But to think of it
He
was born as a child who suffered from paralysis and he has claimed that it was
through Yog that he was able to regain the full functionality of his body again.
His
father was a farmer in Kalwa village of Narnaul district in Haryana. Ram Kishen
was born here and started going to a gurukul when he was four years old. His guru
wasSwami Baldev. Ram Kishen wanted to become a sanyasi at the age of four-and-a-half.
He has four brothers. One is an army havaldar, second is a farmer, and the third
works in the Divya Pharmacy.
The father
still walks miles. Apparently the son's fame and riches haven't got to him. In
Kalwa, Ram Kishen began doing yoga. He was good at it, and it slowly helped him
deal with his deformities. It also helped him deal with his paralysis though he
still has a droopy left eye to show for it. At some point, Ram Kishen took off
for the Himalayas. He emerged from there as Swami Ramdev.
So
what made him what he is-what are the success lessons we can learn from his rise.
Mission
He
is a common man but with a "mission" and the mission being "teaching"
his disciples the short-cut to live a healthy life and that too without being
subjected to any sort of Allopathic and money pressure. Indeed, the method he
uses is all backed by the science of physical fitness- physiotherapy.
Passion
He
is passionate about sharing the ancient knowledge of Yoga, His day begins at 3
am. Yoga classes begin around 4.30 am. He works for 16 to 18 hours. He sleeps
for four to five hours. Lights off at 10 pm, sometimes 11 pm. He has never taken
leave. This man is a master of the breath. He has lungs like vacuum pumps, he
can chug like an express train, go as still as a grave, suck his stomach so far
in that there's no room between the belly and the spine, and contort into shapes
resembling a rubber man
Identifying
the target audience and their need
His
target audience is the common man. He has brought Yoga from the elitist to masses.
The
ancient knowledge which ironically got lost amongst the Indians was popularised
in western countries by the so called gurus and is India's most famous export.
He
packages simple exercises to reduce the common ailment. He especially focuses
on pranayama (breathing exercise that can be understood and followed by any lay
man and is a super hit).
His awareness of the common ailments and the household
solutions by using normally available ingredients as compared to the expensive
ailments make him very popular.
Best there are no patents or commercial angles
in these. just common, plain simple recipe for treating the ailments like hypertension,
diabetes, heart problem, arthritis , thyroid .. etc.
Engaging
the target audience
Ramdev knows
how to engage and captivate the audience. He does not project himself on a lofty
platform and give sermons. He communicates in a manner which makes him a part
of the audience.
His Yoga camps though attended by thousands are well organized
with proper support and infrastructure.
The teaching is not monotonous and
boring but interactive. He repeatedly exhorts the crowd, addressing them, joking
with them and sharing some stories and incidents.
He also bashes up the MNCs
selling beverages and the allopathic medicines.
He also asks them in real time
to tell the benefits of the yoga and thus gain credibility. He is an expert in
engaging with the audience and building an emotional connect with them.
Knowing
how to leverage the media
Ramdev
is a marketer par excellence. He knows the power of media and has been excellent
in leveraging it. Hs tie up and association with sanskar channel and now with
Astha has brought him to people's home in the remote corners of India.
People
instead of going for a walk in the morning station themselves in front of the
television and do yoga with him.
Great
Business Acumen
Considering that he
is a guru, he is also a great business man. He realizes that he needs both the
audience and the money for long term sustenance. His camps have differential pricing.
He packages and sells ayurvedic medicines.
He is the only mass adored guru
in modern times who has been recognized by the Home country first. Most of others
were initially recognized in foreign shores before getting their due in India.
Some
of the Other Top PPTs
(click
on the blue headings to read)
The
Monk who Sold the Ferrari The Monk who sold the Ferrari has some of the most
important learnings. Read the summary of the key learnings of this very good book.
