My Life Story Part 6

In 1990, I bought a flat in Shere-Punjab Society-a two bed-room flat of 900 sq.ft. We moved into the flat in April. My son Kaushal had just finished his Plus two exams. We were trying for admission into an engineering College. As our initial attempts were not successful, I got him admitted into B.Sc(Maths) in a college near my house. I wanted my son to become a Chartered Accountant, while my wife insisted that he should become an engineer. Suddenly, one Mr Krishna Rao, who was working in Essar along with me as an Engineering Advisor helped me.With his help, I was able to get admission for Kaushal into Manipal Institute of Technology in Mangalore.I had to give a donation of Rs 50,000/- to the Employee Welfare Fund of the Company which had a one seat quota for emplyees! children.They had earlier given donation for construction of a building in the College.. I went to Mangalore along with Kaushal and got him admitted into MIT in July 1990.When within
fifteen days, Kaushal came back from Mangalore, we were all surprised and shocked. He assured us that he had come only because he was feeling home-sick. After five days, he left for Mangalore.
The information regarding availabity of a seat was given to me by Ramani.He got this information from Mr Jayaraman, his neighbour.The sea was reserved for Jayaraman!s son and when the boy got admissioon in Mumbhai, it became available for outsiders.
Between August 1989 and December 1989, my wife underwent two operations-one for removing uterus and the other for hernia. Both the operations were performed in a hospital in Ghatkopar. My brother!s wife Revathi helped my wife a lot during hospitalistion. Susequently, she underwent another operation in a hospital in Shere-Punjab,Andheri for hernia.
In that year,my brother-in-law Vaidyanathan came to Mumbhai with his daughter Revathi and asked for financial help for his daughter!s marriage. I helped him with Rs 50,000/ which even after nearly twenty yearts is not repaid.
In 1990, I went to a village near Tirunelveli to attend Nadu!s marriage
We started looking for alliances for Meena from January 1992. We were told by an astrologer that if she did not get married in that year, she would never get maried for another seven years. She was in final year B.Sc. When Venkat came and saw her, his parents wanted to have betrothal on the same day. I was not very keen as my parents were in Calcutta with Nandu. Finally, after discussions with my wife, we agreed to have betrothal funcation at Venkat!s place on the same evening.To-day, I feel now that it was one of the biggest mistakes made by me in my life. I made extensive enquiries about Venkat from Malaysia. The marriage was celebrated on 18th october 1992 in the Murugan Temple at Garodianagar . It was well-attended

My friend Pasupathy attended the marriage with his wife. It was at this time I bought a flat in T.Nagar from Appaswamy Estates through Pasupathy.. I sent my draft for purchase through Pasupathy when he was returning to Madras after marriage.

Venkat looked like me when I got married (lean and thin).I thought, like me, he would take care of his wife.Venkat and Meena left for K.L. after marriage. My wife accompanied them.
Towards the end of the year I got some bad news. I was told that Mr Shah, a friend in Singapore, had become bankrupt. I had left sixty thousand dollars with him when I left Singapore, thinking I could use this money when Kaushal went abroad for study. This was a shocking news. After my departure, Mr shah led a life of luxury , borrowing more and taking more risks. Though he was talking to me once in a month, he never revealed his correct state of affairs. It is said that "trust begets trust". This was not true in my case.
Staying alone in Surat was very frustrating. I asked my Shashi Ruia to transfer me to Mumbhai. He said he would do so in six months. He also added that he would give me a "wonderful" posting.Besides, my cabin in Mumbhai was not occupied by anyone as I used to work from there on Saturdays.
As Mr Ruia did not keep his promise, I started looking for opportunities in Mumbhai. I spoke to Mr. Ganguly whos war formerly Director (Personnel) of Hindustan Lever and now a Placement Consultant. He arranged for an interview with Hrishikesh Mafatlal. Apart from Mr Mafatlal, the Interview Committee consisted of two former Chairmen of Hindustan Lever. I was interviewed for an hour. This happened in September.
My brother Ramani was sufferring from intermittent fever. On Deepavali day in 1993, I went to his residence. I found him very weak sufferring from very high fever. I advised him to consult a Specialist.
By end of October I went to KL to see Meena and Venkat. I spent five days with them. On my way, I spent two days with Bansal in Singapore.
I received an appointment letter from Mafatlal Industries Ltd offerring me the post of Senior Vice-President (Finance) on good terms. They asked me to report for duty on 2nd January 1994. I submitted my resignation to Essar. Immediately, they increased my cash salary by Rs 10,000/- thinking that I was changing the job for money. I got arrears of Rs 1,20,000/ in cah for twelve months.
Towards the end of November, I received a call from Nandu informing me of the death of my father. All of us--me, my wife, Ramani and Revathi-left by air for Calcutta. Ramani was sufferring from high fever thoughout the period of travel. We performed the final rites of my father on the banks of Ganges in Calcuttta. Nandu!s office friends helped us a lot. My father died on a "kirthikai" day. I have used harsh words to my father only once in my life and that oo when he was becoming senile. I sought my Father!s and God!s pardon on the day we were taking his body to the Ghat.From Calcutta, all of us went to Madras by train and performed all the rituals for my father including the 13th day.
On return to Bombay,I insisted on being relieved from Essar. Though they gave me an increase in pay, they did not offer any posting in Mumbhai. Even to-day I sometimes feel I should not have left ESSAR. Mr Shashi Ruia was extreme;ly kind to me and in my dreams these days, I get his image.

