Dr. N. H. Atthreya
In Humble Homage
If one word were to define Dr. N. H. Atthreya, ‘intrepid’ would be the most apt.
Born on 26th December 1921 in Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu – India), Dr. Atthreya received a Bachelors and Masters degree from St. Joseph’s College (Trichi – India) and a doctorate in Business Management from Bombay University (1977). (His thesis). Over the years, he came to be known as a doyen in the field of human resource development in India.
Before the concept of business schools and IIM’s (Indian Institute of Management) came to India, he equipped himself in professional management consultancy to serve the cause of Management in general and Human resource management in particular. He trained with W.D. Scott PTY Limited (Australia) and had the privilege of being mentored by Sir Walter D Scott – one of the foremost Management Consultants of that time. On his return from Australia, he started Modern Management Counsel and a year later the MMC School of Management, a continuing education center for working professionals.
In 1951, he initiated the professional management movement in India by organising the Management Study Circle, which was the precursor to the present Bombay Management Association (founded in 1954). As a founding member of BMA, his memberships stands as No. 1 in the register of BMA membership. He was responsible for bringing the international leadership organisation, Junior Chamber International, to India in 1955. He was the founder secretary of the Management Consultants and founder of the TA (Transactional Analysis) study circle in India. He was on the Executive Council of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (New Delhi) for fourteen years.
In 1967, he founded the Indian Center for Encouraging Excellence, the early precursor to the many Excellence award functions almost 25 years before the idea became mainstream.
He was the past president of the Rotary Club of Bombay (East) and later on, of Rotary Club of Bombay (Sion).
In 1980, he founded the 10 Million Jobs foundation to identify and encourage small enterprises especially in non-urban areas.
Hundreds of companies have had the benefit of Dr Atthreya’s Counsel. In particular, he had mentored several scions of Industrialist families in this country. He conducted a few thousand educational sessions on a range of subjects that included Executive Skills, Time management, Role Excellence, communication, Creativity and Problem solving, Learning, Credit management, and the Indian Ethos. These have been attended by thousands of executives from all the leading industries in India.
He was on the Board of Directors of FDC India Ltd and TVS Srichakra India Ltd.
He received the HR EXCELLENCE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT award in 2005. (Acceptance speech) (Interview in India Today)
His active life spanned over seven decades, in which time he also authored over 25 books, many of which have been made available through this website.
A voracious reader, he remained current all his life. In his sunset years, books remained his companion.
Do you know he had many firsts to his credit?
- He was the first Professional management consultant in India
- The first executive selection consultant in India
- The first to start a monthly management newsletter titled Management Ideas
- The first to conduct corporate in-house and public training programmes in India
- The first to write and publish management books in India
- The first to propagate excellence in Management
- The first to organise residential management training for key executives.