An aspiring boy from a village in Andhra Pradesh to an entrepreneur, philanthropist and an educationist – Dr. P Shyama Raju has carved his name into the city of Bengaluru. From his early days, Dr. Raju has been a seeker of excellence. He dreamt of having a business to his name. After graduating from Andhra University in Commerce, he moved to Bengaluru to find his calling. Instead of settling with a secure income of a routine job, he chose to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. Many challenges awaited him but he rose to the occasion. In 1975, he established DivyaSree Developers. He started humbly with small construction activities and public work related projects but his vision and foresightedness made DivyaSree a name everyone knows.
With the passage of time, Dr. Raju moved from government projects to development of software parks and integrated commercial enclaves. He pioneered the Public-Private sector partnership with the first integrated state-of-the-art IT office in Bangalore, DivyaSree Chambers, which has become a prominent landmark in Bangalore CBD. The Group, under his leadership, has executed several international standard projects (commercial, residential, etc.) which have garnered immense praise from all quarters. Each project of DivyaSree was completed with utmost sincerity and diligence that became a legacy. His vision is reflected in all his projects that illustrate a perfect balance of art, technique and technology.
LAYING THE RIGHT FOUNDATION
Dr. Raju arrived in Bengaluru from Andhra Pradesh to make a living. But, it is his sheer brilliance and dedication that made him into a name that resonates with architectural brilliance in the city of Bengaluru.
He had achieved what many only dream of with DivyaSree Developers, but, he wanted to do more. He had a strong urge to give back to the society. What better way to give back than to educate? And thus was laid the foundation of Rukmini Educational Charitable Trust in the name of his beloved wife the Late Smt. Rukmini Shyamaraju. She strongly believed in the value of academics to be imperative and something that should be available to all. “When the business was at its peak in DivyaSree Developers, we were thinking of what we can give back to society. My wife, Rukmini suggested starting an educational institution but I was reluctant to start one. Later, I felt that I must fulfil her wish and decided to start the educational institution in her name. Therefore we named it as REVA which means Rukmini Educational Vision Academy.”
Dr. Raju not only honoured his late wife’s wish but also aced the area of academic administration in which he had no previous experience. Under his able guidance and leadership REVA become a front-runner in the field of education where thousands of youth come each year to fulfil their dreams and become future leaders. It had started getting recognised for its technical education even in the starting stage and with time it has gained more recognition. It is one of the top universities in the state of Karnataka. One of the most innovative initiatives that the university took under his guidance is to go paperless during exams. From a mere thought to a working university to an apex institution that is sought for its education system, Dr. Raju proved his mettle once again with REVA.
UPHOLDING MORAL VALUES
Be it in his real estate venture or his education institution, Dr. Raju has ensured excellence by entrusting his instincts and values. Dr. Raju abides by a few key qualities like integrity, humility, transparency, honesty. As a Chancellor at REVA or as the chairman at DivyaSree, Dr. Raju is always approachable, open to new ideas and approaches.
Through his educational ventures he aims to prepare youth with ethical and moral values and social commitment. He is thinker, go-getter with a penchant for learning. Even after achieving so many milestones, he has the same exuberance of a newbie. If a new idea comes to him, he will make sure to share it and make it happen. Dr. Raju is a first generation entrepreneur, who built everything from scratch and perhaps that is why he values hard work and dedication even more.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Dr. Raju is a humanitarian and a philanthropist. He has undertaken numerous initiatives that stand for the larger good. Apart from leading many educational projects for rural Karnataka through REVA, he was also actively involved in ‘Jagruti’ a voting awareness campaign by students and faculty of REVA. He was also felicitated by the State Election Commission for leading Jagruti Campaign to create voting awareness among people. Under his guidance, not just altruistic, but environmental challenges are being battled at REVA by building environmental conscientiousness; he has made a macrocosmic eco-friendly utopia in REVA.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Dr. Raju has earned many awards in his career spanning decades. The most recent was in January 2021, The Economic Times Asian Business Leaders Conclave 2020 recognized him as ‘The Most Promising Business Leader of Asia’ for his exemplary leadership qualities. Earlier, he has been conferred ‘Indian of the year 2019 (Education)’ Award by Indian leadership conclave 2019, and has been nominated as the Karnataka Education Board Mentoring System Committee Member in June 2020.
He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Realty South and Swachata Award from MHRD in 2018. Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, aptly conferred him with the Degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) on the occasion of the 14th Annual Convocation of the University in recognition of his service to the higher education.
Dr. Raju is truly a leader in every aspect of the word. He leads by example and personifies hard work, grit and excellence. One of the beliefs is ‘To labor is to pray.’ Despite having reached the pinnacle of success, he is a grounded man who has never forgotten his humble beginnings. ‘A true leader must be able to empathize with every level of society’ and he has been perfectly doing just that. His brilliance is a legacy that will remain till the end of time.
