This year we observed it as the first Founder's day.
In my wildest of my imagination I could have never thought of participating in one such function. Nevertheless there I was dressed up in simple office attire to participate and drove to the unit, where it all started for BGR in 1985.
The persons on the dais, his wife, children and the fortunate few of my colleagues who had spent more years with him than me, spoke along with a person from the worker group. They shared many tidbits and reminiscences, nostalgic memories. His daughter spoke of the personal side and shared some insight with those gathered.
The function set me off on to my thoughts to write my own tribute to BGR, whom I joined in Sept 2003.
It was a very simple decision for me to join BGR group, then GEA Energy. The organisation, which I had worked in from 1981 till 2003 had made great strides, building up significant new capabilities and notched up achievements of national importance over the years. In 2003 it was taken over by a promoter group who had different plans. In the brief period that I operated under the promoter group, I learnt what is non professionalism. I also learnt how individual creativity can be effectively killed.
So it was refreshing to see BGR who as the CMD of a company though of much smaller size, speak out what I would later realise as the 'Management Thoughts' which I was missing and wanted at the workplace where I would serve. Added to that there was no locational change and the decision was simple. Encash the service record built painstakingly for over 22 years and move to other pastures.
I am glad that I took that decision.
Having joined the company, it was clear from the initial days, that there were many people in the organisation, who are dreamers starting with BGR. (Many still continue) We were all employees of a small organisation, but with big thoughts and we always aimed at achieving some thing huge.
Over time we proved that we can deliver on what we set out to achieve as a sequel to our dreams under the leadership of BGR.
Echoing the thoughts of the speakers at Founders day ceremonies, I believe BGR gave us that freedom, which has helped him shape the organisation he wanted it to be. He has taken it to the heights which we all of us are proud of today.
Some of the dos and don'ts which reflect the qualities of a great corporate leader which I experienced first hand in the interactions with BGR and the policies he pursued are worth sharing:
In the 10 years, I have worked with him, he has never ever overruled my decision on recruitment or procurement. If he doesn't agree he will share his views and make me change my recommendation or concur with mine. Never have I been handed down a decision. His resolve to honour commitments especially to the financial institutions is exemplary. He respected his executives, and was willing to reward performance.
Even when I did something which was to his total dislike, he felt it necessary to seek why I did it before reprimanding the action. Even though it was only once, he didn't mention it again. He was though highly opinionated and some of us knew to live with it. This aspect of his tended to favour a few and work to some other's disadvantage; but then it had its virtues as well.
He would expect his executives are respected by every one. Any one who is discourteous to his executive, will be treated as having been discourteous to him as well.
There were many dreams, which he had for the company through the division, which I head. One was to do something in optic fibre. I am glad that I made that happen, with we emerging as one of the preeminent performers in optic fibre installations associated with power lines. We won an award in nuclear project beating an organisation which he considered worthy of beating and that too by a whisker of a margin. He wanted us to bring in niche products, which we are yet to achieve and continue to work on it.
He wanted the division to achieve at least a ₹1000 crore sales, with a order back log to sustain the operations and scale up. We are far away from that task and I am sure the division will work to achieve this dream also over time.
The first order, for which we had celebrations in boat club lawns with all the key officers of the company and customer's representatives, was only Rs.30 crore. That was 10 years ago. BGR would now celebrate if we secure orders more than ₹1000 Crore and it will be my endeavour to work for it in the months and years to come.
And when we do celebrate, which I am sure we will, we will not only miss BGR's physical presence, we will miss the great host in him as well. Nobody will ever come close to the host BGR was.
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