From Finance to Football: Dhananjay Jayaraman (FIFA MA 25th edition)
Dhananjay Jayaraman, or “Jay” to his peers, grew up in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. Now part of the FIFA MA program, Jay’s dynamic presence has already made an impression – qualities that reflect the 20-million-person city he calls home. Growing up in this “physical rat race” shaped him both personally and professionally. Sharing with a bit of humor and humility, Jay says, “there’s just so much that whatever you do – it could be academics, which was the case with me early on, because when I first stepped onto a football pitch or cricket pitch, I realised I have to figure out a way to do this without playing because I was horrible.”
With two accountant parents and a sister in medicine, Jay understood the importance of following a stable career path. “You always listen to your folks. They probably know better what’s good for you,” he admits. So, Jay began his career as a CPA. “Fair play to them,” he acknowledges, “because a lot of what I know right now, a lot of how I see things, is probably because of having pursued accountancy.”
But the pull toward sports was undeniable, a passion he traces back to shared experiences watching football with his dad. “It’s my father that actually got me hooked on football, so joke’s on him,” he quips.
Over time, Jay developed a fascination with numbers and storytelling through data, one which propelled him into his latest professional endeavor working at Polish football club Lech Poznań. “The data never lies,” he says. “It removes the bias. It presents you facts and then what you do with the facts is what the management part is about.” Still, he jokes he would have a hard time living in Poland long-term due to the creative Polish pronunciation of his name: “YAHN-AHN-YAY YAY-AR-AH-MAHN.”
Of course, such a drastic shift wasn’t made in isolation, but Jay had the support of his parents, who helped navigate this unconventional path. They had open discussions early on, recognizing that a career in sports is “unchartered waters” in India, where, according to Jay, the ecosystem is not as developed for professionals seeking a career in sports. But earning his accounting qualifications reassured both him and his family as he pursued this less traditional path. After coming across the FIFA Master program at 16 while exploring career options, he later earned a Master’s in Sports Management from ISDE in Spain before working at Lech Poznań and joining the 25th edition of the FIFA Master.
For Jay, sports represent more than just a career journey, they’ve provided a way to bond with family and friends. Recalling a 2011 Cricket World Cup match he attended with his father, Jay remembers the eight-hour experience fondly. “The instant appeal of sport was how I could connect with him.” With friends, sports offer a break from logic and an “escape from what’s happening,” as he puts it. “You leave rationale behind and just let yourself enjoy it. I feel sport – and now the escape – has become the life.”
For Jay, the influence of Indian culture and tradition was never far behind. Growing up in a Hindu household as part of the Brahmin caste (historically known as scholars and religious leaders), traditions guided parts of his upbringing, including performing rituals three times a day. Looking forward, Jay will continue to navigate the role religion will play in his life, but knows that its purpose will be for instilling values, not by compulsion. “I don’t want to impose religion on my kids, but I do believe in the discipline and focus that comes from faith. It’s about knowing that there’s a greater force out there.”
These diverse experiences have guided Jay to a life philosophy centered on happiness, balance, and maintaining a positive outlook on life. “You can’t always be smiling, but I feel like as long as your moral compass is pointing in the right direction, happiness is always just around the corner.”
Jay’s approach to life is one of balance – between seriousness and humor, tradition and personal freedom, ambition and finding peace in comfort. By staying true to himself and keeping things in perspective, Jay lives a life filled with gratitude and purpose.
By Geneva Decker
FIFA Master 25th edition student
FIFA Master - International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, ranked Europe's No.1 course a record 12 times by SportBusiness.
Organised by CIES in partnership with De Montfort University (UK), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).
