Datin Velankanni Mohan has bagged Excellent Women Achiever of the Year Award

Datin Velankanni Mohan has bagged Excellent Women Achiever of the Year Award

• September 21, 2021

Datin Velankanni Mohan – Portfolio

To begin with, I am extremely gratified and I would like to appreciate the members of the jury and the organisation of Women Icon for honouring me with the "Excellent Women Achiever Award" under the category of Women's Individual Leadership/Achievement Award.  Women Icon of the Year powered by Times Women. It is simply one of the most crucial events of my professional career. Not forgetting that, this accomplishment will be the lifetime motivation that enables me to fulfil greater achievements in the future. I would also like to take this moment to thank my dearest family, especially my husband who has been very supportive of my dreams from day one and a special thanks go to Ms. Nalini Rathakris whom I refer to as my Guru, for she has guided me well in all perks of life. 

I am always full of curiosity and constantly have the desire to expand my mind and knowledge through meeting people from new cultures and backgrounds, particularly those in the business field. I have a single, very clear motivation at improving my skills to enhance my life including my career. I live and breathe the world of business, keeping updated on business developments every day, and I am very motivated to learn as much about it as possible so that I can lead young business leaders soon. I wish to be equipped with optimal preparation to achieve my career goals. I have always loved business, management, and economics, and I am always excited about the possibility of devoting my time to learning more about these areas. To me, these areas are powerful bodies of knowledge that allow those who have them to make the most of the current circumstances and detect business opportunities. 

Business and economics have been especially interesting because they fill in gaps in my knowledge about how businesses in other countries operate, and it is fascinating to learn how business practices and regulations vary in comparison with those in Malaysia. I love entrepreneurship, and this passion has led me to set up my businesses in Malaysia, and now looking to expand my business portfolio by trading in other countries like India and Australia. I own and operate two companies which are Xing Yun Gold Sdn Bhd and APLus Strategy Consultants Sdn Bhd, founded three years ago. The experience of running my businesses has taught me very much about the subjects of business and management and equipped me with invaluable skills that can only be acquired through real work experience. As the owner of these enterprises, I am responsible for all aspects of the business, from marketing and personnel management to sourcing goods and handling export regulations. I have devoted a substantial level of my efforts to my businesses, and it has been rewarding to see the effort pay off in the form of profit. The experience has also made me realise just how complex and multi-layered the business world is. I realised business managers need to have knowledge and skills related to a very wide range of areas, far from simply needing to be decision-makers and delegators.

I have ambitious plans for my business. Although I believe that an individual can be a very successful businessman or woman through learning on the job, it also seems clear to me that having a passion and learning advanced expertise through modelling and varied experiences are excellent methods of gaining a head-start in business life. I convey my gratitude to my late father, the owner of G. Maniam Metals, with whom I worked ever since high school for a good 10 to 15 years. He introduced me to the world of business by giving me new insights into effective management techniques and detailed knowledge of marketing, business analysis, and company finance. My responsibilities included gathering recycling goods, trading, and closing business tenders. Armed with this knowledge, I then decided to lead a successful business career in various parts of the world that are centred on the metal scrap business, gold and industrial, electronic goods, student recruitment, and so on. Over these years, I have increased my leadership skills, communication abilities, responsibilities, and roles as a businesswoman, in which I practise important values like punctuality, integrity, and efficient decision-making without bias.

While I was growing from the entrepreneur experience, I was clinically diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I fought battles with serious depression for three years. At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so living with this illness and functioning to the best of my ability, it's something I am proud of because I was able to build a successful business career amidst this health condition. 

 Later in life, I was ready for another adventure that centred around my passion. I am determined, dedicated, and driven to realize my goal; and provided the opportunity, I will rise to meet all challenges that the community can be proud of. Besides, I have always loved Indian art and culture, particularly Indian classical dance, Bharatanatyam. I was only given the chance to pick up dancing in the later stage of life, I don't think there is anything else I would do that would give me the same sense of fulfilment. I never saw age as a factor to discontinue my interest. As a strong supporter of the art form, I did not only enrol my children at Sri Rathakrishanan Music & Art Centre but also myself. Pursuing my dance passion was the perfect step I took at a crucial stage of my life that led me to become a positive, hopeful, and goal-oriented person. I would also consider my dance passion a coping mechanism against bipolar. 

The Indian classical dance, Bharatanatyam has equipped me with a good attitude about my body and fitness, a high standard of lifestyle, and the ability to sustain through mental and physical challenges in life. Devoting my time and energy to dance classes and closely following my guru's guidance has given me an insight into the real world by shaping my understanding of how a positive lifestyle should be and more importantly on how to become a noble somebody in the society that we live in. I was fascinated by my dedication and my capabilities when I pushed myself to participate in Malaysia & Asia's record-breaking attempt despite mourning the loss of my late father just two weeks before the event. My father, my partner, and my guru have always encouraged me that I should set an example for others. I wish to be a representative of all aspiring women in the Indian community. My commitment to dance and the compassion I have towards my dance school has led me to transform into a better version of myself and I do my best to face many barriers in life. Indian classical dance is an area I would like to build on, as I perceive it to be an important part of my culture and tradition. I am currently in the process of immersing myself in Indian culture and deepening my personal and spiritual understanding of life.

It is all about inclusiveness and trying to strike a balance in life considering I have a lot of aspects to focus on: business career, family, dance, and fitness as well as personal care. Serving as a wife, mother to two children, a managing director of a renowned company, and an owner for two businesses have shaped me to stay organised and work to a strict time limit, for example from looking after household matters to attending business calls and meetings and even finding personal time to carry out my hobbies and interests in personal makeovers and interior designing.

Given the opportunity, in the coming years, I may consider building a career in the field of designing for I have received genuine compliments from my family and friends for I enjoy proposing attractive designs and am full of great interior ideas for a beautiful home and environment. Besides, I challenge my creativity skills by keeping up with current trends in fashion and makeup to always improve my outlook. Having said this, multi-tasking has allowed me to work under heavy pressure. Not forgetting since young, having been a family-oriented person, I sacrificed my social life, instead maintaining my focus in life on the areas which I consider to be truly important such as being an entrepreneur and a social worker. I also stay true to myself and believe that hard work will pay off. I work towards perfection to ensure the result is fruitful. I often recall and reflect upon my life struggles and negative experiences because they show what I have been through and how strong I am for coming out of them. In recognition of my contribution and efforts towards the economy and community, I have been awarded the Malaysian honours title, Datin by the hereditary royal ruler of the state, Pahang. I pledge to continue my services and provide benefits for the public and the people in the community. 

I am also a volunteer at a non-profit organization, Pertubuhan Kesenian & Kebudayaan SRFA in which I actively participate in social and community services. I possess exemplary qualities like helping the needy and selflessness. I am always willing to lend my hand to those who require my assistance, be it financially or physically. In the long run, I envision myself serving the community and devoting my time to humanitarian services. I am confident that my determination, perseverance, and tenacity will lead me to the achievement of this personal vision.