Sense of Responsibility calls Lone Star Gas exec home

Lets say it's almost impossible for Americans to understand V.Narayanan. But then, his Indian countrymen don't really comprehend him either.
May be, it's as he says, I'm irrational Narayanan (Pronounced "Naw Ryan") is that his desire to serve his countrymen transcends everything even a possible future of the first magnitude in America's corporate world.
It also explains why the 32 years old treasurer of Lone Star Gas Company to chuck it all and return to India after 11 years in this country to run for the Legislative Assembly in the southern most state of Tamilnadu.
You know somewhat where V.(As in Venkatakrishnan, his father's name) Narayanan is going. But where does he come from?
Narayanan was graduated from D.G.Vaishnav College, of the University of Madras with a B.S Degree in accounting in 1975 and departed for the University of Kentucky, where he received his MBA in 1977.
His first job was a financial analyst for Geosource inc. In Houston. Followed by the job of manager of accounting for the firm in Corpu Christi.
In 1981, he joined pool Co. In San Angelo as manager of controls and procedures. Two years later he was transferred to Houston as director of accounting. In 1985, he was named controller.
A year later, in June 1986, he joined Lone Star Gas as assistant controller and last September, he became treasurer.
So much for his rapid rise up the corporate ladder. But even on these shores, he has always had India on his mind.
At Kentucky he recalls how he and fellow Indian students easily fell into the habit of criticizing the motherland - the wrongs with the world's largest democracy , the problems of a country burdened by 700 million citizens, a country with 29 states, 14 different languages (and 500 dialects), each with a different written script, massive poverty and outdated ways of doing things.
The list could be endless, but as Narayanan recalls, it occurred to him that "We need to try to do something about it"
This led to an internalizing of the problem-"What am I going to about it?"
In 1978, his feelings crystallized and he knew he would return in 10 years. Last year, when Lone Star told him they planned to promote him to treasurer he told them of his plans.
In what translates into a tribute to Lone Star, officials, they said they understand Narayanan's feelings and confirmed their faith in their man by promoting him anyway.
Lone Star recognized two valuable taints that Narayanan himself acknowledges he possesses. " I can work with people and I don't give up."
As a result, during his 14 months in the post, Narayanan's " department generated $2 million in savings."
During his stay in America Narayanan put into practice what he puts into words as a dedication to service. "I realized this country is doing a lot for me ('Lone Star has been good to me'). I spend my time on voluntary activities like the Big Brothers, on telephone reassurance service- calling the elderly at home (to see if everything is all right) in Houston, visiting a nursing home on a regular basis in Irving.
"I believe in contributing to the society I'm living in I worked with the Family Shelter as a bridge family (helping those who leave the shelter to cope in the outside world)."
He regularly sends money back to Vaishnav College's endowment. He has organized a US Credit cad operation in co-operation with the J.C.Penny National Bank (A subsidiary of the big retailer) for the benefit of Indians in this country (some of the profits going for philanthropic causes in India.)
How did he decide on his future? He asked himself the question : "What can I do for India?"
Social service (helping perhaps 5000 people), starting a business and providing employment ( reaching up to 50,000 people through a ripple effect) or in politics (perhaps reaching millions because the problems of India are so massive)"
The general from his friend (Since Narayanan's family has no political connections and is not rich was.
"How difficult it is?"
"How dirty it is?"
"How stupid I am?"
Narayanan says, " There is a certain validity to all three if it were easy, everyone else would go into politics.... Politics in India is a haluva lot worse than here, it attracts lot of the bad elements.
"But the way to keep it for being worse is to make it better." The sake of argument. Narayanan agrees with his friends, "I'm irrational  and I'm stupid."
If you believe that, we have Texas bank we wish to sell you.
He looks to his Indian wife Kalyani (Yes, "It was an arranged marriage but we each could have vetoed it"), a computer science major with job experience in Houston and Dallas, and their new baby girl for "100 percent support."
Does he plan to aim higher in politics (he has since developed his own connections)? " If moving up helps me to help people better, yes I will move up bat that is not part of my plans now."
Will you return, to America someday?
If I comeback to this country (on a permanent basis) I'll look myself as a failure and I have never been a failure in my life."
Godspeed
Staff Columnist Robert Miller writes about people in the business community for The Dallas Morning News.