In the 29 years, post IIFM, Ramanathan has specialized in development/ humanitarian coordination in the asia-pacific and middle-east/ north-africa (MENA) regions. Having worked in a range of development, peace and humanitarian contexts, his assignments include, United Nations Resident Coordinator/ Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar, UNFPA Country
Representative positions in Myanmar and Iraq, and the Deputy Regional Director for Asia-Pacific region for UN Women.
Rama’s 20+ years of UN experience includes UNICEF, UNDP, UN Volunteers, UN Women, UNFPA and UN OCHA. He is currently serving as UN Assistant Secretary General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Crisis Response.
His specialization includes development /humanitarian coordination and mediation in political economies as varied as South Asia, South-East Asia, Middle-East & North Africa (MENA).
Rama has twin masters; Masters in Population Studies from International Institute of Population Sciences (India), and Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry Management, IIFM, India.
Q. Tell us about your School and College before you came to IIFM. How was your experience there? And how did IIFM happen?
A. Pre-IIFM, my entire education was in Chennai, Tamil Nadu; at Hindu Higher Secondary School and Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College; Institutions that were known for their academic discipline and deemed ancient even as I stepped into their portals. Thinking back, I am sure I would qualify as ‘academically-oriented’ (diplo-speak for ‘nerd’), though growing up in one of the roughest residential areas in north-Madras kind of diluted the nerd’iness with some street smartness.
IIFM was one of the post-graduate entrance exams that I had applied for and truth be told, while I was focused on getting into IIM, there was some intrigue for me in the term ‘Forest Management’. Still, I would have happily taken IIM if I had cleared it. However, with 20/20 hindsight, I am glad for having taken the ‘road less travelled’.
Q. How has been your journey from IIFM so far?
A. My journey from IIFM lasting nearly 30 years has been enriching as a whole while being challenging and rewarding in equal parts, with many moments of exhilaration and frustration thrown in. Right after IIFM, I worked for 6-7 years gaining grassroots development experience in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. This perspective was extremely helpful in making the cut for the UNDP Global leadership Programme in 2003 which launched my international UN career. Since then, I have been privileged to work in development and humanitarian coordination in some of the most difficult terrains and political economies; Libya, Iraq, Myanmar, Syria etc, with UN agencies as varied as Unicef, UNV, UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA, UN Secretariat and UN OCHA.
Q. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
A. Working with truly multicultural teams and coming across exemplary human beings in every assignment has been an amazing learning experience. The changing cultural context of different assignments is another source of rich learning.
Witnessing first-hand the resilience of people, be it Yazidi girls freed from ISIS captivity or children improvising and playing in the post-cyclone Myanmar is truly humbling and inspiring.
Despite many years of experience, each assignment brings with it additional opportunities to learn, new contexts to appreciate and explore, and different challenges to tackle. In my current assignment, for example, it has been an exceptional opportunity to witness the ongoing political developments in Syria and contribute towards the UN’s humanitarian work there.
It has also been a valuable opportunity to engage with other senior leaders across the UN, to take into account different perspectives, leadership styles, and experience.
Q. How has been your experience in your current Organization? What all areas have you been working here?
A. My current assignment focuses on the twin pillars of humanitarian coordination and humanitarian mediation/ diplomacy. In practical terms this translates to negotiating with governments, armed groups, political stakeholders etc for humanitarian access, protection of civilians, internally-displaced, refugees, protection of civilian infrastructure, and engagement with donor capitals for resources.
Coordination may sound simple, but it is often the most difficult and complex part of my job to bring together different stakeholders from within and outside the humanitarian field, often with different motivations, objectives, and processes, to work together and achieve common goals. This part of my job requires both technical expertise but also strategic foresight – for example in my role to bring together multiple UN agencies, partners, and authorities to plan and implement a humanitarian response in a particular country.
Q. What is the most satisfying part in your career?
A. In my career so far, I have witnessed momentous events including natural disasters, conflicts, regime changes, democratic transitions etc. To have played a part, howsoever small, in the recovery and reconstruction of countries and communities after conflicts and natural disasters; and to have played a role as an agent of change in sectors such as health, women’s rights, youth empowerment, at a national level in the countries I have worked, is quite satisfying.
Equally satisfying have been the friendships and cultural experiences that I have gathered offering many alternative perspectives to my worldview.
Q. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
A. Even at the risk of sounding trite, I would name the biggest learning in IIFM for me as the exposure to linkages between upstream policy dialogue and downstream interventions that directly affect communities and the nodes of governance in-between. IIFM manages to bridge these streams in its curriculum rather effectively.I came to appreciate the full value of this exposure on many occasions in my career.
I still remember learning from so many batchmates their way of approaching any project or issue from so many angles and being wowed by their sheer creativity and the out-of-the-box approaches.
The introduction to the ‘holistic’ approach (I hated that word while in IIFM and continue to do till date) , which I prefer to refer to as a ‘systems approach’ to development delivery is very useful.