I reported for duty at Mafatlal Industries ltd on 12th January 1994. My immediate boss was Mr Praful Amin who was with the company for nearly 35 years.The Office was in Mafatlal House in back-bay reclamation. Within a week, I attended the farewell given by the company to Mr Nari Contractor, former cricket captain of India. He had worked in the company for 32 years. I also met Jayanthilal who was working in the company He had played as a opening batsman in a test in West Indies
In January, I went to Hinduja Hospital along with my brother Ramani. He was diagnosed as sufferring from Hodgins disease by Dr Asha Kapadia. She took me aside and told me that the cancer was in an advanced stage and there were only twenty percent chances of survival. Unfortunately, my brother also heard this. I asked my brother "why should you assume you will be in the 80 percent.. Give me one reason why you cannot be in the twenty percent". I thought my brother was comfortable after hearing this. We started with kemotherapy immediately. I prayed to God to spare him for atleast another five years taking away five years from my life.Within five years, I feltl he could marry off al his three daughters. I used to meeet him regularly. Besides, I also arranged for a special Puja for him in Kerala spending Rs 10,000/- We were extremely happy when in August , he was diagnosed as free from the disease.
I worked in Mafatlat from 12th January 1994 to 30th September 1998. I also worked as an Advisor for six months, on a part-time basis till May 1999.When I joined ,,the company had five textile mills employing 13,000 people and two chemical plants in Surat. The turn-over was Rs 1,200 crores. My experience in the company was not as enriching as in Essar. Mr Ruia had a fire in the belly, being a first generation promoter. Mr Hrishikesh Mafatlal was born with a silver spoon and hence had very little ambition .I remember my experience for the following reasons:

