Being Jotun Vijay

G K Vijay Kumar, MD of Jotun Paints, Oman, shares his passion for golf in a chat with Sarada Vishnubhatla

Friends call him Jotun Vijay. The standard joke among his friends is that Vijay will paint them all with the colours of his company brand. He breathes (relax Readers!), dreams, meditates, talks and walks Jotun Paints with whom he has spent the last 30 years of his career. The company mascot penguin is his favourite bird! No, we are just kidding. He says, “My wife teases me about my loyalty and dedication to my company.” And why not? He is the first Indian to be appointed as Managing Director amongst all of the 70 Jotun Paints offices worldwide.

G K Vijay Kumar, Managing Director, Jotun Paints, Oman is passionate about his work, golf, planning ahead and meditation. He says, “As a leader, I have to prepare my team to fight and win battles of the business world.” Any pre-requisites? He has to relax the right way! “Golf is my passion. It relaxes me. My hectic official work and related travel doesn’t give me enough time to play though. Hence, becoming a fairly good golfer is one of my retirement plans, with below-20 handicap. Farming, being a coffee or a tea-planter in Coorg may be, travelling occasionally with my wife and doing serious photography make up the rest.”

In fact, Vijay is just back from a 15-day stress-relieving holiday to India where for 10 days he was on a fruit diet and came back a fitter and sharper man. Losing 6 kilos in 15 days is worth making a note of!

For him relaxation is imperative; both for him and for his team. He never allows any of his staff members to work without a break – be it the annual vacation or a daily routine in office – and that is one reason that the company implements the flexi-time policy. You work at your own pace, as long as you deliver.

For him, his daily morning meditation and evening walk with his wife on the beach, if (mind you, it is a big IF!) he is not busy putting the golf ball hard, are a must. His wife and children have, by now resigned to the fact that Vijay (may we add Jotun Vijay) is available, minus Jotun, only twice a year when he takes them on vacation.

Morning meditation session helps him prepare for the day ahead. In fact, he has visualised best techniques during one of the sessions for his golf even. “You know, it is amazing that sometimes I play mental golf. There are times when for a long time I haven’t played the game. Then when I resume it, I am surprised to see my swing,” says the man at the helm.

Discipline is a key word with him. Meditation requires discipline. So does golf. The fact that he has maintained his body weight at 68 kilos in the last 20 years says it all!!! Secret of it: a half hour daily treadmill and steely control over his craving for food. He admits, “ I am not a good eater. If I feel the need to control my diet, I can very easily. I can even go without food for a few days.”
An out and out Nature lover, Vijay Kumar utilizes his flexi time watching the divine vistas of Mother Nature. He loves travelling too, hating being cooped up inside at a stretch. It is also the time when he gets to catch up on his reading habit.

He even has a clear objective when he plans to retire from office in a couple of years. And that is to convince his wife to play golf with him!

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