The Curious Case of Bala Sankaran: The Man Who Gets Younger with Every Mile

On this episode of MarineX Radio, we will share the story of a man who has lived a thousand lives and seems to get younger with every mile he runs. From a seasoned marine engineer (Chief Engineer Officer, DMET Alumni) to earning an MBA from one of the top B-Schools in the USA (Wharton), to working in a top consultancy firm McKinsey, to holding leadership positions at Google and Twitter, to co-founding Alpha Ori (a company that has raised four rounds of funding, grown to 450+ people, and recently merged with Zero North), and simultaneously running Runners High with Bala, one of the happiest running communities in the US, Bala’s resume is something we all might aspire to and look up to.

This journey is dedicated to our very own Benjamin Button, who seems to be getting younger with every mile he runs. Though he may appear to be in his mid-30s, he is well over 50.

There is a lot to learn from this podcast, and we encourage our readers to go through this blog post and learn from Bala.

After going through complete podcast, you will surely understand why Bala is our Benjamin.

This MarineX Radio podcast is powered by DMET Club, MoneyX, and Runners High with Bala.

Early Life and Aspiration

Bala Sankaran's interview began with a warm greeting and brief exchanges before diving into his background. Bala reflected on his youth, specifically around the 10th grade in 1986-87. He described himself as a passionate individual determined to pursue marine engineering, significantly influenced by his uncle, a 1971-72 DMET graduate. His uncle’s stories and gifts from his time at sea captivated Bala and solidified his aspiration to join the marine engineering field.

During his schooling years, Bala was focused on getting into DMET, and his dedication was evident as he applied for the DMET entrance examination, which was separate from the IIT-JEE at the time.

Despite not making it in the first list of accepted students, Bala’s perseverance paid off as he was accepted in the second list, joining DMET a month late.

Challenges at DMET

Bala recounted his initial challenges at DMET, highlighting the intense physical and cultural adjustments he had to make. Being the only South Indian in his batch who did not speak Hindi, the language barrier added to the difficulties of the rigorous physical training and ragging.

However, he approached these challenges with a mindset that initial struggles often lead to greater ease later on. This belief helped him endure the tough initial months, eventually forming strong friendships and finding his footing.

Family Background and Personal Struggles

The conversation shifted to Bala’s family background, where he shared the poignant story of his younger brother who suffered from muscular dystrophy. His brother’s resilience and positive attitude, despite facing a debilitating disease, deeply influenced Bala’s outlook on struggle and hardship.

Career at Sea

Bala also touched on his career at sea, where he sailed for ten years with Seaarland Ship Management. He spoke fondly of his time there, describing it as a period of bliss. Bala quickly rose through the ranks to become a chief engineer, enjoying the camaraderie and support of his colleagues.

His dedication and passion for marine engineering were evident as he thrived in his role, meeting incredible people and learning extensively.

Balancing his personal life, Bala got married at the age of 26 to his high school friend and neighbour, Renuka. Their relationship, which evolved from a deep friendship, turned into a loving partnership.

She sailed with Bala on several voyages, and their daughter also joined them on one of these journeys, marking a unique and memorable family experience on the ship

Self-motivation is essential for achieving your goals

Unique and Memorable Challenge

During one of his voyages, Bala experienced a unique and memorable challenge. His ship was traveling across the Atlantic with his one-year-old daughter. His wife, Renuka, a nursing mother, contracted chickenpox, had to be quarantined for 20 days, leaving the care of their baby to the entire ship’s crew.

This collective effort turned into an amazing bonding experience for the crew, with pictures capturing moments like the baby sleeping in a makeshift cradle while the crew worked around her.

(Do check an exciting incident in the podcast)

Reflections on DMET and Transition to MBA

Reflecting on his time at DMET, Bala fondly remembered his role number 4064 and his involvement as a Cadet Captain and Senior Cadet Captain for the Raman sadan. He highlighted his cherished memories as a co-op store member, where he and his group accomplished incredible things.

Bala then shared his journey of transitioning from sailing to pursuing an MBA. After ten years at sea, he contemplated the next step in his career. He initially thought of working ashore as a technical superintendent.