1)In the first year, I raised money by placing Mafatlal Shares with Financial Institutions. I asked Mr Parag Parekh to prepare a Research Report on Mafatlal Industries Ltd (MIL) and on the basis of this report, I approached financial instituions.This was done in one moth time. The money raised (Rs 120 crores) was used to acquire PIL shares from Shell. When this was achieved, I earned the respect of Mr Aravind Mafatlal. He would come and sit in my cabin for a long time twice every week. The Group was ranked third in India after Tatas and Birlas in early sixties. Mr Aravind Mafatlal opened the first petro-chemical plant in India in 1963 (NOCIL). This NOCIL Plant was inagurated by Jawaharlal Nehru. Because of in-fighting among the brothers, the Group could not raise any money through equity for nearly twenty years.There was resentment too about the importance being given to me. Staff members like Mr P.R.Gandhi gave me lot of troubles. More about him in
detail in susbsequent paragraphs.
2)I was involved in the attempted acquisition of a textile plant in Germany. This gave me opportunities to visit Germany,Switzerland and London on three different occassions.
3)I handled disinvestment of loss making divisions. Most of the negotiations were done by me.Mr Hrishikesh Mafatlal was a very humane person. He continued the loss making companies for an unduly long period thinking only about the future of the emplyees. He was reluctant to take action even against corrupt emplyees.
4)I obtained a letter from Hrishikesh Maftal in July 1994 stating that MIL would sponsor Kaushal! education abroad. This letter helped us in getting US Student Visa for Kaushal. He was keen on joining Maryland University. Unfortunately their I 20 form was not received by us in time. He went to Clemson University, in South Carolina,instead.
5) I lived in two beautiful flats- one in Churchgate near Eros Theatre and the other one in Prabhadevi, near Sidhivinayak temple.
6)Once I raised Rs 4 crores in cash in one day to pay to the Gujarat Chief Minister for disinvest of governent shares in Gujarat Gas.
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I was made the Fianace Director in 1996 with enormous powers. Mr Gandhi was opposed to me, was asked to report to me . When he refused, the company asked him to resign.When I came to know about this I called Gandhi to my cabin and assured him I would treat him with dignity and that I would not keep in mind whatever had happened in the past. In fact when my brother Nandu was interviewed by him for a job in MIL, he did not recommend the candidature of Nandu. I had to speak to N.K.Parekh, Chief of Mafatlal Finance, to get Nandu a job in his company.Till this day, Gandhi speaks to me regularly and has become a good friend.

In June that year we took Meena and Venkat to Rameswaram. Venkat!s parents accompaied us. After the visit to the temple, Meena left for Maryland along with Venkat. We also went to US in Agust 1996. I was there for three weeks, while Anu stayed for a longer period. We went to Pitsburg first and along with Kaushal went to New York,New Jeresy,Florida and Nashvile.Kaushal had taken up a job in Pitsburgh with Fore System. His room-mate in the house was Kiran Pappu.On the way to US, we went to London. We stayed in YWCA guest house and went around London.

In Septmber 1997,my mother died in Ghatkopar at Ramani!s residence.Though I knew her physical condition, I was shocked. My wife was away in US.My mother!s contribution to my success is very great.She shaped my thinking and outlook on life. I imbibed her never-say-die attitude and this helped me in difficult situations.Even to-day I think of my parents before going to sleep every day.

MILwas loosing money very heavily. There were three CEOS tried for textile operations and all of them failed.The company had not modernised, Besides, there was very heavy interest burden on the money borrowed for buying PIL shares. I strongly opposed the policy of acquing companies through borrowed funds. Mr Mafatlal would not listen to me. He had soft ears and people around him advised him that I was introducing ESSAR way of operations.
With all this, he gave me cash of Rs 1,5 lakhs for Deepavali 1996. I used this money to buy a diamond necklace for my wife from M/s Tribhuvandas, famous jewellers in Mumbhai.
Early in January in 1998, Neema told us she was in love with Bala. I was reluctant because I was not happy with Bala!s qualification. I consulted Meena in Maryland and Kaushal in Pitsburg. Kaushal told me that even without my consent, Neema would marry Bala and therefore I should preserve my honour by giving my consent for the marriage.We had the engagement ceremony in a temple in Goregaon in May. Now I realise how wrong I was about Bala. He is very smart. He has good qualities of head and heart. He knows what is happenning around him and in the world. By his genial nature, he has acquired many good firiends, I am sure this will stand him in good stead in times to come.

Meena and Venkat visited us in Feb. from Maryland. Meena insisted on adopting a child. Earlier I had been introduced to Mrs Akhtar, who was running an orphanage. I met her twice. Venkat and Meena adoped a child. His original name was Swanand.. We named him Harihar. I got the adoption regularised through Court. Through Mrs Akhtar, I was also able to arrange for adoptioon for Nandu, Ramani!s brother-in-law.Hari was left behind with us.

