Sivakumar. R

by- N.C.Mohandoss & Dr.B.Devipriya

- Mr. Sivakumar Ramanathan, the Financial Controller of Wataniya telecom, Kuwait, is hailing from Chennai, says, his inspiration in his life is his father Mr. E.V. Ramanathan, an IAS officer, who has worked in various cadres for the State Government. After his retirement, he had also served for Human Rights Commission of India and also has received the Indian President's award for serving 0ver 50years in Government service.

Sivakumar, a graduate in Commerce from Madras Christian College, completed his Chartered Accountancy through NCR and started his career at Globe Steels Co. Ltd., Chennai in 1993. Later, joined with a Dubai based multinational company in Bangalore 'Pointec Pens'. A manufacturer of stick ball point pens branded as 'ALBA' in collaboration with Italian company ALBA SRL. Then, he joined Ballarpur Industries Ltd (BILT), one of the major producers of Paper in India, a L.M. Thapar Group of Companies and has worked in Bhopal for their Food & Agri Business Division.

The Mobile Telecom industry (GSM) was up coming in India during the year 1997, Sivakumar entered into the telecom field through Spice Telecom for a position with MADACOM in Madagascar, AFRICA when they got the license in 1998. Sivakumar took his job as a challenge as the country is a French Colony and he was the only Indian in the company, has worked with multi nationalities. It was a great experience in handling Accounts maintained in French language, and also handled Billing, Revenue Assurance, Collections & Credit Control, Treasury, etc.

Madagascar, being an economically backward country, Sivakumar was exposed to a totally different kind of lifestyle and environment. Those 4 years in Madagascar has given him immense satisfaction and has been a rewarding experience as well as a breakthrough in his career. After a brief stint with Spice Telecom and Hutchison Telecom in Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively, he moved to Kuwait to join Wataniya Telecom as a Finance manager in 2005 and moved up the ladder to presently working as Acting CFO.

Wataniya telecom (KIPCO Group) has merged with Q-Tel {Qatar Telecom} in April, 2007 and has become a global company. With about 1.2 million subscribers in Kuwait and has operations in Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Maldives. Wataniya group as a whole has 7 M subscribers as of Q2, 2007.

Though Sivakumar comes across as a soft-spoken and a simple person, he makes no compromises when it comes to the job front. He is a hard working, ambitious, meticulous in his jobs and he is friendly with his subordinates, at the same time guides them and makes them in achieving great heights with Wataniya. Currently, he is pursuing for CPA qualification. He recharges his energy by watching Cricket and listening to music. His goal is to reach the top management position to manage the show of a business.

His better half, Mrs. Nalina, a post graduate in Commerce, hailing from South India's Manchester, is a good homemaker and is very supportive. Listening to music is her passion. The family life in Madagascar has made her to determine that we should help needy and deserving people wherever in the world. It was a sad scene that many Malagasy people were not even aware of the usage of soaps and shampoos and she joined the Ladies Wing of Embassy of various countries to promote basic hygiene in their life and also helped them in learning English.

The family serves for the Anand Ashram, Udavum Karangal and the Blind schools in India.
The couple is blessed with 2 daughters, Abinaya and Sankhya studying in Delhi Public School (FAIPS) in 6th and 3rd Standard respectively. Both are learning music and arts.