BLURRED VISION

Chapter 9

Jaydee Parekh

Madan Kamra

JS Cama

Our Families had agreed on a longish engagement and finally the marriage was set for 14 May 1961. Papa ji and my friends Ramu n Mohan Paralkar left a few days earlier. The rest of the family boarded the Pathankot Express for the 50+ hours journey to Gurdaspur. Papa ji gathered his relatives in Delhi and boarded the same train with us.

It was a leisurely affair. We had been put up in a local sarai not too far from the bride’s home in Chowk Rang Mahal. We had a whole next day to ourselves before the Reception of Barat the night before the wedding. My friends and I ventured out into the countryside and landed on the banks of the Canal. The Bombayites ordered a tall glass of Lassi from the resident Halvai. He duly served it up heavy and ice cold; thanks to the Canal’s ice cold water, which the Pump must have drawn. We were hard put to finish our glasses.

In the evening the Barat landed at the Bride’s house, what with Sehra, Ghori, Band, Baja et al. It was at their door step that my father in law to be whispered the good news into my ear that: he had got the result and I had passed MA Part II. Lavish dinner was set up in their courtyard. Next day Anand Karaj was held in their courtyard. A big lunch was set in the courtyard of the neighbour’s house.

Sukhjit and I went off to our first ‘honeymoon’ at Dalhousie. I say first, because we have made the journey to Dalhousie several times in subsequent years and even stayed in Mount View Hotel. After a brief stopover back in Gurdaspur, then Ludhiana where my Mama’s family lived, we landed in Karnal for the wedding of my first cousin Harmohan. We could not accompany the Barat for I was due to return to work shortly. The rest of the family proceeded with the wedding. Sukhjit and I accompanied by our sister Jasbir landed back in Bombay and started our domestic life.

Harmohan had married Narjeet of Barnala where they he has now settled after retirement. They have daughters Veena n Neena and son Vicky. All of them are blessed with happy families of their own.

After the family arrived back in Bombay, a reception for a few close relatives and friends was arranged in a Hall in Matunga just behind Mama ji’s residence. By then Mama ji had passed away. His family was there in full strength. His daughter, who was our contemporary but a Bhua in relationship had got married recently.

In the years that followed, our first son Mickey was born. Then my grandfather, Bhayya Ji passed away at age 92 or thereabouts. He was in good health, till he met with an accident and did not recover.

In those years too, I was promoted to Housing n Welfare Officer, a job held by Nana Chudasama, Prabh Singh Minhas and Alwyn D’souza. Alwyn was transferred to HQO n I inherited this portfolio. I had charge of the Canteen n Cafeteria and the two Housing Colonies. I also headed the Cooperative Credit Society and established a Cooperative Consumer Society with a grocery store in the larger Housing Colony Esso Nagar West. The Company built a large Recreation Center at the same colony and we played badminton in the Hall and showed Indian Movies each week.

This job brought me very close to the work force and their leaders. This was hands-on training in human relations at the very front. Some of the activity was off hours but I don’t recall Sukhjit ever complaining about it. Some of the active workers would drop by at our home and were happily entertained. All along my Shivaji park friends were treated to Bibi ji’s and, after our marriage, to Sukhjit’s generous hospitality. In recent years, when my friends were entertained at home, they said that nothing had changed.

Somewhere around 1964, Madan Kamra was also transferred to the Head Quarters and I was promoted Employee Relations Assistant. I was then responsible for what little Recruitment took place in those days and more importantly relations with the Trade Union and collective bargaining.

Madan inducted me to the intricacies of labour negotiations. I got into detailed arithmetic of the Union demands and Management proposals. Those were the days when one did such detailed work by pencil n ruled column sheets with the help of huge machines, which served as Calculators. We roped in Comptometer operators to check out our calculations. I, who had very poor school record in Mathematics and Arithmetic became quite at home with Numbers. In later years, in Board Rooms, I would have the approximate numbers much faster that the Engineers with their slide rules or accountants with their pocket calculators.

By this time, Jehangir S Cama was elevated as the first Indian Refinery Manager. I had got good exposure to him at several fora. Also I seem to have impressed him with my conceptualising and drafting skills. By then Indian Express had published two of my Center Page pieces and paid me Rs. Ten each. Also I had got a few things published in the ESSO India Magazine, published by HQO. John Cama (as he was popularly called) used my services extensively in the furious correspondence that ensured between him and the New York Head Office following a devastating fire in the Refinery in which several of our colleagues were burnt to death. Following that he let me start a Refinery Manager’s News Letter which I composed n published. I am sure Jaydee n Madan had his full backing in advancing my career. And I am grateful to them for my steady progress laying the foundation of my career.

Those were days of learning and building a career and a family side by side.

More of this in the next Chapter.