In a recent announcement, the renowned edtech company Think and Learn, recognized for its Byju's brand, revealed that founder Byju Raveendran will now take on the mantle of overseeing the firm's day-to-day activities following the resignation of CEO Arjun Mohan. This significant transition coincides with a substantial restructuring initiative within the organization, which involves streamlining its operations into three key divisions: The Learning App, Online Classes and Tuition Centers, and Test Prep.
The decision to enact these changes comes after a thorough seven-month evaluation of operations and cost-saving measures led by outgoing BYJU'S India CEO Arjun Mohan. In this new phase, Byju Raveendran will assume a more hands-on approach in steering the company's daily functions.
Against this backdrop, let's explore how the Edtech Magnate was a visionary as a child and learn his path to perfection.
Born in 1980 in the coastal village of Azhikode, 7 km north of Kannur in North Kerala, Byju Raveendran hailed from a family of educators. His parents, Raveendran and Shobhanavalli, both taught at the local government school, where Malayalam was the language of instruction. Raveendran's early education took place in this familiar environment, where his inquisitive nature and affinity for mathematics became evident. He would often indulge in counting everything around him, even predicting the speed of a train by tallying electric poles.
Transitioning to S.N. College, Kannur, for his pre-university studies marked a significant step in Raveendran's educational journey. Despite his rural upbringing, he displayed a remarkable knack for questioning and problem-solving through mathematics. Alongside his academic pursuits, Raveendran developed a passion for sports, preferring the outdoors to the confines of the classroom. Despite frequent complaints from teachers about his truancy, his parents supported his love for sports, allowing him the freedom to explore and play to his heart's content. This blend of academic curiosity and athletic enthusiasm laid the foundation for Raveendran's future endeavors.
Raveendran immersed himself in a variety of sports during his school years, from table tennis to cricket to football, absorbing life lessons along the way. He attributes his fluency in spoken English to hours spent listening to sports commentary on the radio. His rapid speech, characteristic of many Malayalam speakers, likely stems from this exposure.
Through sports, Raveendran honed skills like teamwork, concentration, controlled aggression, and performing under pressure. Academics took a backseat as he focused on his athletic pursuits, although he maintained solid grades despite occasional tardiness. Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, he faced the familiar pressure to choose between medicine and engineering. Despite his parents' wishes for him to become a doctor, Raveendran opted for engineering to maintain time for sports, rejecting the demanding schedule of medical studies.
Graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering from Government Engineering College, Kannur, in 2000, Raveendran entered the workforce as a service engineer for a shipping firm in 2001. His journey reflects a deliberate choice to balance his passion for sports with his career aspirations, demonstrating a commitment to both personal fulfillment and professional success.
Two years later, during a vacation in his hometown, Raveendran's life took an unexpected turn. A group of friends approached him for help in preparing for the Common Admissions Test (CAT), the gateway to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). Though initially hesitant, Raveendran decided to take the test for the fun of it. Remarkably, out of the twelve friends who sat for the exam, four successfully cleared it. Raveendran himself achieved a perfect 100 percentile, garnering attention from the IIMs with interview offers and joining opportunities. However, he chose to remain true to his passion, declining the offers and returning to his role as a service engineer at Pan Ocean, a UK-based shipping company.
This anecdote became ingrained in the folklore of Byju's, with Raveendran recounting it frequently. Its authenticity, however, remains unverifiable. Despite my attempts to corroborate Raveendran's CAT results, I encountered insurmountable challenges. The tale persists as a testament to Raveendran's unconventional path and unwavering commitment to his chosen career trajectory.