Q. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers? What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles ?
A. My fieldwork/ OT(now called SI & Project Work/Winter Internship) assignments clearly helped me towards making my career choices, both in terms of the sectors I want to work in and in terms of the career paths that I do not want to walk. So, my two cents worth to IIFM graduates/ freshers is to seek diversity in projects/ OT/ fieldwork. Also, there are simply no borders to shaping your career in IIFM; there are no limitations, save time itself. So do use your time well while at IIFM.
At the same time, do not be too worried about getting the career path right immediately. Any IIFMite is versatile enough to reinvent her/himself. But do try to have some clarity on the direction of your career by the end of the first five years.
Q. How did you decide to go for higher studies post IIFM? And how was the experience?
A. I did not pursue higher studies immediately after IIFM. About 20 years after IIFM, I became interested in ageing and population economics and decided to take a second masters in demography from India.
Q. What are your favorite memories during your IIFM days?
A. The late night general body meetings, the recurring obsession and endless debates about whether IIFM being more management or more forestry; the camaraderie, volley ball matches, the carrom-board sessions, listening to some truly exceptional singing talents (there are always a couple of them in every batch… Madhu and Duggal in 1994-96 cohort). Most importantly, the privilege of having an opinion on any topic and having the space and naivete to air it!
Q. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution (courses, faculty, library, friends, alumni..) or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
A. All of them…We all have different ways of assimilating knowledge and reflecting upon them. For me, the library, the field work and the OT assignments would rank among the top. Listen to alumni… they mostly have a lot of ‘gyaan’ to offer.. but make your own decisions.
Q. As an alumni, what’s your advice to freshers or those are joining IIFM to get best out of the 2 years there?
Take the IIFM course seriously; but do not be bound by its curriculum. Seek diversity in your fieldwork/ OT assignments. Compete, but most importantly, learn to collaborate. Enjoy your friendships, the camaraderie (even the fights and disagreements).
IIFM caters to a variety of career interests; the (post-IIFM) academic minded, the NGO purists, the environmental eclectics, private sector-philes, the generalists… etc. Most of all, know that IIFM provides you with enough fuel and a launch pad. It is for you to choose your trajectory and velocity.
Q. What would be your advice for recent graduates who look to change their sector after working for couple of years?
A. Nothing wrong about it. Do not be over-hesitant about changing your career path after your first or second job, or for that matter at any point in time. However, be clear about what is it that is not attractive in your current sector and what is it that is attractive about another sector. Try to distinguish between issues related to job/ sector content with job administration (salary, supervisor relationship etc). It is ok not to have a long-term plan when you take your first or second job but try to have one by the end of the first five years.
Q. What is your typical day at the work? And how does it look like while you are on a break?
A. My day starts quite early, even before I reach the office. I normally spend the morning reading and watching the news. I need to be aware of ongoing political and security developments locally, regionally and globally in order to make sound and calculated decisions.
At the office, I spend my morning reviewing correspondence and planning for the day’s engagements. Most days, I will have a mix of internal meetings as well as one or two engagements with external stakeholders including Ambassadors or donor representatives. There are usually one or two media interactions a week and that requires a lot of careful planning.
Once I have finished my meetings, I spend the remainder of the day working on substantive issues that need my oversight or input. This can include reviewing policy/ programme documents, addressing issues of humanitarian access with authorities, solving a challenge faced by an implementing partner, and reporting on my meetings to the UN’s senior leadership.
Because the UN is a truly global organization, my work does not finish once I leave the office. Often there are meetings with colleagues in different time zones as well as meetings and events organized by member states and donors to attend. Many times, an urgent crisis may require my attention outside regular working hours. My job also requires me to travel often – either to visit operations in the field or to meet with various stakeholders in donor capitals or in other locations. Suffice it to say that my work does take up most (if not all) of my day!
Q. And how about weekends, hobbies, family and anything else you want to add?
A. A weekend is a time to relax, mostly by cooking, driving, reading or a combination of these. Cooking and learning new languages are my favourite hobbies. Both started as a necessity in my early international career and is now something I look forward to in every new posting (the new language and new vegetarian dishes).
Picked up leatherwork about 10 years ago and is now something I do to get my mind off work. A longer break is usually in India, visiting family, friends and pandering to my pets.
Q. Favorite Books, movies, authors?
A. Favourite books: The Will to Power, Beyond Good and Evil (Nietsche), The Master and Margarita (Mikhail Bulgakov)
Q. IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
A. After UN, I plan to formally mentor/ support individuals from South-countries (particularly India) seeking careers in development coordination including UN. So will reach out to IIFM in this context at some point in time.
Q. What do you think is different at IIFM now vs when you studied there? When was the last time you visited IIFM?
A. It has been a while since I last visited IIFM. But I plan to remedy that soon.
Q. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
A. ADP, Sudin, Bijoy … I am sure every one of my batchmate has had an interesting career.