BLURRED VISION: GRATITUDE - Tribute to those who helped me in my career n life. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

Ramdas Iyer

The late Prithipal Singh Ahluwalia

The late Madan Kamra

Please see Photo Gallery below.

1955 in World History

1955…it was a historic year when International events set the foundation for the geo political architecture of the World community for the next half century.

Winston Churchill Hero of WWII and British Prime Minister resigned that year. He died ten years later.

In China, Communist forces had by then consolidated their hold over Mainland China and Chiang Kai Shek was confined to Formosa aka Taiwan. China had already annexed Tibet and emerged as a Major World Power. It was to be some decades before China became an Economic Powerhouse.

Russia spearheaded the formation of the Warsaw Pact and start of Cold War. West Germany became a sovereign state. In some years Berlin Wall came up to symbolize the Iron Curtain.

If that was not enough, USA began sending aid to Viet Nam.

And the one who was to change the work-life style of this decade, Steve Jobs, was born in 1955.

Likewise 1955 in my History

Similarly 1955 was a historic year for me n my family too. My first job with Stanvac Refnery set the foundation for my future career. I learnt the fundamentals of Personnel Management n General Management in a Best Practices environment where merit ruled. This was to equip me for the eventful and rewarding future that lay in store for me. But then I am going ahead of my story.

During the time I was working in Poona, I had taken to ‘Pen Friendship” and had several pen friends with whom I corresponded. Those days letter writing was the only mode of communication between distant friends and relatives. Pen Friendship was a prominent hobby. It enabled people to make friends with people not related to them and located far away. Newspapers carried classified advertisements from people seeking pen pals. Thankfully the Indian Postal system was at its most efficient and we could depend on letters being delivered promptly. Almost half century later, Internet, Facebook n other social media killed the art of letter writing.

However, on googling for ‘penfriend” I find that the Hobby survives. In the Photo Gallery there is a screen shot of the results that came up.

Ramdas Iyer in Mumbai had been my Pen Friend for a couple of years before we met in person.

Ramdas lived near Shivaji Park in Bombay. He worked at Stanvac Bombay Refinery. Post nationalization of private oil companies, it is now known as Hindustan Petroleum Refinery.

I had applied for a job as Steno-typist with Maharashtra State Transport Corporation and was called for test n interview at Bombay. Papa ji had a distant Mama, Narinder Singh who lived in Matunga with his sons Pirthipal n Jeet n daughter Surinder. Papa ji suggested that I should stay with them.

I had let Ramdas know of my plans to be in Bombay. It was a Saturday morning and Ramdas came to visit me. We sat in the Terrace flat’s veranda exchanging notes. We had ‘met’ for the first time ever. Among other things, we talked about what he was doing. He mentioned that he was working for the Stanvac Refinery in Chembur. I asked him if there was any scope for me. He mentioned that one Mr. Kamra was handling the recruitment. Just at that moment Pirthipal Singh, happened to pass by and heard the name Kamra. He stopped and asked: is that Madan Kamra? Ramu confirmed. Pirthi Chacha said: We know Kamra family very well. Let us go n meet them at Kalina tomorrow. It is Sunday and he is bound to be home.

That Sunday morning Chacha ji and I made our way to Kalina home of the Kamras and met Madan n other family members. Madan sort of interviewed me informally. Among other things he was keen to know if I knew typing and Hindi language. Of course I new typing v well; and had Hindi as a subject in last two years of High school post the partition. He asked me to meet him at his office on Monday.

Once in the office, he interviewed me formally and also presented me to his boss Mr. B.M. Sitlani. My typing and Hindi skills were emphasized repeatedly. After all that, he offered me a ’temporary’ job for 3 months on a salary of Rs. 220 p.m. This was double of what I was getting. But, uff, Temporary again. Here I have a ‘government’ job. Dilemma. I telegraphed my father n got a prompt reply “I am a gambler… risk not, gain not…take it”.

Oil Company jobs were prized in those days; when most people would scoff at private sector jobs. Everybody wanted a ‘permanent’ government job.

I joined duties on 5 September 1955 and was the last temporary employee to be confirmed next year. Thereafter the company enforced an embargo on new recruitment and released all temporaries. That was the start of my career in Bombay. It laid the foundation of my progress at the Refinery and thereafter at the Esso Headquarters.

It is a long story and I shall get to it by and by.

All through the years I have remembered the role that Mamaji’s family, Ramdas n Madan Kamra played in my career and in my life. They set me on a course that was to take me very far.

For years Mama ji’s family were our closest relatives in Bombay. Pirthi’s Family migrated to Canada. Forever during our visits to North America we would make it a point to hop over to Toronto to be with their daughters. Pirthi Chacha and his wife are no more. Tragically their son too is no more. Jeet Chacha died early; his wife survived long n passed away a few years ago.

I had kept in touch with Madan till he passed away a few years ago. Even now we are in touch with his wife Shoba. We remained colleagues in Esso till both of us left for other pastures. Yet we remained in touch and were each other’s well wishers.

Ramu n I kept in touch all through these decades and participate in each other’s good times n bad. I am in eternal debt of gratitude to Madan n Ramu.

Ramdas now lives very close to our house in Bandra. And we meet on occasions along with our two other long time common friends Mohan Paralkar and Ashok Ravat.

PHOTO GALLERY for Chapter 4

Sir Winston Churchill

Chiang Kai Shek

Berlin Wall… with colorful graffiti on West Berlin side

Grim part of the Wall.. children on West, barbed wire on East

Steve Jobs

Modern Look of the (now HPCL) Refinery

Stanvac Building. In course of time the company was renamed Esso n then nationalized into Hindustan Petroleum.

Mama ji’s Famiy at our wedding Reception. Pirthipal is the gent on right and Jeet the 2^nd gent from left. In the middle is my Bhayya Ji my paternal grandfather. )