He is a Commerce Graduate from the Madras Christian College, Tambaram.
Having served for 38 years in many organizations across different sectors – from Consumer Durables, Advertising Agency, Pharmaceuticals, MNC leader in Agricultural Machinery & Tractors and with India’s one of largest Engineering and Construction Company. He is a professional from Marketing, Product Sales Promotion, Advertising, Corporate Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility and Skills Training.
His career has spanned the DCM Group (Usha International), Speer Communications, Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, Cadilla Pharma, New Holland Tractors and ASL Graphics & Technologies Limited and Larsen and Toubro [L&T]. At L&T – ECC, from 2001, he rose to be a General Manager Corporate Communications and CSR till January 2014. He later headed CSR and Construction Skills Training for L&T Construction till his superannuation in December 2016, after a 15 years long association in L&T. Ramana was also a key member of the L&T’s CSR and Sustainability APEX Committee.
The Corporate Museum ‘Holck-Larsen Centre’ he set up at L&T Chennai won the ‘Best PR Initiative Award’ at the International PR Conference at Mauritius in August 2008.
His post-retirement drive is to take his HeART BEAT Foundation and Kinder Trust to greater heights. HeART Beat Foundation is a family Trust, that promotes art done by the specially-abled. HeART BEAT Foundation was established in 2014, has so far identified specially-abled artists, held shows in Chennai, Pondy and NOIDA and has generated Rs 13 lacs – all the proceed earned through art exhibition/sale go to benefit the artists. www.heartbeatfoundation.in . This is an 80G Trust that extend tax Rebate for Donations and purchase of works of art of the artists.
At the Confederation of Indian Industries [CII] Chennai, Ramana has been a member of the CSR Sub-Committee, a part of the Core Committee at the CSO Partners with UNICEF on ‘Business Principles and Children’s Rights’, in the areas of advocacy and practices. He was also a Member CSR Sub-Committee in the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Much earlier, Ramana was associated with an NGO in Delhi – Prayas Trust, which works for upliftment of underprivileged delinquent children.
On the PR front, Ramana has been the Past Chairman of Public Relations Society of India – Chennai Chapter. In his tenure, the Chennai Chapter won the ‘Best Chapter Award’ and he was also presented the ‘PR Excellence Award’ for initiating many Seminars & Conferences on PR in the Chennai Chapter under his leadership.
Ramana’s interests apart from social service, include painting, cartooning, photography, music, blogging and travel www.va-si-ramana.sulekha.com . He is now engaged in with many Institutions for Training, Motivation, educating on CSR with practical projects with Corporates /NGO/Industry bodies and Service Trusts; being useful through consultation as well.
