THE TECH PHOENIX

by T.N. Manoharan, V. Pattabhi Ram

  1. ISBN: 978-93-5520-822-4
  2. Pages: 256 pages
  3. Date: 5th November 2022

ABOUT THIS BOOK

‘This book is a must-read for all those interested in corporate governance, whether practitioners, academics, students or policymakers.’
                                                                                                                          —Kiran Karnik
On the morning of 7 January 2009, India and the global IT community watched in horror as a letter written by the chairman of Satyam Computers, B. Ramalinga Raju, flashed on all news channels.
The tech czar confessed to fixing the books for years together, audits notwithstanding. This led to a host of consequences—Satyam stock prices crashed, its large employee base was deeply affected, and most importantly, India’s reputation as a premier IT service provider was sullied.

However, the story does not end there. In fact, The Tech Phoenix: Satyam’s 100-Day Turnaround
only begins at this point. The government swiftly stepped in and nominated a board, with leading figures from various fields. T.N. Manoharan, one of these board members, narrates the events of the tumultuous 100 days immediately following Raju’s letter, in what is the fastest turnaround in corporate history.

This remarkable corporate rescue operation is an engrossing story that culminates in the selection of an investor who infuses capital and takes control. It offers an insider’s account of the detailed planning and dedication that resurrected a fallen but storied company, and the lessons learnt in the process of protecting the interests of the stakeholders—employees, investors and customers—and redeeming India’s global image.

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

T.N. Manoharan is currently a member of the RBI’s Standing External Advisory Committee for
evaluating applications for universal banks and small finance banks. He is also the chairman of IDBI Bank and is a member of the boards of Mahindra & Mahindra, Tech Mahindra and the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development. He is a chartered accountant (CA) of 39 years’ standing and a law graduate.
Manoharan was part of the government-nominated board for the revival of Satyam Computer
Services Limited. He served as chairman of the committee on Accounting Standards and Taxation of the Confederation of Indian Industry during 2009–11 and was the president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in 2006–07. He has authored books for professionals and students on taxation.
He has received several awards including the CNN-IBN ‘Indian of the Year 2009’ from the Prime
Minister of India. He was awarded the Padma Shri on 7 April 2010.

V. Pattabhi Ram is an author, public speaker and teacher, besides being a CA. An alumnus of St.
Joseph’s College, Tiruchi, he interned at the audit house Deloitte. He has taught over 75,000 CA
students and is a regular speaker at the professional seminars circuit. His books include Ticking
Times: An Accountant and a Gentleman, a novel set in the backdrop of the audit profession; A Few Good Men, and Nightingales: How Eleven Women Overcame Obstacles on the Road of Life, both bio- sketches; Building a Legacy, a biography of A. Ramakrishna, the former deputy managing director of L&T, which was released by the Vice President of India. His book First Lessons in Strategic Financial Management, co-authored with S.D. Bala, is a popular textbook among CA students.