A couple of years ago, I met Ramalinga Raju for an interview at a time when the company was going through a period of stress. The numbers were not too good as his costs had gone up in an attempt to try to bring Satyam’s wages in line with industry standards.

Through all the questions in the press conference, and subsequently in the one-on-one interaction in his office, I was intrigued to see that he did not frown even once. Not once did he struggle for the right word. He had a measured way of speaking, and he stuck to it no matter how loud or rude the questioner was.

I asked him how he managed to have no stress, and never to frown (he does not have a single frown line on his forhead) when I met him later.

His response: “I meditate”.

Today, as I read his shocking letter to the stock exchanges, admitting to inflated profits over the last several years, I wonder what it was that he meditated on….and about.

I wonder now if I can believe him when he says that “neither me nor the managing director took even one rupee/dollar from the company and have not benefitted in financial terms on account of the inflated results.” If he could lie with such a straight face earlier, what is the guarantee that he is not doing it now!