In August that year, we again visited USA.Kaushal took us to West Coast this time. I received a phone call from Mafatlal asking me to cut short my stay and return to India. We were negotiating for dis-investment of Gujarat Gas then.After the visit, I started putting pressue on Kaushal to move to West-Coast.Hari came along with us and we handed over Hari to Meena and Venkat at New York air-port We also visited them at Atlanta. Kaushal took us to Clemson and showed his rooms, college etc.
The position of the company had become very bad, Maftlal would not listen to me.Even Mr Amin, my senior, would not raise his his voice. I became the black-sheep.On one day, Mr Mafatlal belittled my suggestions in front of some senior staff members.In August, I resigned my job. Along with resignation letter, I gave a 16 page letter giving my suggestions for improvement. Mr Atul Srivatsava was recruited by me two months before and I thought he was an able successor.I was requested to continue as Advisor for some time. I agreed. Inability to take crucial and hard decisions, diverting short-term funds for long term purposes (just like buying a flat with temporary overdraft),obsolete machinery, old and reluctant staff,low productivity, lack of quality awareness,corrupt officials at the factory level and lack of professional management were responsible for the poor state of the company and the group. In my letter, I gave very good suggestions for improvement.My
letter was a hand-written letter as I did not want anyone to know about what I had suggested.
In August I had bought a flat in Takshila by disposing off my three bed-room flat in Chembur. I also sold my Adayar house this year. We moved into our flat in Takshila in November 1998.
Within a week, my wife received a phone call from Madras informing her that my mother-in-law was critically ill in Madras. She left for Madras immediately. On reaching, she found her mother in coma, following an operation in Ramachandra Hospital. My wife asked me to go over to Madras immediately. When I went to Madras, my mother-in-law was still in coma. She died the next day. We waited for my brother-in-law Ramanathan to come from USA.. We performed the last rites. It was during this period Sujatha,my brother Ramani!s daughter, got married in Madras. My wife could not attend the marriage because of the death of her mother. She,however, attended the receptionnn held in Bombay subsequently. My mother-in-law was an exemplary woman.She remained for 32 years after her husband!s death. She was staying alone, most of the time in Madras.I admired her courage and will-power.She helped me when I needed help most. She would never see me directly
My wife felt miserable for some time.I have always considered my wife!s relationship with her mother as an ideal mother-daughter relationship .

We celebrated Neema!s marriage in Madras on 12th February 1999. This year was very important to me.We also arranged for Kaushal to see some girls with a view to matrimony before Neema!s marriage.The marriage was celebrated on a grand scale. Many of my friends attended the marriage, two of whom told me that Neema and Bala looked like "made-for-each other" couple.I took the couple to Tirupathi.

Kaushal saw some girls for marriage. He also saw a girl in Bombay. He left without taking any decision. On the day he left for Pitsburg, my eldest daughter Meena explained to him that Vidya was the best choice. Before his departure, I convinced Kaushal that he should move to West Coast immediately.Whenever he called me, I would ask him to go to Silicon Valley.
Kaushal give his consent on reaching USA. I conveyed the same to Vidya!s parents in Madras .We performed the betrothal ceremony in Bombay in May and after that we left for Nepal for a holiday.We flew over Mount Everest. Kaushal and Vidya got married on 29th October of this year.
Here I must say a few words about my daughter-in-law. She is very inteligent,confident and talented.She is very realistic and practical in her approach.. Her respect for elders and her values impressed us a lot.I am sure that with a confident wife by his side, Kaushal will do well in life in times to come.
Kaushal and Vidya left for San Jose immediately after marriage. Before the marriage, he had secured an emplyment with Juniper Networks and as per my desire, had moved to west coast.
We went to san Jose after my 59th birth-day and after performing the annual ceremony of my mother-in-law.. We stayed with Kaushal for nearly six months. I thought it would be better for Kaushal to own a house. My cousin, Krishnan, had come to our place for lunch. He informed me that his sister-in-law Nellie and her husband Ram were in real estate business. I had know Ram!s father as a client of UCO Bank, Mylapore. I had helped him in the sale of a flat in Purasaiwalkam,Madras in 1976.. I convinced another customer of my branch to buy this property from Ram!s father for Rs 28,000/- When we met, I told Ram about this back-ground and wanted him to help us find a house for purchase. We were invited by Nellie and Ram for a Christmas party where I again I reiterated my request.
We started going around every saturday and sunday looking for houses. Ultimately, Kaushal bough a house in Savannah Drive. After the purchase, we went to Atlanta for a month and stayed with Meena.We were shocked to find how uncomfortable Meena was with Venkat. On return to San Jose, we performed the Grahapravesam and hosted a dinner party. The party was attended by about 100 guests, including Lalitha and Sunil.
During this visit, Anu develped a serious infection on the outerside of the stomach. She was bleeding almost every-day. We showed her to a doctor who informed us that the virus was a bad virus. We decided to take care of this problem on our return to India.
During this visit, we also came to know about Vidya!s and Neema!s pregnancy. We were very happy and pleased that we would be becoming grand-parents for two children in the year 2000.
On return in June, I was informed of the death of my Chittappa at Madras over phone. I flew immediately the next morning to Madras .and was able to see his body. I was very close to him and was naturally upset. I did not find enoug words to console my Chithi
On return from Madras,I acted as a Consultant to Gujarat Spinners for a brief period. When we went to show Neema to a doctor, we also asked the lady doctor to examine Anu for the virus problem. We were advised that an operation had to be permormed immediately as otherwise the virus would spread and get mixed with blood. We were told that the condition was serious. Anu was operated upon for three hours the very next day. Doctors told us that she was saved in the nick of time.In times of crisis, God had always shown me the way.
We were glad to know about the birth of a boy to Kaushal and Vidya on 9th September. We named him Vishal. Neema and Bala were blessed with a girl on 23rd September.While Vishal was born in San Jose, Srinidhi was born in a hospital in Andheri. Immediately on birth she suffered from severe jaundice and required blood transfusion. My wife went and procured the necessary blood ,travelling in an auto-ricksha in the middle of the night.