This conversation ignited a new passion in Bala, leading him to apply to top business schools like Wharton and Kellogg, along with several others ranked between 5th and 20th.

Despite initial struggles with preparing for the GMAT, Bala's persistence paid off. He spent months studying and eventually scored 740, a competitive score. However, he emphasised that GMAT was only a part of the application process.

He dedicated another six months to perfecting his essays, with help from his DMET junior (Piyush Raj), who was pursuing a PhD at IIM Lucknow. Together, they refined Bala’s essays through numerous revisions during his six-month sailing stint.

Bala's hard work and dedication bore fruit when he received admissions offers from all the schools he applied to, except the lowest-ranked one.

MBA Journey at Wharton

When asked about his MBA experience, Bala emphasised about MBA programs and what makes them unique.

Value of an MBA

Bala outlined the distinct value an MBA provides, especially for those coming from a technical background like shipping:

1. Education in Business Fundamentals: Business school covers finance, accounting, marketing, strategy, and essential business tools such as Excel and PowerPoint. This foundational knowledge is crucial for anyone transitioning from a technical field to a business environment.
2. Network and Connections: The network you build in a top business school is invaluable. Interacting with highly talented individuals helps you learn how to stand out among equals, a skill essential for future leadership roles.
3. Alumni Community: A larger and older alumni network, such as that of Wharton, offers extensive post-graduation opportunities.
4. Work Experience of Peers: In US business schools, the average age of students is around 30, meaning your peers bring significant professional experience, enriching the learning environment.
5. Career Opportunities: Top business schools attract the best companies for recruitment, providing more and better job opportunities post-graduation.

Career Post-MBA

After completing his MBA, Bala chose management consulting at McKinsey & Company in New York. This role was ideal for someone transitioning from shipping to a broader business environment, offering exposure to multiple industries and functions.

It was a steep learning curve but provided invaluable experience in applying theoretical knowledge to real-world business problems.

Transition to Google & Twitter (The Silicon Valley Move)

Bala’s next move was to Google, driven by a desire to move from consulting to a more execution-focused role.

Despite initially feeling out of place due to his lack of media and technology background, he secured the position by being honest and showcasing his problem-solving skills.

His tenure at Google taught him the importance of hiring the right raw material in people, focusing on their potential rather than just their resumes.

He later moved to Twitter to set up the global sales and marketing operations function. He served as VP (Global Operations) and was with Twitter through the hectic pre-IPO, IPO, and post-IPO days for five years.

Founding Alpha Ori Technologies

Bala co-founded Alpha Ori Technologies with Captain Rajesh (Rajesh Unni is Master Mariner and founder of Synergy Ship Management) and two of his friends Sam Jha (DMET Roll Number 3964) and Biju Nair, focusing on digitalising the shipping industry. Their goal was to transform ships into digital enterprises by leveraging advancements in shipshore connectivity, cloud computing, and machine learning.

This initiative aimed to enhance transparency, optimise assets, save fuel, and support decarbonisation efforts in the shipping industry. Over seven years, Alpha Ori grew from a small team to a company with 450 employees and 1,000 ships on its platform, establishing offices in San Diego, Chennai, and Singapore.

Key Takeaways

1. Importance of Passion and Self-Motivation: Bala emphasized the need for passion and self-motivation in pursuing any goal, whether it’s an MBA or founding a startup.
2. Value of Networking: Building connections with talented individuals is crucial for personal and professional growth.
3. Learning from Real-World Experience: Practical experience, especially in diverse fields like management consulting, can significantly enhance one’s business acumen.
4. Ethical Compass in Business: Maintaining high ethical standards is essential for long-term success.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

Alpha Ori's Journey

The interview focused on the journey of Alpha Ori and its funding. Bala Sankaran shared that they raised four rounds of funding amounting to millions of dollars. Although he couldn't disclose the exact amount, the funds significantly contributed to their growth. However, the path wasn't always smooth; they made mistakes and experienced setbacks, taking two steps forward and one step back.

There were moments of excitement with big contract wins and times of disappointment with lost deals. The journey had everything—drama, emotion, and humour.

