There are a few things I remember as we started our life at IIT. In the first week, there was supposed to be some mass-ragging program, which turned out to be quite mild according to me; I mean, we really didn’t really suffer any ragging. But there was a program where the freshies were supposed to have some skits to entertain the ‘elders’. Narendra(?) and I were given the task to get ladies clothes from the ladies. That was really quite a task at that time, but we did go, and we did it, and I think we had to wear the borrowed Sari on the stage. I don’t remember who wore the Sari that time.
Our entertainment in the hostel was very restricted apart from the Gymkhana and the weekend movies and what not. So, we used to cycle down to Shreyas at Ghatkopar, or to Sangam at Andheri. One of us never rode a cycle and so he used ride double-seat on someone else’s bike, and we would all go together for a movie. That was great fun.
In our third year, we decided to play a trick. Bakul and Narendra had rooms next to each other in the third wing. Over the weekend we interchanged their rooms identically from behind through the balcony, without tampering with the locks. When they came back on Monday morning, each of them entered their room and thought, “Oh, God, where am I?” That was fun!
And the best part was using the Bullworker in Nitish’s room in the second year. The fun was in not only using the Bullworker; we used the Bullworker for a small fee (!) for an hour in Nitish’s room, while he was asleep with his eyes open! That’s all I remember now – so very nice!
I will tell you a story about another memorable event. I used to be friends with different groups of the Mechanical Engineering classmates even though I was basically Aero /Mechanical. So I used to be quite involved with them in their wing. There was a bodybuilder in that group who was senior to us. When he joined us, he told me “Why don’t you tell your boys to vote for me for mess secretary?” It was the first year and we didn’t know anything. So, we got him elected. The mess food was horrible. We didn’t know whether it was his fault or somebody else’s. Next semester he wanted to become the mess secretary again. I had to tell him at the table, “Bullshit, with the horrible food, we will never elect you again.
Soon after, one day, we came back from lunch and were all together, chatting in a large room. I didn’t know, but Mr. Bodybuilder was also there. Slowly, one by one, each of the guys walked out as if it was planned. I didn’t realize it. Once the last one walked out and locked the door from outside, there was only me and the Bodybuilder left inside. He was a body builder. I was a skinny person. He started saying, “So you think that the Mess food is lousy?” I instantly sensed I was going to get it and he would really bash me. Fortunately for me, he was near the desk, and I was near the door, and I saw that there was a big NAVTAL lock lying down there. So I picked up the lock and said to him, “Do you know what is in my hand? I have already murdered and the police are looking for me. So, one more person would not matter. If you want to save yourself, tell somebody to open the door, or you will have it. Decide what you want to do.” He immediately called somebody to open the door, and he went out and I ran away from there, saving myself!
After graduation I decided to stay back in Mumbai for personal reasons, a matter of the heart! After working for a year, I started a part time course ‘Diploma in Business Management’ by Mumbai University. Also became a Member of The Institution of Engineers (India) and an Associate Member of the Aeronautical Society of India. I was honored with a ‘Chartered Engineer’ certificate by the Institution of Engineers (India) in the coming years. As further diversification I also acquired a Surveyor’s Licence.
My first job was in the Engine Division of Greaves Cotton Ltd. as a Sales Engineer. My growth was fairly rapid and I was held up as an example to new recruits. I was responsible for introducing the MWM range of engines in India. Here there were a couple of engine models made due to my insistence which were a major success. My second job was at BP(India) Ltd. We introduced the concept of ‘Leasing’ of Nitrogen Plants and even commenced its manufacture. In a short period, we succeeded in establishing the new concept in India.
Third, I joined on an ‘Equity Participation’ basis with V K Pumps, a tiny Indian organization where M N Bhave was also a shareholder. We did wonders there, computerized the operations, rationalized the models, developed and supplied pumps for nuclear waste management, repaired pumps with BARC that were not functioning. We had a website in1995. We participated in Achema 97 in Frankfurt and carried floppies as handouts instead of printed matter. Exported over 100 pumps to the UK.
Killick Nixon Ltd then sought me out for their Agencies and Marketing Division which was going downhill. I was able to halt the slide, reestablish relations with agencies and develop strong bonds with customers. I established a service division for after-sales service for imported equipment. We excelled in this activity and soon our engineers were even commissioning equipment in India and abroad. We also added many new agencies. Later, due to our success we converted the division to a company, Killick Agencies and Marketing Ltd. ultimately headed by me.
Gargi, my better half, is a doctor and completed her D.A. and M.D.(Anesthesia) after marriage and between the first child. She did her M.D in Cardiac Anesthesia and had a private practice. We have two daughters, Tanmayi holds a PhD in Cancer Biology from Chicago U, and Ketki an MBA from Pace U. Both are now in the USA.
IIT Bombay 1974 Reunion 