Byrraju.
 * Encourages alternative sources of revenue for nonprofits, as showcased by his leadership at the Not-Profit Business Unit (NPBU) of Brane.
 * Believes motivation in the social sector should be purpose-driven, focusing on the larger goal of serving the underprivileged.
 * Advocates for the importance of coaching and training in the social sector, highlighting the potential benefits for both trainers and trainees.
 * Sees personal contribution to the social sector as a blend of monetary support, time, and skill-sharing.
 * Emphasizes gratitude, a positive attitude, and fortitude as life's key principles.
 * Observes a contrast in happiness and contentment between the simplicity of the rural poor and the often-unsatisfied urban populace.

Final Thoughts:    


 * Despite numerous health setbacks, Mr. Verghese embraces every day with gratitude and purpose.
 * He draws strength from his family and sees challenges as opportunities.
 * For him, the measure of a life well-lived isn't in personal accolades but in the impact made on others and the joy derived from service.