When discussing ZeroNorth's acquisition of Alpha Ori, Bala clarified that it was a merger. They joined forces, but ZeroNorth holds a higher equity stake. This merger happened three months ago. By the time they merged, ZeroNorth was developing chartering products, while Alpha Ori focused on owner-specific products like SmartShip, SmartVoyager, and ShipPalm.

Bala has been with Alpha Ori for seven years. After the merger, he relinquished his role but stayed on as an advisor to the CEO and a board member of the joint company.

Importance of Physical Fitness & RHWB

The conversation shifted to physical fitness, a value instilled during early days and continuing throughout Bala's journey. He acknowledged the challenge of maintaining fitness, especially for those in tech roles who easily become sedentary. He emphasised the importance of surrounding oneself with positive influences and the significant impact of those around us.

Bala mentioned his large circle of well-wishers and great friends, making it difficult to narrow down to just five. His co-founders at Alpha Ori—Rajesh Unni, Sam, Piyush, and Biju—are amongst his closest friends at work.

Fitness often gets overlooked in our journeys. Bala started Runners High with Bala (RHWB), aiming to create and connect amazing human beings through long-distance running.

He became a certified long-distance running coach and began training them. The results were incredible; the kids trained diligently and completed long-distance runs. This success led to more parents joining, and the program grew rapidly.

"Running is not just about physical fitness; it's about building strong character and values."

Now, RHWB has a community of about 2,500 runners from 11 countries. It's an online program that provides personalised coaching using data from running watches. Bala's mother, at 83, completed four 10Ks after knee replacement surgery, demonstrating that age is no barrier.

Running has a scientific basis called "runner's high," where the brain releases feel-good hormones after reaching a target. This feeling of accomplishment leads to a positive mental state. Running also encourages better eating habits and overall well-being.

Mental Wellness and Positive Environment

Bala emphasised that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Mental health is about staying positive and being in a supportive environment. Running and physical activities release hormones that create a sense of accomplishment and happiness. This positive spiral improves overall well-being.

Even small steps can lead to significant improvements. Surrounding oneself with positive people and having high ideals are crucial. Self-motivation is essential. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Consistent, small efforts lead to significant results.

Bala's insights on fitness and mental wellness are truly inspiring. His emphasis on positivity, self-motivation, and the importance of taking small steps toward fitness can benefit everyone, especially those in the maritime community.

Doing something today will make tomorrow slightly better than today.

Advice for Aspiring Professionals (Read it thrice)

• Start with small, achievable steps and maintain consistency.
• Surround yourself with positive, health-conscious people.
• Self-motivation is crucial; strive to inspire others and be inspired by their progress.

Hope you all enjoyed reading Bala's Journey

So, get up and run!
Be like Bala!

Some key important quotes by Bala Sankaran from the MarineX Radio(Read them twice)

1. "Initial struggles often lead to greater ease later on."
2. "It's not as if everything we did was right. We made two steps forward, one step backward."
3. "Running is not just about physical fitness; it's about building strong character and values."
4. "A healthy body leads to a healthy mind."
5. "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step."
6. "Surround yourself with positive people who believe in physical and mental health and giving."
7. "Moderation is key. Focus on your health and well-being."
8. "Self-motivation is essential for achieving your goals."
9. "Passion and dedication are crucial for manifesting your goals."
10. "Maintaining high ethical standards is essential for long-term success."
11. "Consistent, small efforts lead to significant results."
12. "Building connections with talented individuals is crucial for personal and professional growth."
13. "Every time you slightly exceed the target, it releases a hormone—runner's high."
14. "The best gift a human being can give to another human being is the gift of health."
15. "Doing something today will make tomorrow slightly better than today."
16. "When people get motivated by you, that's the best motivation you can get."
17. "You just focus on giving, and somebody else will focus on giving back to you."
18. "Having a direction of self-motivation helps you to stay focused and driven."
19. "We are all ordinary human beings trying to do extraordinary things."
20. "The more you give, the more you get; it's a fantastic equation."
21. "Big things appear small when you realise what is truly important in life."
22. "Optimising happiness on a daily basis is what is important in life."
23. "Positive thoughts and sharing other people's successes breed a positive environment."
24. "Visualising and dreaming about your objectives fuel self-motivation and drive."
25. "It's about being smart in the way you manage your life, balancing enjoyment with health."

Thank You!