Forward

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.

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 /