While the identity of the ‘Himalayan yogi’ advising former National Stock Exchange (NSE) chief executive Chitra Ramkrishna is resulting in much guess work, the fact that corporates and businessmen often turn to spiritual or mystic advisers to make the right moves is quite well known. After all, when it’s a matter of billions, you can never be too sure.
News reports suggest Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani reportedly turn to family guru Ramesh Oza and Morari Bapu from Gujarat. Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is also known to have a fair share of big-league followers, including Videocon founder & chairman Venugopal Dhoot, Yash Birla group chairman Yash Birla and Vijay Mallya, to name a few. Rajneesh, better known as Osho, has a fan base all over the world, while international guru Chandraswami had devotees like Saudi businessman Adnan Khashoggi, the Sultan of Brunei and former PM Narasimha Rao. Reportedly, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Apple founder Steve Jobs had a special connection with spiritual guru Neem Karoli Baba of Nainital.
Then there are ‘corporate astrologers’ who make no bones about what they do, with their websites clearly stating their services and including testimonials by clients, many of them big names. Like Mumbai-based Sundeep Kochar, who is neither a marketing guru nor an economist, but helps big corporations in hiring top executives like CEOs and CXOs. His website boasts of testimonials from Gopichand Hinduja, co-chairman of Hinduja Group; Prakash Lohia, founder-chairman of Indorama Corporation; Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir; singer Mika Singh; chef Gaggan Anand; Butani Jewellers, and social activist and film producer Smita Thackeray. “What companies look for is a trustworthy, capable employee whose timing (phase of life) is right and can be a key hire if their planetary positions match the stars of an employer,” says Kochar, adding, “I read their stars if they fit the role and if they can create synergies within the team to build a brand or business. Reading horoscopes helps advise a favourable time for a product launch, meeting key investors, investing in stock markets, etc, and this helps maximise profits of the company.”
From partners’ stake, launch date of an IPO, focus country to invest in, or stationery alignment in office, Mumbai-based celebrity astro-numerologist Sanjay B Jumaani changes names and recommends appropriate gems and colours to change fortunes of corporations. He, too, has a long list of clients on his website — Sumer Group (Builders), MDH Masala, Greenply Industries and Asian Paints among them.
“Astrology actually matters in business, seriously. But there is a logical explanation and science behind this guidance. It’s also a personal choice if one needs to see an expert on a need-based and not greed-based issue,” says Delhi-based astrologer and vaastu consultant Jai Madaan, who gives insights on the significance of handwriting and signatures, impact of colours on success, dimension and direction of logos, sitting placement, balancing elements in a building, etc. “Signatures and handwriting reflect a lot about your personality. They tell the state of mind, your emotional and internal fears, financial stability, if one is optimistic or pessimistic,” says Madaan, who charges Rs 2.5 lakh per hour for a corporate session and Rs 36,500 per hour per person for individual sessions that could include handwriting, signature analysis, vaastu and numeric science. Her clients include chief executives worldwide, international organisations, real estate developers, and a premium pan masala brand.
Kochar charges $250 per person for a 30-minute session and $400 per couple for 60 minutes for those residing overseas, and Rs 21,000 per person for an hour in India for horoscope, palmistry, face reading, etc. “The consultation is about their business horoscope. I give them honest advice instead of endorsing fear or superstition. At times, the conversation works as a therapy by simply talking to them on matters of concern,” says Kochar, who has been in this business for the past 22 years. He also feels more acceptance and tolerance is needed in the corporate world.
Many feel the role of mentors could be formalised, and there need not be anything clandestine about it. Even American financier and investment banker JP Morgan had once said, “Anyone can be a millionaire, but to become a billionaire you need an astrologer.”
Bengaluru-based life and leadership coach Saraswathi Laxman, whose client base is mostly corporate, says, “A professional coaching relationship always starts with a formal agreement, which encompasses confidentiality amongst other aspects. A role of a coach is not to give prescriptions or advice, but to partner with the client in a thought-provoking and creative process which inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential through their own decisions.” Delhi-based wellbeing crusader Nina Kler, who seeks guidance from astro-mentors, shares how she is careful in employing such services. “The sensitivity of the content is often not considered before confidential information is shared. The tricky part comes when one is talking to astrologers and gurus; there is just something about these equations that the power balance is skewed, because the realm one is accessing is unknown to the seeker. So I feel it is imperative to sign NDAs,” she says.
