Modi was grateful for the work FedEx did during Covid, says Indian-American CEO Raj Subramaniam

The Kerala-born was elected to the FedEx Board of Directors in 2020.

Indian American FedEx CEO Raj Sundaram. / FedEx

Indian-American FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was grateful for the work FedEx did during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“He (PM Modi) asked me to come over once I just landed (in India), went to his house, and so it was a one-on-one meeting and for the first five minutes he spoke about how grateful he was and for the work we did. And I was almost in tears because as somebody who was born in India, the prime minister, telling you that, that was a moment of deep gratitude for me,” he said.

FedEx contribution during the pandemic

Subramaniam described the urgency felt in April 2021 when Covid-19 was devastating India. Recalling the dire situation, he said he realized action was needed. He began making calls, reaching out to colleagues and key contacts, and was astonished at the swift response.

The next day, a Zoom call was organized with at least 60 Fortune 100 CEOs in attendance, he said. “I don't believe there's any other country in which this would've happened. What I realized later is that everyone's got their crown jewels in India,” Subramaniam said.

Subramaniam recounted how the conversation quickly focused on the urgent need for oxygen in India. “We had 40 flights a week into India, in and out. So we started mobilizing oxygen concentrators moving into India,” he said.

Subramaniam’s American story

Subramaniam shared his personal journey, recounting his own experience of moving to the US in 1987 and facing challenges finding a job after completing his MBA in 1991 due to recession. “Now, a lot of people of the Indian community have become fantastically successful in Silicon Valley and become CEOs in different companies,” he said after expressing how “clueless” he was when he first got a job at FedEx.

Subramaniam emphasized the importance of impact and discussed FedEx's core business of connecting people and possibilities globally. “The core business of FedEx is connecting people and possibilities around the world. Everyone talks about delivering packages, but ultimately, we're connecting customers and businesses to markets around the world. And so that actually has lifted a lot of people’s standards of living around the world,” he said.

Subramaniam emphasized the collective impact of individuals from various fields in Maryland, highlighting their role as shining examples of the American story. “You all talked about it when you talk about the civil rights and immigration and all this stuff. I mean, it's a true American story. So I'm just delighted to be part of that journey,” he said.

Subramaniam concluded by expressing his optimism stating, “I'm just going to say that the best is yet to come.”