Interview of S. Sri Ram – CA Final Topper May 2016

Hello Shri, first of all we would like to congratulate you on becoming the 1st rank holder in CA Final.
Thank you sir!Shri, how are you feeling now?
I am very thankful to my parents and also very happy that at last I have achieved what I have aimed for. I expected a rank but never thought I would get rank 1. Actually I got 1st rank in June 2014 too in CS executive exam. This worked as a huge boost that I should continue the same spirit and can get a rank in CA finals also.What was your first reaction as soon as you got to know that you have secured 1st rank ?
I was in my office when I received the call from ICAI institute two minutes before the result got declared and the president informed me that I have secured the 1st rank. It was a joyous moment for me and I was eager to meet my parents and give them the news of my success.Did you inform your parents on phone?
As soon as I got to know about my result, I called up my parents and gave them the news of my achievement. They both cried out of joy.

In this whole journey, who inspired you and whom would you like to thank and make a special mention?
If I have to make a special mention it would be my cousin who is also my mentor. He is a Cost Management Accountant and he was the one who introduced me to CA when I was in the 10th standard. He told me that it is a challenging course and in future you can go for options like employment or you can go for practice. And the challenge made me to opt for this course. So, he was the first one who gave me the inspiration and told me to join this course called CA and that I should try for this. Without his inspiration, it would not have been possible. Other than this I cant make any special mention ads for each and every CA whom I have ever meet has inspired me in his own way, I have learnt something new from them and if I have to mention I would mention the whole CA fraternity.

And who helped you in your studies whom you look forward to.
Somebody whom I would like to mention is MP Vijaykumar because he had been a role model for many people and one year back before I knew him in person I was told that there is a legend called MP Vijaykumar who takes accounting classes and who is a great personality and later I also got a chance to personally meet him. And similarly many other achievers like Mr.Pattabi Ram, Prema Jaykumar from Bombay. Her story really inspired me and I thought if she can do it I can also achieve the same.

What was your study pattern / strategy that you followed for CA Final that you would like to share with your fellow members?
The strategy that I used is – ” I used to study for 2 hours a day for one and a half years. I started preparing for CA Finals 3 years before the exam. And, in the last 3 months, I used to study for 8 hours a day. But 2 hours a day for a period of one and a half year is a big deal and that helped me to finish up all the portions 2 / 3 months before the exam. Since I was able to complete the syllabus two months before the exams I did two more revsions. I was not only able to complete my revision twice but also practice some mock test papers. This helped me to prepare well for exams.And what is the important thing that a student should keep in mind while attempting the exams?
While attempting the exam, they should not have any fear but while preparing for exams they should have the fear like – ” if I don’t prepare now before the exams then I would have to sit idle for the next 6 months. So, that fear should be with them.But, while writing the exams, they should have the confidence and attitude that no matters whatever question comes, I would be able to write it. You should challenge the institute that try to make me fail. That should be the attitude.You might have seen stress among your peers and friends. So, what did you do to cope up with that stress?
I didn’t feel that stress because I had started preparing all early and I went for the exam with the confidence that no matter from where the question comes, I will be able to give the answers, let the institute ask any question I challenge the institute to fail me. Not for the sake of getting any rank but in order to cover up all the 100 mark questions that would come so that I would be able to score 60 marks from them. So, prior to this, I didn’t have any sort of stress.

Must Read –

• Interview of James John Britto R – CA Final Topper Nov 2015
• Interview of Rahul Aggarwal – CA Final Topper May 2015
• Interview of Shailee Chaudhary – CA Final Topper May 2015
• CA Final Toppers Speak, Interview, Photos
• CA Final Pass Percentage
• Interview of Nagolu Mohan Kumar – CA Final Topper Nov 2015

What is the importance of CA articleship?
Articleship is an important thing because of the practical knowledge, application and everything. Being a student, you have to just read and study. But, being an article, you have to watch the practical applications for the whole day, the time that you spent and everything – ” it helps a lot for you at the time of preparation because the amount of hard work if you put in during the CA articleship and continue, then at the time of your study leave, it will help you a lot to study.

Apart from studies, what are your other hobbies and interest areas?
I like spending time with my friends and I play shuttlecock (badminton). Apart from this I was in the SICASA committee for 4 years and during that tenure I participated in many activities and organised events. I joined the committee when I was in CPT and was a regular member for 2 years and in 2014 and became the president of the committee and during that tenure Salem SICASA got the best branch award. We also organised first ever regional conference in Salem branch. So I got interest in all these events being in the committee.

What are your future plans now after the CA Final?
Right now, I am totally blank about what I am going to do because there are too many options for the subject. I can go for employment or join any good firm or I can even go for further studies. Now that I have secured a rank, I have been receiving calls from many firms and companies asking me to send them my CV. So, all these have surrounded me with thoughts of what to do and it’s very hard for me to think. So, right now, I am completely blank and I have to think properly of what I have to do. I need to do CISA and I had a plan to do MBA. Right now, I am not sure about it but definitely, I would go for CISA. Just go and have knowledge and later starting my own practice may be.

What would be your message for your juniors and other members?
I would like to state that – ” please don’t procrastinate the things. If you postpone the things at the initial stage, then later you would have to face the stress. Next you should have the fear that – ” what if I don’t do it and a dream of what if I do. Just think that if you spare these 5 minutes or 1 hour today, then what the outcome will be. Have that fear, have that planning and the rest will go good.