I am leading a peaceful retired life for the last ten years. In 2001, we celebrated Vishal!s first birth-day in Madras. We also celebrated Srinidhi!s first birth-day in Madras.Kaushal and Vidya were blessed with a daughter,Kavya, on 10th March 2004. Earlier, Neema and Bala were blessed with a second daughter,Shriya,on 15th August 2002..Meena also returned from USA in that year and started staying with us
.Neema was able to get a job for Meena through a friend.
During my visit to Bangalore in 2002, I had paid an advance for purchase of a flat in Bangalore.We moved to Bangalore in 2004 after a stay of ten years
in Mumbhai. The city has provided me with wealth.Though I earned a lot of money in Singapore in commodity speculation, I lost most of it. Bombay provided me with stability and wealth.It is believed that whoever comes to Mumbhai is blessed by Mahalakshmi. It is true in my case. I had bought eight properties and retained four. My investments will take care of me and my wife for the rest of our life, though I hardly spend any money after the return of Kaushal to Bangalore from USA.The fact that my son is staying with me has given me courage and happiness.I also bought two commercial properties for my son in 2004/2005.. He sent money from abroad for these purchases. Except for very bad times, these investments should provide him with enough money.

I have loved my brothers and sisters. I have helped all of them , when they needed help. Unfortunately, I am not on speaking terms with Chandru because of a stupid remark made by him.However, I do not want to carry this grievance to the grave. I will make it up with him in due course.

In 2006, Mr Mafatlal called me and asked me to become a Member on the Board of Mafatlal Industries Ltd. (MIL). He informed me that most of the suggestions given by me in my hand-written note were accepted by Mckenzies and implemented.I realised it requires a brand name to be accepted. I was happy that both MIL and Mafatlal Finance had repaid all the depsoits with interest.Facing a very difficult financial situation, they have repaid customer!s deposits. In view of this, I accepted the request of Shir Hrishikesh Mafatlal. Among the top industrialists I worked with, he is genuinely humane I still continue on the Board of Mil and visit Bombay once in three months.
I am lucky to be blessed with three good children.They never created any trouble for me and my wife. Though not outstandingly brilliant, they are good children who know what they want and who definitely know what is correct and what is not.. I am sure God will be kind to them and my grand-children. Meena will require the emotional support of her brother and sister. I am confident that they will provide the same
In retirement, I have been visiting USA and London with my wife almost every year. I am spending a very enjoyable time with my grand-children in Bangalore.I believe my mother is re-born as Kavya and consequently my affection for her knows no bounds.
With good health,enough money,loving children, what more can anyone aspire? I fall asleep instantly and have never used a sleeping tablet to sleep.
I believe in the efficacy of prayers and Ispend atleast 30 minutes every day on prayers.My blessings will always be with my children, whether I am physically alive or not.
Life, no dout, is beautiful.