Early Life and Education
Venu Srinivasan was born on December 11, 1952, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is the grandson of T. V. Sundaram Iyengar, the founder of the TVS Group. His educational journey began at Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai. He pursued a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from Madras University in 1974. He then went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Management from Purdue University in the USA in 1977. He has also received honorary doctorates from Purdue University, the University of Warwick, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur.
Rise to Success
Srinivasan's career took off when he became the CEO of Sundaram-Clayton, the holding company of TVS Motor Company, in 1979. Under his leadership, TVS Motor Company grew to become the third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India. His strategic vision included implementing Total Quality Management (TQM), a Japanese method of process-driven manufacturing, which significantly improved the company's operations. He shut down the factory for three months to address labor issues and then upgraded plant machinery and invested in new technologies. Srinivasan's focus on quality and innovation led TVS Motor Company to win the Deming Application Prize in 2002.
Key Business Strategies
Venu Srinivasan is known for his hard work, persistence, and belief in self. He pioneered the TQM concept, focusing on excellence and quality. His management style and organizational practices are among the best in terms of quality, sustainability, and efficiency. He is also credited with scripting a turnaround for TVS Motor Company, upgrading plant machinery, and implementing new technologies.
Philanthropy
Srinivasan is involved in philanthropy through Srinivasan Services Trust (SST), which works in 5,000 villages in India, focusing on education, healthcare, infrastructure, and community development. In 2023, he introduced the "TVS Cheema Scholarship," a ₹100 crore fund to support 500 engineering students annually.