MAKING A LASTING IMPACT
Mr. Vikash Kumar’s changeover from working as a bureaucrat to leading a government-backed business is a testament to his versatility and leadership skills. As the Managing Director of Mysore Sales International Ltd. (MSIL), he has ambitious plans to contribute to the economic growth and development of Karnataka. He consistently strives to revolutionize the public perception of government-run enterprises. His remarkable dedication and drive to establish MSIL as one of the most coveted national conglomerates is hard to beat.
“A VALUE-DRIVEN PROFESSIONAL WHO FIRMLY BELIEVES IN LEADING BY EXAMPLE, MR. KUMAR IS KNOWN TO PRACTICE WHAT HE PREACHES AND THUS HIS DISCIPLINE IS THOROUGHLY ADMIRED. A PRACTICAL PERSON, HE TAKES ALL THE REQUIRED MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THE COMPANY ADHERES TO ALL REGULATIONS.”
An officer of the 2004 batch of Indian Police Services, Mr. Vikash Kumar has had a prolific run in the Indian Police force after starting as the Assistant Superintendent of Police at Bhatkal in Karwar district of Karnataka. Hailing from a small town in Bihar’s Munger district, Kumar had a passion in him to make it big. After completing graduation from Delhi University, he pursued a Master’s degree from the Delhi School of Economics. He also has a Junior Research Fellowship from the UGC. After joining the force, he steadily worked his way up. Additionally, he held positions in various other government departments, such as Director, Youth Empowerment and Sports Department and Commissioner, Social Welfare.
TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF
In March 2021, Mr. Kumar was assigned to the Commerce and Industry Department of the Government of Karnataka and he joined MSIL as the Managing Director. Established in 1966 to cater to the marketing requirements of Karnataka, MSIL provides an extensive array of products and services using innovative marketing strategies. With multiple divisions spread across the state, it deals in several domains such as beverages, pharmaceuticals, paper, chit funds, and solar energy.
Mr. Kumar began his MSIL stint by spending time taking stock and planning the future of the organisation. He charted out the growth areas and made note of all possible opportunities. Beginning with a well-laid-out plan and unmatched business expertise, he has successfully preserved MSIL’s originality and brand reputation to the highest degree since assuming the position of Managing Director. During his tenure, he has made some fundamental changes in the processes that have helped a great deal in the holistic growth of the company.
ACHIEVEMENTS GALORE
Under Mr. Kumar’s dynamic leadership and business acumen, MSIL has achieved exceptional growth through assertive marketing strategies and promoting the adoption of renewable energy. MSIL expanded its business into the tourism and hospitality sector and has reaped immense profits. The feat also helped the leader be named as one of the 75 ‘Pride of India’ awardees earlier this year. In the post-pandemic era when all businesses were struggling, he led MSIL towards consistent growth and profit. For example, MSIL’s Chit Funds Division recorded a growth of approximately 15% in the previous fiscal year and has been successful in serving as both a financial instrument and a social tool to support small businesses and the unorganised sector. Additionally, it was honoured with the SKOCH 2022 Award for its financial and societal contributions.
Upon taking over as the MD of MSIL, Mr. Kumar was able to steer the company towards a profit of nearly Rs. 32 crores (A$5.8 million) in 2020. The company continued with the growth spell and achieved an astounding profit of Rs. 54 crore (A$9.8 million) the following year. In 2022, the leader introduced some stringent revisions and adopted a conservative approach to certain issues. As a result, MSIL recorded a profit of approximately Rs. 91.1 crore (A$16.85 million) and is expected to raise it to Rs. 200 crore (A$36.3 million) in this fiscal.
A TRUE LEADER
Mr. Kumar is a value-driven professional who believes in leading by example. He ensures that the company adheres to all regulations and minimizes the chances of any misconduct by implementing a robust and well-coordinated compliance strategy. For him, the key to success has been a thorough understanding of the company. He took his time to understand which business verticals were performing well and the challenges they faced. His analysis gave him a fair idea about where most of the growth opportunities lay, and he tried to play to their strengths. His second strategy was to launch new services aligned with what people need. His great perception skills helped him understand the pulse of the people and usher in desirable changes.
A DISCIPLINED MIND
Mr. Kumar’s background with the police force has made him a highly disciplined individual. Whether it is organizational discipline or self-discipline of the officials, he likes to create a system that percolates on its own rather than being forced upon by individuals. Despite being a hard taskmaster and a stickler for systems, he is a people person. He understands the needs of his team members well and is able to get the best out of them.
A passionate leader, Mr. Kumar is driven to take MSIL to even greater heights. He has made some fool-proof expansion plans for MSIL for the ongoing fiscal that are expected to generate even better and long-lasting outcomes in the years to come. One area where he is going to be active is collaborating with private suppliers to use each other’s capabilities and scale businesses rapidly. To him, private suppliers are outstanding in terms of quality and compliance. He says, “If they are falling short of reaching the level needed to take them forward, they have the option to join us. We strive to find a win-win solution.”
It is his exceptional vision and relentless motivation that distinguish Mr. Vikash Kumar from his peers.
