HE IS A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW

As my Mind takes me back thro the memory lane to the periods of early 60s when I had just started my career in what was then and probably still is one of the largest Multi National Companies in India with its Head Office In Mumbai (Then called Bombay)and the Parent office In London,I was then in the FOODs Division of the company working as an Officer in their Plant at Ghaziabad (Near Delhi)engaged in Development and Manufacture of Dehydrated Vegetables and Ready To Serve convenience Food mixes. This was during the period 1963 to 1967.I was then reporting to one DR DVSK RAO,an excellent Technocrat,Highly Humorous,Very Knowledgeable,Calm and Composed and above all down to earth Human.

As his full name is very long,much longer than the normal South Indian names,and he himself used to tell jokingly that over the phone if he ever attempts to mention his full name,by the time he completes expansion of his four initials,the line will get disconnected,I will for the sake of brevity address him simply as Dr Rao in this write up as we all used to call him during the period of our association with him.

As Dr Rao expired now more than two decades back and hence is no more I thought it prudent to share with the Readers of this column some of the very pleasent memories I had with him in the hope that it makes an interesting reading.I would like to touch on this occasion narrating two instances to quantify some of the qualities
mentioned earlier and found by me in him.

Instance one
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This dates back to May/June 1966/67 when the company had just launched Dehydrated soup Mixes developed and manufactured at Ghaziabad on the success of which the marketing department of the Foods Division of the company had very high hopes.But alas by the time the products got distributed in the market place and consumers started purchasing in the retail Stores, the most unexpected happened.Almost every packet in the market on opening by the consumer was found to have Live Insects and there were massive returns from the market.The same products had gone thro vigorous Quality checks before clearance and were perfectly healthy at the time of despatch from the Factory.Fresh Production had to be suspended and there was tremendous pressure on The Technical staff and for obvious reasons myself as the Production In charge and Dr Rao as my senior became the targets of attack leading to many a sleepless night.

Tis well nigh impossible to maintain one's composure under such trying conditions.I must say I learned this from DR RAO.While on one hand using his Technical knowledge
and skill he guided us to resolve the problem,he never allowed his anxiety and frustrations arising out of pressures from marketing to tell on others.In fact on one such day when the Technical Director, who had come all the way from Bombay to take stock of the situation,asked him as to what should be done to overcome the problem faced with the products,his immediate response was that we need to put an AC in his room as without it he is unable to think cohesively in the summer heat. Ofcourse his solving the problem long before the AC was installed in his office is another story that can be reserved for narration on a different day.

While this episode, on the face of it, may appear simple,It requires a high level of Grit and courage to speak as Dr Rao did and a very high level of Professionalism on the part of company management to carry people under duress.I was indeed fortunate to have had my formative periods of career with the type of people and the Company I had worked for almost a little over two decades.

Instance Two
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This episode also relates to around the same period,perhaps a little earlier(1964-65) before the earlier episode took place.The New products were then under development and typical to any R&D activities ,pressure on Time was minimal.Life then was comparatively simple.This is in contrast to Manufacturing and Marketing where life being more Time Bound was always under pressure.

Dr Rao was then staying in Delhi and so were two other managers of Ghaziabad plant.
One Factory car used to go and pick them up from their homes in Delhi,bring them to the plant and drop them back in their homes in the evening after the office was over.
It just so happened that on one particular day,Dr Rao was the only person requireing this transportation as the others were either on leave or on tour.The then Factory Manager who was staying within the Factory Premises felt that If Dr Rao could leave the office an hour earlier that Day,at say around 4pm instead of the normal 5pm the car that normally goes to Delhi Office at 4pm to collect the mails can be utilised to transport DR Rao also and there is no need for another car to go all the way to Delhi.The Factory Manager informed me of this idea and requested me to remind him to take this up with Dr Rao after he comes to office that day.

I distinctly remember that day,a Hot and Humid day with Summer Heat on, when Dr Rao had just entered the office and was in the process of settling down when the Factory Manager entered his office and finding me and Dr Rao together He asked Dr Rao-----"Doc, A small request.Can You leave a little early To Day?"Dr Rao stood up,picked up his Brief case and said--"I Am Ready".Quite Needless to say all the three of us burst into a laughter.

I trust these two episodes do give a glimpse to the reader of the Personality of a person like DR RAO.He was for obvious reasons liked by one and all in the company. In all social gatherings and plant get togethers,whenever he was available,it was customary to hold his hands,form a circle and while rotating sing in chorus --------
He IS A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW
HE IS A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW
HE IS A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW
SO WE ALL DO SAY".
To those readers who may be wondering why Circle formation when lifting a person is customary on such occasions,I shall share a secret with you all.And that is as
Dr Rao was well built and stout in stature nobody was willing to risk trying to lift him up,which was quite understandable.
As DR RAO is no more ,I dedicate this write up to him.Wherever he may be resting ----
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.

Written By BAIYU