Campus Placement: When passion matches calling

For Yogesh Gumte, it was like a dream come true when he was placed as the territory manager in TVS Motor. He felt that it was the right place to exploit both—man and the machine

Yogesh Gumte feels that his passion for motor sports got fulfilled when he was placed as the territory manager at TVS. He feels that he has found the right place to match his passion and goal. A pass out from a well-known engineering college of the city, Yogesh also believes that it was the right place to exploit both—man and the machine. He, like others, finds it difficult to pronounce the full form of TVS, but he is aware of what it stands for, Thirukkurungudi Vengaram Sundram (TVS), the name of the founder.

A resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Yogesh always felt that sports and academics should be given the same weightage. A leader in sports right from his schooldays, he has been setting an example in this field. Motor sports was his passion and he has participated at different levels in this sport. He feels that sports was the driving force behind his success. He wanted to join the defence forces but it was the passion for motor sports which hit him like the fiery breath of a dragon.

Though many companies came to his college campus for placement, he was always on the lookout for striking the right entry into the corporate world and TVS was one of them. And he proved that he was the right candidate when he made the cut for that one spot.

Yogesh with sister Minakshi and parents

Placement blues…

He was nervous like any other student when it was time for the call in the interview room.

“Going through the process I realised that it was going to be a challenging task as it was difficult to decide which sector would be right to carry my dreams. The defence force was my childhood dream, but I did my degree in engineering,” recalls Yogesh. He was passionate about automobiles, not just to drive or ride the vehicle, but also to know the technical aspects of it. And this helped him to take decisions and to stick to them during the placement period. Patience paid off as he waited for the right automobile company. “I stayed calm and patient, and waited for the right opportunity, and it came when TVS called,” he says.

This Aurangabad youngster is of the opinion that Aurangabad gave him great friends, a great environment and most importantly, a positive outlook which enriched him in developing his personality.

Placement challenges…

He did his homework well and set his sight on group discussion. “I kept myself aware of current affairs during my lectures, thanks to the college for providing newspapers daily. As an engineer, aptitude test was never a concern, but my main concern was the technical interviews which are not predictable,” says Yogesh. He overcame the aptitude tests and group discussions. Despite being shortlisted, in the interview room he was in a state of confusion as there were no automobile companies. There was a ray of hope when Mahindra & Mahindra came. “I immediately applied for it and was waiting for the process to start, but everything does not go according to your plan.” He lost the chance to grab the opening because of an injury to his left leg. “I had to go for a check-up to my hometown and I lost the opportunity for which I had been waiting for, and ended up losing the chance to get into the company.” Yogesh was in a state of depression and subsequently did not apply for the companies that came to the campus for placement. Then came TVS and he grabbed the opening with both hands.

Though many companies came to his college campus for placement, he was always on the lookout for striking the right entry into the corporate world and TVS was one of them... He was passionate about automobiles, not just to drive or ride the vehicle, but also to know the technical aspects of it. And this helped him to take decisions and to stick to them during the placement period

Yogesh with friends

Earlier days…

He was 23 before he left the city of Aurangabad to go ahead with his Masters. “This happened because both my parents were able to hold on to their jobs in this city for such a long time. My father Anantrao Gumte is working in HMT Ltd and my mother, Kalpana Gumte, is working in the Town Planning sector under the government of Maharashtra.” Yogesh did his schooling from St. Xavier’s High School and thereafter his XII from Vasantrao Naik College before he joined MIT for his Mechanical Engineering. He has been active in sports and also has been the sports secretary both in school and college. “This helped me nurture leadership qualities and the experience of teamwork actually helped me during my graduation,” says Yogesh, who represented his college in national-level racing events. “These events have been a turning point in my educational experience which resulted in adding a lot of practical knowledge about automobiles and various manufacturing processes.”

Best moments…

Being a sports secretary he felt like a celebrity on the dais during the annual sports events. “I can never forget the days as I felt honoured to sit beside the chief guest, as well as when I became the first candidate from my batch to get screened in the selection process. These moments are the ones which make me feel good about myself and always boost my confidence during my lows.”

On his success…

“The credit for all this goes to my parents. It’s because of their faith and support I was able to pursue what I really wanted. Being patient is the key to success, and it was my parents who taught me this. A special thanks to SBS for bringing such companies for campus placements.”

Tips for juniors…
  • Believe in your capabilities. No one can judge you better than yourself.
  • Back your abilities and be patient till you get what you actually want.
  • Don’t take decisions under pressure that you may regret in the future.
  • Be passionate and follow your heart and you will get what you want.

By Joe Williams