BLURRED VISION: GRATITUDE: Letters from a Grandfather to his Future Generations.

I have now shared with you the story of 37 years of my working life i.e.1951 to 1988. The story saw a lower division temporary clerk in a military office poised to join the board of a public limited company.

The job at the Military office taught me basic office routines. Just as well, it was a military office, for it taught me discipline right in my first job.

Then luck in the shape of pen friend Ramdas Iyer took me to Stanvac-Esso. This was my real life Management School. My business writing came of age. I learned the Fundamentals of Management as well as Best Practices, which I did not see replicated in the decades thereafter.

It meant a huge scope for me to make a difference in my subsequent stints at Crompton n Forbes Group. I succeeded in that task thanks to the support of the Top Managements and their willingness to accept new ideas.

So what I learnt at Esso, I put in practice in my subsequent jobs.

I am grateful to so many people who have been instrumental in nudging my destiny forward and supporting me in my journey.

During these near four decades, I got married; raised a family. So did all my siblings and many of their children. By a stroke of luck, all of us remained in the Maximum City of Mumbai. We are therefore, today, a large clan closely knit, thanks to the strong family spirit imbibed by three generations. A few of our Gen Next have gone overseas and given a good account of themselves.

In the same four decades, Sukhjit and I lost our grandparents n then parents. She also lost a brother, a sister n a nephew. On our side we have lost two dear Jeejas.

So is life. It gives n it takes.

What remains of my work life is 9 years in Goodlass Nerolac, 6 years with Thakral Bros in Viet Name and 12 years of retirement. Much has happened in these years too. I shall continue to pen the story of these years and share it with you once it is all done.

I shall continue to write to you to share the happenings in our Clan, in the world at large. Do let me know if there is anything you wish to share with ‘Blurred Vision”.

The last couple of years I have become a bit more active in Social media, especially Twitter. I have a few ‘flocks’ of Tweeps that are constantly in touch with each other. I have a fair sprinkling of people from India, Europe and the Americas.

It is an educative medium. The ritual ‘good mornings’ apart, important news come to me in Social media first. Then I look up the web or the newspapers to fill myself up. Jehangir Bisney is one of the first providers of news. He has mentioned lifting of the Maggi Ban, though I have not yet seen it in print.

This exposure to Social Media has led me to take minimal interest in the morning papers.

As most of you know, a sad highlight of my post retirement decade has been my lungs ailment: an asthmatic condition known as Bronchiectasis. I have been prone to serial lung infections and prolonged usage of antibiotics. The moist, pollutant laden air of Mumbai city is an aggravation.

I have been on the look out for a place where I can escape the pollution. I have finally bought an apartment at Lavasa, a hill station in-the-making 220 kms from Mumbai. We plan to spend a week each month over there. Maybe more in winter, when Mumbai air becomes intolerably smoke laden. We should be getting possession during this month. Ideas of fitting out n furnishing the apartment are a major preoccupation. We should have it going in a couple of months. You folks are welcome to join us, the times we are in residence. There are a few pictures below.

Later this month, we are expecting my sister Jasbir to return after a long stay in Melbourne with her son, Mintoo. While she was away, she crossed the landmark 75^th birthday. End of this month is Rakhi and that is one occasion when the Clan assembles in one place. We have suggested that this time let it be at our place. We are so looking forward to a reunion.

That should be enough for now. More later. I will be in touch.

Au revoir! Phir Milenge!

Photo Gallery