Know your Member –CS CMA Prabhakar

Please tell us about your student days – in CS and CMA.

 

I did my CMA alongside my graduation and completed both B.com and CMA in June 93 and subsequently I did my CS.

 

You worked in Corporate for long and then took up practice.. How was your experience in employed with corporate?

 

I Joined Corporate in June 1993 and worked till May 2008. I worked with SPIC, BEML, Hatsun Agro and Thiru Arooran Sugars in that order . I worked in the areas of Cost Audit, Internal audit, Payables, MIS, Taxation, Oracle implementation and secretarial compliances. I enjoyed my stint in every company.

 

 What made you to take up practice ?

 

I was associated with some social activity from the year 1990. So I thought that being in practice will give me the flexibility in my work hours and schedule so that I manage my work and social activities.

 We find that you are not doing traditional CS or CMA practice, but engaged in lot of other professional areas. Can you please share about the areas of your practice now

I had always felt that SKY is the limit for any  person who holds any one of the  professional qualifications – namely CA / CMA / CS.  More than the label, it is the attitude, native intelligence and patience which are more important.

My areas of practice are GST, Taxation, PF, ESI, Trade Mark, Cost Audit, Start up Registration, MSME  , DGFT  and secretarial compliances.

 

You might have seen the ups and downs of Enterpreneurs. How has your relationship with them in these times? Any specific change in approach particularly when the business is not doing well?

My relationship with my clients are always Cordial. Entrepreneurs to my knowledge and experience are hard working and passionate. They require assistance in meaningful data management in the context of statutory compliances. 

As a policy,  when the company is not making profit , I only take re-imbursement of  expenses if any and I do not charge professional fees. This is not a recommendation or a suggestion , but this is my way of looking at things . There are instances where my clients have thoughtfully paid my professional fees when they turned black ,which I had not charged when they were in red

We understand that you are managing a charitable organization as well. Can you elaborate on that organization and what you are focusing to do from it?

 

My spectrum of  activities include marshalling resources for a  blind charitable organization, assisting people with low income on a need basis  , helping people who are incapacitated and who don’t have any one to support them and any other kind of help to any one as the situation requires. During this COVID period, I managed to supply food and medicines to a few needy peo

How do you see the CS profession in the years to come?

 

CS as a profession has evolved to a great extent  and I see that this profession in the years to come will elevate the role of CS as a compliance enabler and as a professional who enhances  the  importance and awareness of Corporate governance among the Corporate Fraternity.

 

What are the values the young professionals must have – your thoughts on this please.

For any professional irrespective of age, I think Humility , contentment and being straight laced is very important.

 

Interview by CS Mohankumar, Past Chairman ICSI SIRC