Gokulam GopalanThe Man And His Empire

hen I decided I should become a businessman, I did not have any confusion on what business I should start.” Every word spoken by Mr Gokulam Gopalan had a sense of iron-clad certainty to it. The world lacked certainty and people who would stand their ground, regardless of the circumstance. Be it his principles or actions, they were set in stone.

But the man he is today didn’t emerge overnight, it was molded through the passage of time and space. Born in a small village near Vadakara in Kerala as A.M Gopalan, he grew up much like everyone else. Chathu and Madhu, his parents were humble people. After securing

“Wan undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Kerala University, he set foot into the rat race we refer to as ‘earning a living’. With a bit of his heart set on acting, he decided to move into Chennai, a city where film was more than simply motion pictures. Chennai welcomed him with open arms. As a city which ranked people according to their efforts and not simply their caste, religion or political ideology; Mr Gopalan fit right in. Following that, he tied the knot with Jalaja, and together they were blessed with three children: Baiju Gopalan, Lijisha Gopalan, and Shabareesh Gopalan.

It was during one of his days in Chennai that he met a doctor who happened to be the one who’d incidentally set a new spin on his life.

By Zarina Azhar Mather

The doctor found the young man impressive and offered him his first job as a medical representative. Realizing that his financial situation was rather dire, he wondered and pondered on how he could ‘earn’. And he decided to do what he, his father and everyone in his hometown knew; chit business. He established a mini-chit fund with a mere ten members and a monthly installment of Rs. 60 per person. The little startup which made a bit of extra cash turned into one which made an annual turnover of over Rs. 500 crore. And from a witty financial plan emerged Gokulam Group, an empire which conquered indeed. Currently, his chit fund and finance company, Gokulam Chit Funds and Finance Private Limited, is around half a century old. This five-decadeold company, started in Chennai, and has as many as 460 branches across the country.

As a follower of Sri Narayana Guru, Mr Gopalan didn’t fail to realize the delicate importance of education in the modern world. Education wasn’t simply a way to earn a living in the future, but a way to view and understand the world for everything it really is. The world is in dire need of people who would change its doomed fate, and change comes about after an understanding of reality. But education, higher education, in particular, didn’t fall into everyone’s lap. It was for the wealthy man. Mr Gopalan found the reality troubling and strived toward a world where the common man could learn. Currently, he oversees a number of educational institutions around the globe, with a focus on the Middle East. One of the Group's largest contributions is the Dovecote Green Primary School in Dubai. The name Sree Gokulam Public School is now well-known and esteemed throughout Kerala. In the state, the group operates more than seven schools and three arts colleges.

While education stands upon a pedestal, alongside rests another giant; healthcare. With every day that passes by, humanity learns the subtleties of human life and how it could be wiped out in seconds. COVID-19 arrived as a mere virus and departed along with a few million lives. While money lay as an iron curtain for many, the lack of hospital beds remained an equally high wall for the patients to leap over. The pandemic articulated the extent of our healthcare services and how the world was in desperate need of more people in the healthcare industry. But it wasn’t a mission for one, it was for humanity as a whole. Mr Gopalan did his part, ensuring the world was a little better off than it was yesterday. The Sree Gokulam Medical College and Research Foundation is a valuable asset to the state's medical education sector. The Group's college provides world-class medical education and is one of the state's most promising medical schools. There is a separate block for the elderly at the medical college. The block largely serves the underprivileged. The Gokulam Group owns GG Hospital (Trivandrum), one of the fastest developing multi-speciality hospitals in this region of the world.

Amongst all of the good Mr Gopalan had done for the world, he made time to return to his interests as well. As a prominent producer as well as actor, Mr Gopalan left his footprint in the film industry as well. A number of films Malayalis hold close to their heart like Kerala Varma

Pazhassi Raja and Kayamkulam Kochunni carry the Gokulam Group’s production name. Mr. Gopalan was notable for being the producer of the first film directed by Tamil Superstar Vijay's father, Chandrasekhar. He has also acted in a few films named Netaji, Pathonpatham Noottandu and Pakalum Paathiravum. Alongside the film industry, the Gokulam Group holds a significant place in television as a major stakeholder in a rapidly growing Malayalam Television Channel, Flowers TV, and a Malayalam news channel, 24. In the midst of it all, Mr Gopalan got the opportunity to be a distributor for the latest TV series, Maha Guru, which aired on Kaumudy TV. As a producer, he has debuted in no less than 15 films. He served as a film distributor for two films, two television serials, and a television series as well.

Some of his hospitality ventures include Gokulam Park (Chennai), Gokulam Park (Coimbatore), Gokulam Park Sabari (OMR, Chennai), Gokulam Park Hotel & Convention Centre (Kochi), Sree Gokulam Nalanda Resorts (Nileswaram), Sree Gokulam Vanamala (Guruvayur), Sree Gokulam Residency (Thrissur), Hotel Gokulam Fort (Thalassery), and MSR Hotel and Spa (Bengaluru).

With a face in every corner of business, hospitality, entertainment, education, logistics, food and manufacture; Sree Gokulam Group of Companies stands out front as a mission that succeeded. Providing employment to over 11,000 people, hundreds of families earn their daily bread under the establishment of Mr Gopalan. Some of his notable achievements include Chairman of Sree Narayana Sahodara Dharmma Vedhi (SNSDV) and the president of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam) branch in Chennai. He also received the renowned "GEM OF INDIA,'96" and UDYOG RATHNA,'97 awards in honour of his contribution to society through his business ventures. He was also honoured with the State Forum of Bankers Club's "Business Man of the Year" award. The award was presented by former President Ram Nath Kovind and recognises Shri Gokulam Gopalan’s invaluable contributions to the financial sector in Kerala, even during the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic. Another one of his notable accomplishments is receiving the Multibillionaire Business Achiever (MBA) Award.

For the readers out there seeking inspiration, take it from the humble young man who arrived in Chennai with nothing more than a bit of will to make something for himself. The man who he has grown into today didn’t have his cards all lined up and neither did he know every step of the way. But none of it stopped him getting to where he is today.

As a man who considers “social service a divine practice”, Mr Gopalan has indeed served humanity. With an effort to grow society and aid the needy, the story of Mr Gopalan isn’t just a tale of human service but also one that narrates the unimaginable potential of working towards one’s goals

It is my view that against the backdrop of the banking sector troubles, ongoing geopolitical tensions and growing risks to global growth, gold’s moment under the sun as among the safest of safe haven assets has amplified.

Shri V.P.Nandakumar MD & CEO Manappuram Finance Ltd.