By Rahul Kishore
Rajat Uppal, the 20-something national marketing head of Red FM, is a pretty boy. Actually, he’s 37! He pretty much leads the Gurugram yuppie life with wife and kid and Harley and BMW in tow. He’s quite easy to chat with and words flow out naturally. I met him over a leisurely cup of chai which he ordered from downstairs as the coffee maker had conked out. I began by asking him
What’s your biggest strength?
Being crazy, he never thinks like normal. He’s like an outcast in his family, he’s never been curbed and likes to speak his mind freely.
Biggest weakness.
This is also a weakness, society expects you to conform and because you are different people view you differently. Society in general wants conformists.
Hardwork or luck?
Hardwork and luck. I was a backbencher in school and always playing on the sports field. I was decent in studies but typically only worked before the exams. Had I worked harder I would’ve scored much higher. My sister and parents were constantly after my life to pull me home but I would be enjoying on various sportsfields. I was never a books person.
Fav CEO?
Steve Jobs. Again he was a non-conformist who questioned everything
How would you like to live your life again?
Rajat laughs loudly. I would like to be born in a family of 500 crores, study in an Ivy League college, have fast cars and big bikes at home. I would still d o a lot of work, but I would not needed to work.
If a movie was  to be made about your life who would you like to play you?
For once during the interview he actually thinks. The characters, the boys and girls in Rang De Basanti, non-conformists who don’t give a damn are him. Question society. Then maybe Leo Dicaprio. Look at the first movie he ever made and look where he is now. One would’ve expected him to be a chocolate boy hero but look at him evolve into the actor he is today.
On a scale of 1-10, how weird are you?
7. I could very well go to my boss and tell her, that I want to ride my bike tomorrow so I won’t be in to work. Instead of saying I’m sick and I can’t make it.
What didn’t you get a chance to include in your CV?
Ivy League education
Describe yourself in four words.
Energetic, Passionate, Persistent, Non-Conformist.
What’s your superpower?
I have a gut about people and decisions that I take, for the business and in my personal life.\ I can’t explain why I do what I do sometimes but it always works.
How often do you de-stress?
Four times a week with a single malt. I gym and do a lot of cardio, listen to a lot of music and go riding on my Harley on weekends.
Something that never worked for you?
Plain Jane logic never works for me. You have to be driven by your heart.
What’s your dream job?
CEO of any big company.
If Bill Gates gave you 10 million US and asked you to change the world how would you do it?
I’m a non-believer in religion. I believe in one god and I would educate people to seek him only and not waste too much time on religion.
Rate RK as an interviewer on a scale of 1-10
11