Man On The Move… Literally

Ashwini Kakkar, chief executive officer and managing director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, is a wine connoisseur, music composer, art collector and sports enthusiast. He is also so hyperactive that his staff sometimes find it difficult to locate him even within the office, says Reema Sisodia

some people say Ashwini Kakkar, chief executive officer and managing director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, has wheels on his feet. There was a year when he touched a whopping 300,000 frequent flier miles and lived in a New Delhi hotel for approximately 240 days, hopping in and out of the capital for business. The man is always on the move, even within the Thomas Cook building. “He will mingle with the staff, stop at any department if he suddenly thinks of an idea or to get certain information. Even within the office it gets difficult to track him down at times,” says Ameeta Munshi, consultant corporate communications, Thomas Cook (India) who has been working with Kakkar for four years.

But Kakkar is more than a business traveller. He is a wine connoisseur, music composer, art collector, sports enthusiast all rolled into one. “The interest in the arts and music existed from the early years of my life,” says Kakkar. When he was 16 years old, Kakkar had been unable to buy a painting during a visit to the Jehangir Art Gallery along with his father. “I promised myself that one day I would have my own collection of paintings,” he says. Result: Kakkar today has nearly 550 paintings of contemporary Indian and international artists. This appreciation of art is also reflected in Thomas Cook's headquarters in Mumbai. Almost every corner in the building is embellished with a painting.

Kakkar also composes music. With an assortment of equipment, he has created a number of compositions mixing diverse sounds from across regions - for example Latin tunes with Indian music, Arabic songs with English music etc.

And to add another facet to the man, he says that he has been a sportsman who still retains an active interest in hockey, swimming (which he considers a major stressbuster), football and water polo.

Ashwini Kakkar's beginnings were humble. The first salary cheque that he earned carried the figure of Rs 912. “I gave it to my mother,” he remembers.

Coming from a village in Mandi Dabwali, located at the border of Rajasthan and Haryana, Kakkar, needless to say, was a brilliant student. He however faced a dilemma after his HSC exams. Almost everyone in the family wanted him to become a doctor and Kakkar's instincts told him to pursue engineering. He followed his gut feeling and excelled in mechanical engineering at Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra. From there he moved ahead to pursue his MBA from the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), France. Besides this he also secured a management degree from IIM-Kolkata and a law degree.

“From 1989 onwards my life has been on a fast track frequently moving from one time zone into another,” says Kakkar. His main considerations while travelling are convenience and time. That's a little ironic because one of his most memorable journey was spent inside the boot of a car! “During my academic years in France, my friends and I decided to cross over to Austria to witness a Waltz weekend. I was the only member who did not have an Austrian visa. So at the border crossing junction, I had to actually travel in the car boot,” says Kakkar.

Though he has travelled extensively, the dream journey in India remains the base camp of Mount Everest and, across the globe, a visit to the remnants of the Mayan civilisation in Mexico.

Kakkar has some prescriptions to help him in his travel. “For example, I find getting out in the open and walking in the sunlight a way to beat jet lag because the sun's rays help rectify the body clock. Eat right, eat light and walk lengths if you can. These are some trivial details of travel which I adhere to,” he says.

So, what drives Ashwini Kakkar? “I am passionate about all that I do and this has helped me meet challenges right from my school days. It helps me give 100 per cent to whatever I do in life,” he says.

A disciplined lifestyle also helps this vegetarian to withstand his hectic schedule. “I believe in the power of nature and prayers,” he says.

But he does enjoy the finer things in life, which could be English handcrafted leather shoes or Italian slim cut suits. Driving is also a passion, whether it be his car or his company.