Mrityunjay Athreya: the unfashionable management guru who shuns jargon for purpose

Before the giants

On his return, he set himself up as an independent adviser to companies, associations, governments and NGOs. It was a good time to become a management consultant in India. The likes of McKinsey, BCG, Arthur D. Little and Monitor had little interest in the country. Starting off with an assignment for Bharat Heavy Electric Ltd, then part of a set of emerging public sector companies, he went on to advise Indian Oil Corporation, NTPC and ONGC, as well as private firms such as Mahindra & Mahindra and Bharat Forge.