Contributor : A Y Divekar
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Foreword
On January 10 1972, I joined
Larsen & Toubro Limited at Powai, Mumbai. I was designated
"Production Manager - Standard Products" of their Switchgear Division
known as "PSW".
My responsibilities were
a bit mixed - production of piece parts, painting and electroplating, tool
maintenance, plant engineering, machine maintenance, works accounts, budget
preparation and control, and housekeeping.
Manufacturing technology
upgradation, computerization got added later.
Being improvement
oriented I needed a good secretary. But the good ones had already
teamed up with seniors and older managers. So I had to find a new one!
Someone suggested
"Try HR Shenoy". Name sounded interesting.
I had a brief meeting
with HRS and took the right decision. He was in.
After some Initial adjustments
and we clicked and settled down to a good number of years together. HRS was
keen, regular and cautious when suggesting corrections.
I was happy and looked
forward to a long association - till one day he sprang a surprise.
"Can you please release
me to work in the Information Systems function of Switchgear
Works?" Uncomfortable, yet not wanting to apply a brake his career
development, I released him.
The group he joined to
improve the effectiveness with which Personal Computers (then very new) were
deployed to up-grade planning and scheduling functions, did some outstanding
work.
HRS's contribution within that is known. That earned him deserved respect. I have no first hand knowledge of his achievements during the decade after my retirement.
HRS's contribution within that is known. That earned him deserved respect. I have no first hand knowledge of his achievements during the decade after my retirement.
Years passed. I retired
and moved house to Pune and lost touch with old colleagues. Fortunately,
I got drawn again into email clubs of ex-L&T colleagues which HRS and a few
others had initiated separately.
I started reading very
interesting mails from HRS and was impressed by the style! Each mail was about
a small event, very readably worded, about a colleague or an incident at Powai.
The style and content
reminded me of books written by Sudha Murthy and Usha Dravid and the very
interesting reading they make.
I mailed HRS saying
"Your mails are very readable and you have numerous stories to
tell. I think you should compile them into a book and publish it."
Having overcome initial
surprise, he took up the matter seriously. The bee had bitten and chased
him till he found a publisher.
I am sure the outcome is
going to be a very readable small book not only for us - his erstwhile
colleagues - but also the general reader.
Pune, February
2016
AY Divekar
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Corporate Culture :
Suggest - express freely to bosses / Concern for development of subordinates / Acknowledging contribution of a colleague or a subordinate /
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Corporate Culture :
Suggest - express freely to bosses / Concern for development of subordinates / Acknowledging contribution of a colleague or a subordinate /