Leaders must be approachable and responsive, showing genuine concern for the team: T Madhava Das
If you get the opportunity to listen to to listen to or interact with T Madhava Das (TMD), Whole-time Director & Senior EVP (Utilities) at L&T, the overwhelming impression that you will walk away with is of having spoken to a technocrat with a strong business acumen.
That’s because TMD, who has been in the corporate sector for nearly four decades now, can gauge his audience very well and tailor the conversation accordingly. And for someone who can impress the ones he is dealing with, it becomes a lot easier to win – be in business or in the business of life!
No wonder, having started as a graduate engineer trainee (GET) at L&T in 1985, TMD today has three thriving L&T businesses under him – Power Transmission & Distribution (PT&D), Water & Effluent Treatment (WET), and Renewables.
TMD is of Kerala origin. His dad was an engineer with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., and mom made the best out of their modest home in Hyderabad. His dad’s profession meant frequent relocations with family, and this made TMD spend the better part of his school days in different parts of India, returning to the home city in the final years of schooling.
This ‘nomadic life’ instilled in him an ability to adapt to new environments and people, and fostered a flexible mindset that has been key to his professional success.
On completing higher-secondary studies, TMD pursued a BTech in electrical engineering from the Regional Engineering College, Calicut (now an NIT) and graduated in 1985. Call it destiny, that very year L&T went to REC Calicut for the first time, and he became one of the 60 GETs that the Company hired from the campus.
TMD joined L&T’s then Electrical division, and his early postings were in remote locations, including at Jamshedpur for a TISCO rod mill project and in Odisha for the Paradeep Phosphates Ltd factory. From 1989 to 1993, he was part of a task force working on an arterial project in Durgapur, West Bengal. These experiences provided him with a comprehensive understanding of all job aspects, including commercial and financial elements.
But TMD had an unending quest for upskilling, which made him enrol for a full-time MBA at the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) in 1993. He went on a two-year study leave and armed with an MBA degree, returned to L&T in 1995.
His career continued to evolve with new assignments every few years. Between 1998 and 2002, TMD started a new regional office in Hyderabad for L&T’s Electrical division, and then gained international exposure through a posting in Abu Dhabi.
In 2009, he became the Business Unit Head for Transmission Lines. The Company elevated him to the post of Head – PT&D in 2014, inducted him into the Executive Committee in 2017, and onto the L&T Board in July 2020.
TMD’s journey at L&T is a testament to his dedication, hard work and the ability to thrive in diverse and challenging environments.
Bappaditya Paul recently had an exclusive tete-a-tete with him in Chennai to listen to his success mantra for next-generation L&T leaders and the plans for the businesses that he oversees. Excerpts.
Q: How were your early days in L&T?
A: I joined L&T for its reputation and began with postings at various project sites. Working at remote locations tested my adaptability and this laid a strong foundation for my future roles. I embraced the journey, understanding that life comes with both good and bad experiences.
Working on projects like the TISCO bar mill and Paradeep Phosphates taught me crucial leadership lessons: the importance of humility, openness, and learning from experienced colleagues. It dawned very early upon me that leadership is about earning respect and working together, rather than commanding authority.
Q: You took study leave after eight years in service. How did your career evolve after this?
A: On returning to L&T in 1995, I was re-inducted into the same task force that I was in before. My boss was very happy and on the very first day of my return, he took me to the HR and told them “See, this boy has come back with an MBA. You need to do something for him.”
It so happened that I was promoted after a few months so that I could be on par with my peers. Subsequently, I was elevated at frequent intervals, demonstrating how L&T values and nurtures talent.
Q: What do you think worked for you?
A: Since I spent my childhood in various parts of India, studying at different schools and meeting diverse groups of batchmates, it instilled in me a flexible mindset and an ability to easily adapt to new environments. These two qualities have helped me immensely all through. Again, my bosses probably found me sincere in my duties and eager to learn.
Also, I would say, communication played a vital role. I remember an instance when I expressed an interest to my boss about a particular role, and a few years later when an opening surfaced, he gave me that pivotal opportunity. It’s important to communicate one’s aspirations and willingness to take on new challenges. This can open doors and create opportunities for advancement.
Q: What about your family?
A: I married fellow Keralite Supriya Sethumadavan in 1995 when I was taking my MBA finals. During our courtship, I told her that I would like to return to L&T and that I wished to be a Vice President there one day.
Supriya had completed her MBBS, and, thanks to her superb rank in PG entrance exam, she had the option to study in the best medical college in India. Instead she did her MD in Chennai so as to be with me and then moved along with me wherever I was posted, including four years in Abu Dhabi. This is even though, for a doctor, it is always advisable to practise at one place to build a reputation and have a loyal clientele.
