M P Vasimalai discovers his roots at IIM-A

Among the prestigious Indian Institutes of Management, commissioned in the 1960s, one at Ahmedabad [iiMA] has always been seen as the most exclusive. Perhaps fatherhood [Harvard Business School], the charismatic founder [Dr. Vikram Sarabhai], its beautiful architecture [Louis Khan] and the severity of the admission process combined iiMA get that reputation.
For four decades, the graduates are picked by large corporate companies in India and abroad to pay princes might envy. Certainly personalities who go by the institution must have grit and brilliance. Certainly, they must be originals. Otherwise, occasionally, a graduate of iiMA not unconventional.
Like Vasimalai MP who evaded all campus recruiters in 1983 and opted for an opening to help manage the land donated to the Bhoodhan movement founded by Acharya Vinobha Bhave.
Another era, only 50 years ago:

The story of how Vasi [pronounced "Vaasi '] as he is called by everyone, was to form the DHAN Foundation can wait until later. Let's just note for now that DHAN currently has 400 professionals working in 6000 villages in six states in India, trying to revive rural economies. An overview of the times he grew up, will help to lead us into the story DHAN.
When he was born in 1956, he was named after Vasimalayan [pron. "Vaasi-Malayan '], the deity of his village, Ezhumalai near Madurai in Tamil Nadu. That time only a half-century ago are eye opening. True, the infant mortality was high. Only five of his parents' ten children survived. But on the other hand, their extended family of 20 people to support themselves and thrive on only 8 acres of natural, accustomed to labor. Vasi's father led the large offspring, he was strict, reserved and assertive, but also took total responsibility.
He physically laborious well into his seventies. He had seven sisters who lived with their husband in the house. The man worked as a laborer for others on the land, harvest crops, build houses, ferry produce to market and so on team. They were sober men, entering into a minimal cost in the large boarding house, and they were gone in a few years, having bought small parcels of their savings. There were cattle and carts to care for, raise sheep and chickens, and grains, vegetables, fruits and oil seeds to harvest. Oh, yes they were tough men of the soil.
The country was too generous. Water was available in many wells in the village just ten meters. They irrigated and cultivated using animal power and wealth produced. Going to school was no excuse for not working. Pots had to feed the animals for the school and go directly to the field after. As soon as he had in his contribution to the muscles, he was left alone to play with his friends or the hundreds of Tamil books in the school library to read