Sincerity is a powerful signature in the life of Mr Gopal Balakrishnan. That's always the first impression the managing director of A-Star Testing & Inspection wants to create to whoever he meets. He says: "With sincerity, commitment, hard work and a belief in your own capabilities, we can achieve success in our lives. This, I feel, is a universal truth. Anyone, young or old, as long as they develop the right attitude they will achieve success."
His rags-to-riches life story is a noteworthy inspiration. He came to Singapore in December 2001 and joined Weldtech Inspection Services as a technician. His employers recognised his potential but he was restless and wanted to start something on his own. And when he did in 2008, he made sure to ask his employers to take a stake in the company he started - A-Star Testing & Inspection. Today, his company employs 70 people and is a leading non-destructive marine inspection and third-party specialist with offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Brazil.
And in September this year, the icing on his career cake came when the 35-year-old won the prestigious Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Development Bank of Singapore (SICCI-DBS) Entrepreneur award.
"I hope to contribute back to the community which has given me so many opportunities. I would want to create more job opportunities for Singaporeans. It will be my ultimate dream to take my small company from a small country and establish a foothold in the global arena with operations worldwide," says the father of two girls, Haripriya, six, and Hari Birundha, four.
Land of opportunities
Born in the village of Thisaiyanvilai in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, this Singapore permanent resident has his heart and mind synchronised like a Singaporean. He adds: "People always refer to America as the land of opportunities. I may not disagree with that. But what I want to impress upon others is that Singapore, too, is a land that offers many opportunities.
"But running a company in Singapore has its own challenges in terms of getting qualified manpower. Most companies tend to look outwards for their manpower needs and not inwards. I want to train more Singaporeans, which would enable them to acquire more skills and remain employable. This would benefit both society and employers.
"We won't have to depend on overseas manpower and a qualified resident workforce will benefit the society as a whole. Additionally, I would like to support local charities. These are humble ways to contribute to the community."
Mr Balakrishnan, who works with a multiracial cast of managers and workers, is passionate about integration in Singapore to ensure that the foreigners don't feel isolated from the community.
Mr Balakrishnan completed his academic studies in 1999 graduating with a degree in computer science from Tirunelveli's Manonmanium Sundarnar University. He worked for three years as a technician in India before getting the break to come to Singapore.
In his own words, he started to "develop my professional qualifications and certification in various inspection methods on my own accord, and at my own cost, which led to my career path to conduct and manage various testing methodologies".
He rose to become a senior-level manager but somehow felt "restless" when career opportunities were missed because of a lack of initiative from the management. He says: "I felt that if I ventured out on my own I might be able to tap into these opportunities. My former employers saw my restlessness. They saw my determination and wanted to join in my venture. They were good people who had always treated me well.
"So I decided to take them on as partners with limited equity stakes. I formed a small dedicated operations team. We had passion and a strong commitment to make things work. We were very clear in our thought process and persistent in the direction we wanted to take. We just seized the opportunity."
A-Star Testing & Inspection got off the ground in 2008, taking on "some very challenging, time-sensitive projects which our competitors were hesitant to commit". Mr Balakrishnan notes: "We succeeded in completing them to clients' satisfaction. As they always say, fortune favours the brave. We have been growing steadily year on year. Today we have 70 dedicated employees. I personally believe in leading by example.
"Every day I am still learning and I try to share my acquired knowledge in whatever way I can. We constantly aspire to grow bigger and better."
Winning the SICCI-DBS Entrepreneur award - with which the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry recognises outstanding
Indian entrepreneurs and to serve as motivation for budding Indian entrepreneurs - was a "special feather in the cap".
He adds: "Every award that the company receives is exciting and applauded, both for those directly and indirectly involved. I get calls and wishes from people; some of whom (I feel) didn't take me seriously.
"Success breeds more success and it attracts great people, in our case great talent who want to work with us. The most important long-term benefit of winning is the effect it has on the work you're doing right now. What winning awards like these demonstrates is that when a whole bunch of people on a project want to make something happen, and are willing to stick their necks out for it, it will happen. The awards are the wonderful consequence."
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