Pushkaraj Gumaste is currently the Managing Director and Global Head of International Corporates, Barclays Bank Plc. He joined the MBA program of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in 1992. After his MBA, Pushkaraj wanted to spend the rest of his life in Puttaparthi, but Swami had other plans. He joined Lloyds Finance where he was introduced to International banking which had set up his career. He was with Lloyds Finance until 1997. From 1997 to 2004 he had the opportunity to work with Credit Lyonnais, ANZ Grindlays Bank, CitiBank and Caylon Corporate & Investment Bank. Since 2004 he has been with Barclays occupying numerous leadership roles right from Director, Head of Fx, Rates & Commodities Sales to his current role as the MD and Global Head. In all of 27 years of his professional experience, Pushkaraj feels that jobs have found him and he did not have the need to search for them. This he attributes to the abundant Grace of Swami.
Challenges faced during the Professional Career
Swami has always reminded us that life is a journey of ups and downs. Pushkaraj has this as the only mantra, which he keeps reminding himself of. He believes that every “up” reminds us to be humble and modest and every “down” reminds us of a dawn and sunrise. The most important aspect which helped him during his career is Swami’s teaching of change of work is rest. Though he has faced adversities across professional and personal life, it is due to the moments of faith and surrender to Swami that has seen him through. He strongly believes that he is never alone and that there are unseen hands of Swami holding him all throughout.
Pushkaraj feels that all through his career he has been blessed with very good seniors and mentors. In one of his jobs, his manager was a perfectionist and a very good leader. He was giving Pushkaraj a very hard time in the initial days. There were times when Pushkaraj felt intimidated. In those times he reminded himself that Swami is with him, guides him and only wishes for his best. Pushkaraj ensured that he should neither react nor engage in giving back. At one point in time his manager took him aside and asked him as to why he was not reacting. Once his manager realised that Pushkaraj was not going to react he started to respect Pushkaraj a lot and still continues to be a good friend, guide and mentor. While dealing with clients, the reputational risk is of prime importance. Despite being challenged many times, the ethical & moral compass of Pushkaraj remains robust to ensure that his personal and professional integrity (and that of his employer) remains glowing.
Pushkaraj had two life changing incidents in his personal life. It was in 2007, that he had to go through a herniated disc spine surgery following the near paralysis of his right leg. This was followed by a personal relationship crisis during 2014 – 2016. However, during both the periods of turbulence, a few things became very important. Apart from Swami’s unseen presence, the teachings of life and that of university, came to his assistance. With these he could minimise the impact of his personal crisis onto his professional career and vice versa. Additionally, his colleagues and close friends rallied around him and he never felt isolated or alone while going through these issues, however difficult they were. This wouldn’t have been possible without investing and building a relationship which was purely built on mutual trust and love.
Lessons Learnt under the Divine Presence
During his stay in Parthi, every single day Pushkaraj had something new to be learnt and something to be unlearnt from his life. There are innumerable lessons learnt from Swami, directly or indirectly. These lessons were learnt from the brief interactions with Swami which Pushkaraj remembers to date.
Medical seminars were held in the Super Specialty hospital which had top doctors from all over the country participating in it. Many of them were quite new to Prasanthi Nilayam. Pushkaraj and a few other students were personally assigned by Swami to take care of their hospitality. Swami wanted His students to be His ambassadors and ensured that they take good care of even the smallest of things like folding of bedsheets and blankets, availability of napkins, towels, tissue papers and dustbins, size of buckets and mugs and so on. To Him nothing is small and nothing is big. Through this He drove the lessons of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and “love all, serve all”. Though we all belong to a single family, Swami clearly emphasized that He is the only true friend of all and all are our brothers and sisters.
It was during the last Sunday of March 1994, when Swami had called Pushkaraj and a few other students for a private audience. During this Swami had offered them snacks and water and had engaged in casual talk. When it was time for the Darshan, all of the students got up and dusted the crumbs from their clothes. Seeing this, Swami remarked that even in one’s life, when being pointed out for some mistakes, one would brush them aside just like how they had dusted the crumbs. On hearing this a couple of them pushed those fallen crumbs under Swami’s chair! He then took a broom and swept the crumbs off His chair with a remark that everyone would even pass the buck on to Him. But He reassured that once we have surrendered our problems to Him, He would take care of them just as he cleaned up the crumbs. This incident highlights His omnipotence and His loving nature.
It was on a particular day when Prof. Bhagya sir had spoken about the omnipresence of Swami in his class. Pushkaraj and his classmates were trying to comprehend that after college when they were getting ready for Darshan. During that time, out of the blue, one of the students sang the first line of the famous nursery rhyme “Johnny Johnny yes papa”. This was followed by another singing “Baa baa black sheep have you any wool”. After getting ready, all of them had assembled for the evening Darshan. The student who had sung the rhyme “Baa baa black sheep” had a letter that day to offer to Swami. Swami in His daily rounds was coming near him. By the time He reached that student He had deftly divided the bunch of letters onto both His hands. He then looked at that student, nodded His head and said “No sir, no sir, both hands full” and walked away! It was at that point in time, that the students realized the practical implication of omnipresence of Swami.
Social and Seva Initiatives
Pushkaraj is part of the Mumbai Samithi and Dharmakshetra but being in London he is also part of the Sai students U.K. community too. He is a diversity and inclusion mentor and a board member of Center for Equity and Quality in Universal Education (CEQUE).
A Word of Advice for the Young Alumni
Pushkaraj’s advice to the young alumni is to be confident and assertive but not defensive. We must always seek help and guidance when we are in doubt or to improve ourselves. It is the right attitude that helps us to achieve success. According to him, success is due to 90% right attitude and only 10% aptitude. We must consider the whole world as a single family, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, and strive for the betterment of our brethren. All through our careers we must strive to keep up the work-life balance. Pushkaraj himself is passionate about endurance sports such as cycling and running. Most importantly we must have faith in Swami and ourselves and ensure that we follow Swami’s dictum “Help ever, Hurt never”.
Team Vidyullekha wishes all the very best to Pushkaraj for all his future endeavours.
