How a company created by a native is transforming lives in Kerala's Punalur

Nestled on the foothills of the Western Ghats, on the banks of river Kallada in Kollam district, Punalur is quiet and quaint. With a population of below 50,000 people, Punalur is oblivious to the hustle and bustle which is characteristic of cities. The clicking, beeping, and whirring which ones marked the town emanating from Kerala’s first paper producing factory, ceased when the Punalur Paper Mills winded up following loses in 1987. That also marked an end to employment opportunities for the people of the region who had to either move out of Punalur in search of work or take up odd jobs, offering meagre income, within the town.

While men still found it easier to explore employment opportunities in other areas, women remained out of the workforce. A major part of the population in Punalur depended on agriculture and odd jobs for livelihood.

All that changed in 2015 when Aries Marine and Engineering Services, a ship design consultancy and marine survey firm headquartered in Sharjah, UAE, opened a branch in Punalur. Interestingly, Aries Marine is owned by Sohan Roy, a native of Punalur. Since it was set up in 2015, Aries Group’s Punalur branch has been providing jobs and decent salaries to women and men in the region.

“I think it is my duty to help my native land grow and prosper. With that aim in sight, I initiated many activities in Aickarakonam. We have given employment to women from Aickarakonam, Kakodu and other wards coming under the Punalur municipality,” Roy, owner and managing director of Aries Marine, told The Federal.

The story offers an inspiration for start-ups and those who want to make an impact on the lives of people living in India’s smaller towns, cities and even villages.

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Sajini M Sumangala, a 30-year-old invoice supervisor at the Aries Group office in Aickarakonam, says the job has been immensely empowering for her.

“For me, it is a five-minute walk from my house to my office. I can even go back home for lunch. A job near one’s house is helpful in many ways,” Sajini said.

She was recruited as a staff of the group back in 2015. Looking for a job then, Sajini had completed Masters degree and was attending coaching classes for Public Service Commission (PSC) exams.

“In retrospect, I think this was the best opportunity I got in my life as the company is caring. Even if someone in our family is sick, the company comes to our aid. There is empathy in the office environment also,” Sajini told The Federal.

In smaller towns, where corporate organisations do not exist, the youth vie for government jobs. But Sajini says her job at Aries Marine is better than any public sector job.

“The job is even better than that a government one as there is stiff competition for government jobs and the applicant to position ratio is extremely high. The postings are also provided in faraway areas,” she adds.

Rekha Rajan, another Aickarakonam resident who also got employed in 2015 and works as a supervisor who keeps records of the inspection and maintenance of ships, says that her office is a two-minute walk from her house. “Once I completed graduation, I joined a coaching centre in the hope to qualify state services examination but I am lucky to be employed in a multinational company that too so close to where I stay. The biggest advantage for me is that there is no travel expense,” Rekha tells The Federal.

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She said the company offers a good salary and yearly incentives. “I was recruited by the company after my husband started working here. Later, after an interview and training of six months, I was enrolled as an employee. The company also offers pension for parents. A monthly pension of Rs 1,000 for each parent of the employee is given after they have completed three years of work. “The pension amount is increased to Rs 2,500 for single parents after seven years. There are additional benefits such as health insurance as well,” she adds.

Rekha is one among hundreds of women who have found jobs at Aries.

Suma Satheesh, another Aickarakonam native who is a commerce graduate and qualified under the computer teacher training programme, says she never expected to find a job in Punalur. “We are happy now and the company supports us in many ways,” says Suma, who too works as a supervisor like Rekha.

People are not turning to the company for jobs only because there are no other jobs in the area. Some are in fact opting for Aries over other opportunities.

Vijith Vijayadharan, a native of Plachery near Punalur, chose Aries over a job offer from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). A graduate in commerce and computer application, Vijith got employed in the group immediately after completing his education.

“I saw the advertisement for the job of a coordinator in a WhatsApp group and applied for the post. My work involves coordinating various activities of the ship designing company. Though I got an offer from ISRO based on my ITI qualification, I didn’t join because of my work satisfaction at Aries Group. My parents are also happy with my job,” says the 25-year-old Vijith.

He said when he went to Sharjah for an official visit, he found many of his friends and acquaintances from Punalur employed in the firm’s office there.

The company isn’t only providing employment to people but also performing other corporate social responsibility activities.

Beyond offering jobs, Aries is involved in ensuring social service activities in the region. D Dineshan, vice chairman of Punalur Municipality, said that the social services activities undertaken by Aries Group in Punalur and have made an impact on the region, especially the Aickarakonam ward.

On May 30, more than 150 students from the Aickarakonam and Kakkodu wards of Punalur were given study material. The same day, the group inaugurated a 3D theatre classroom for the students of Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, near Attapadi in Palakkad. On May 19, Aries Group distributed health kits to members of the Rapid Response Force members. On June 5, the Aries Group organised a plantation drive in various parts of the Aickarakonam village as part of World Environment Day activities.

The activities that happened in May and June are part of Aries Group’s yearly social activities in the region.

The group, which claims to be a conglomerate of 57 independent firms, has branches across 19 countries.

The company’s founder Roy, whose parents were government school teachers, studied naval architecture from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT). He says that he wants to ensure Punalur progresses and emerges as a model for others to emulate.

“Though the job at our company needs technical expertise, people who have arts and commerce background can also find placement at Aries provided they undergo a brief period of training. The training is provided by the company. A person with even average intelligence and power of comprehension can discharge these functions. Before recruiting a candidate, we screen the candidate using scientific yardsticks such as examination of handwriting and even verification of his or her social media profiles,” Roy told The Federal.