Q: In your 40-year L&T career, there may have been many setbacks. Which one was most daunting?
A: As a person, I’m wired not to remember bad things. I believe in the philosophy that whatever happens, happens for good, and I don’t brood.
On the business side, the crisis that PT&D was grappling with in 2014 – the year I took over as its Head – was a tough phase. Execution was not up to the mark, and we were making losses. But it was remarkable how SNS (S N Subrahmanyan, then an L&T Board member and now the CMD) stood by us and guided us in turning around the business. He could have simply told us that we were not doing well and could have curtailed budget. Instead, he supported us at every stage. This demonstrates the kind of leader he is – if one has the ability to perform, he backs them till the last.
Q: You have three businesses under your ambit. Which one is your favourite?
A: All the three businesses are a joy to me and they give me enough satisfaction. I have always been an electrical person, and we have been undertaking Renewables projects since 2009. I have the satisfaction of seeing that Renewables has now grown into a big independent business, and of identifying one of the best possible leaders – A Ravindran – to lead it. It is he who has made Renewables what it is today
Q: I was about to ask why Renewables has been carved out of PT&D.
A: When you have multiple offerings under one business vertical, it happens that while you focus on one, the other tends to go a little slow. We didn’t want that. Renewables was a business unit that we had incubated by leveraging the strengths of PT&D and when we found out that it has immense potential, we upgraded it to an independent business vertical in 2024. It is now doing extremely well and has the second largest order book in L&T after Hydrocarbon vertical.
Also, by carving out Renewables, we have put back PT&D into competitive mode: it now knows that it does not have a big brother to fall back upon and must thrive on its own. And this move has created so many career paths for our people: from one vertical we now have two verticals and 10 business units. It’s a win-win for the employees and the organisation.
Q: What’s your take on the prospects of Renewables?
A: Renewables has immense growth potential over the next decade. It is undertaking solar EPC, battery energy storage system (BESS), and electrical balance of plant (EBOP) for wind energy projects. It is performing exceptionally well in the Middle East and India, and exploring opportunities in Africa, ASEAN, and other emerging markets. The global shift towards non-fossil energy sources presents a vast landscape for Renewables.
Q: And what about PT&D?
A: Transmission, distribution, and substation are very mature segments, and in that sense, you cannot make dramatic changes in the way these businesses are conducted. The only way to grow in this space is to become a niche player in certain voltage levels, improve the turnaround time and have a strong design base so that we can offer a comprehensive solution to clients and explore new geographies such as the USA, etc. Already, 75% of PT&D’s revenue comes from abroad.
Q: Do you see any remarkable prospects for the Water & Effluent Treatment business?
A: If you think of a crisis that can bring the world to a standstill – it is water. If there is no power, you can still manage with the sun and fire, but if water supply is cut for 10 days, you cannot live. Hence, water is going to be the biggest asset that every country will look for. If one is good at all types of water management, you are doing a great service to mankind.
Therefore, we have set up one of the world’s best R&D centres in this space, the Water Technology Centre at Kancheepuram, which gives us an edge. Our WET business, driven by process and technology, requires a very different skillset, and we are committed to excelling in this area. It’s an unending business whose full potential has not yet been reaped.
Apart from India, WET has undertaken some projects in Qatar, UAE, Zanzibar, and now we are undertaking a major desalination project in Saudi Arabia. Going forward, our thrust will be more on international jobs.
Q: Now, coming to leadership style, do you think aggressive style is more effective?
A: There’s a common belief that leaders need to be aggressive, but this is more of a personality trait than a necessity. It’s important to be assertive when needed, but it is even more important to control one’s anger and avoid personal outbursts. Ultimately, it’s all about a person’s ability to handle situations.
More than anything else, leaders must be approachable and responsive, should have genuine concern for team members’ issues. Building trust is fundamental. Valuing people is crucial for motivation. By fostering a culture of communication and support, leaders can create an environment where colleagues feel comfortable approaching their leaders with problems, ultimately contributing to the organisation’s success. Respect for colleagues and a collaborative mindset are the key to long-term success.
Q: How do you manage work-related stress?
A: I enjoy reading fiction and have a collection of 40-50 books on my Kindle. Although I don’t get much time to read these days, I keep up with new books. Watching movies and web series is another hobby of mine, and I have subscriptions to multiple streaming services. This serves as a great stressbuster for me.
Family is important to me. My son is a paediatrician in Bengaluru, and daughter, who studied political science and international relations, is working in London. My wife is a consultant physician with a major hospital group in Chennai. We try to visit our children often, while being mindful of their private space and career growth.
