[ French City Pondichery is now a few Streets ( In India ).]

French Consulate-General Office is now almost as it was when the French vacated India, before we got Independence from British.

I visited these buildings on December 15th, 2018.

The Catholic Church as old as the Consulate-General's office as you are seeing it here now.

Inside of the Huge Church.

We build statues but not build clean city or even a clean road all around our home / road / colony.

One of the clean coffee shops in French Colony.

A good place to have Dinner in this road of course it's in French Colony.

Beautiful to see and walk after Dinner. Where else it is the Beach in French Colony.

Villa Shanti it's only in French Colony.

This is the Home of a French National now living in Pondicherry. Only French have the privilege to paint their home in this color. Any building with these colours belongs only to French people.

Flag of France flying on the Consulate-General's Office

It looked like a memorial to the solders memorial, it was in French language I could not read.

On the Boat to Paradise Island most beautiful and well maintained.

Coast guard's watch the people on the beach and are fully ready till closed to visitors fully empty,

Spend hours sitting here.

There is a Boutique shop in the Hotel where gifts can be purchased priced moderately.

This is the WEL COME sigh of Auroville away from Pondicherry by 26 minutes there you will see the most breath taking engineering marvel out side the GLOBE and inside the globe built for over 2 - to 3 years . This will perhaps the worlds' best meditation hall where those who want real  place for high meditation can stay for ever but it has to be different not that you see in any giant ashrams who have made it commercial.

50 years completed yet perfectly looking fresh with gold disks and garden standing and challenging to mankind to make another one more complicated Globe coming out of a sea like this but this is coming out of mother earth.

Must buy the book costing Rs.600/- to study with plans and all details.

[ Gold to Dust made at Binny Mill, Bangalore where I worked.]

The Holding Company of the Mill I joined was located at Madras (now known as Chennai) in the year 1914.This building was taken over after the mill which was sold and resold to 2 or 3 parties is presently a Hotel run by Tata's.

It's worth telling how a reputed textile mill of world fame closed due to so many factors is a history perhaps as recorded by Shalini Umachandran TNN. given below.

CHEQUERED HISTORY OF A TEXTILE COMPANY Shalini Umachandran | TNN For school children of the 1970s and 80s, there was no substitute to material from Binny Mills, whether their uniforms required striped shirts, muddy brown skirts, blazing red shorts or khaki ‘drill’.     The massive mill that spun out material that reached stores across the country has been closed since 1996, but the news that Binny Ltd is being split into three entities is reason enough to look back at the history of a company that sparked industrialisation in Madras as well as organised trade unionism in the country.     John ‘Deaf’ Binny, who arrived in India in 1797 to work for the Nawab of Carnatic, established Binny & Dennison (with Robert Dennison) in 1799. The firm, with its headquarters on Armenian Street, was an agency house representing British interests in south India, says historian S Muthiah.     Binny & Dennison became Binny & Co in 1812, and by 1870 the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills was set up in Perambur, the first major industrial centre in the south. Agricultural labourers, weavers and artisans from the area joined the factory, according to ‘Madras - The Land, The People and Their Governance’. They found that the working day stretched to 18 hours, there were differences in wages and they had no facilities for food and rest. The workers went on strike in June 1873. By April 1918, they had organised themselves as the Madras Workers’ Union, the first organised trade union in the country. “There had been workers’ struggles in the country from 1914, but this was the first trade union with bylaws, rules and regulations. It was the beginning of trade unionism in India,” says AK Padmanabhan, president, TN, CITU. “More unions of tram workers, municipal workers and electricity workers followed. Back then, trade unions were a double-barrelled gun — they fought against British oppression and for good wages and working conditions,” he says. Binny’s eventually grew into one of the biggest business houses in India, expanding into cotton, spinning, weaving and other activities, says Muthiah. “The British never modernised ( because the Gov't of the day did not allow them to import latest machines from their country ) and the mill made heavy losses,” he says.     In the 1940s, the British sold it to SBI, which re-sold it to a Coimbatore group in the ’80s. But labour trouble dogged the company. WR Varadarajan, the CPM leader who died recently, led agitations at the mill. In the 1990s, the Udayar group bought it, primarily for real estate. The mills were finally shut down in 1996, after more labour unrest. Part of the mill property in Perambur is now set to become an integrated township. The Binny brand is likely to be revived by one of its stakeholders. And the original founder, John Binny, is still remembered by a short stretch of road, Binny Road, in front of Taj Connemara, the property he owned in the 1800s. THE MILLS IN THE MOVIES  The Binny Mills factory in Perambur has always been the site of fights — and not just between workers and management. Stunt scenes for a number of Tamil films were shot on its premises. Some blockbusters that were canned here: Ayan | An entire cargo landing bay in an airport was created by art director Rajeevan, and a stunt scene with Surya and Akashdeep Saigal was shot over the course of four days Billa | The theme song of the Ajith-starrer Billa, ‘My name is Billa’ was shot at Binny Mills and AVM Studios Goa | A stunt sequence with Sneha and Vaibhav in Soundarya Rajnikanth’s film was canned here Kanthaswamy | Photo shoots for the film starring Vikram and Shriya were organised across the city, including the mills Saroja | Art director Vithesh erected a gigantic set resembling an industrial complex for action scenes Shivaji - The Boss | The song ‘Athiradee’ in which Rajnikanth takes on dozens of villains was shot here Tamil Padam | This fulllength spoof on Tamil movies could not have been complete without the inevitable climax fight sequence at Binny Mills Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya | Songs for this Simbu-and-Trisha film were shot here Holding Company Head Office & Registered Office at Channai (Madras Earlier) TRADE AND TROUBLE: The company’s headquarters on Armenian Street (above) today and (below) in 1914; (inset) John Binny, who set up Binny & Co, one of India’s first conglomerates

Courtesy: The Hindu, Channai.

 

[ Life with Pictures like flowers with Fragnence.]

[ Enough is not enough for memories.]

Enough is not enough for people who have spent over fifty years of a happy life or whatever or otherwise, such long years of experiencing ups and downs in life even after eighty years of my age has its own effects. Memories of such long life have made me not a perfect human being, On the other hand, some times, it makes me happy and unhappy for all the happenings of good and unhappy things of the past. I must also share the life of my wife who is part of my life as well. We both have lived a married life as on today for over fifty-six years. A question that comes up to my mind that is we both took an oath at our marriage that, we will enjoy all the good and not so good things in life that come to our life and mind which stores it and at any time anything good happens very rarely, such happenings of going away somewhere for even a week of holiday mood. but bad remembering unlucky or unfortunate incidents are forgotten while you go on a holiday some places you have never been before. Few things that flash in our mind are funny to come early in our mind and it stays for a while. Equally, are other things happy sad happy moods come while we talk about few friends. Most of my friends know my wife but my wife does not know all of my friends' wife's. Few of my friends are alone but stay with siblings.

Stay positive is more often said but hardly practiced by very few. I like to say that to my wifequite often. Few of my friends when we meet, look so positive even though they have some disadvantages in the family circle.My best friends tell me I dress positive always.

My Family.Few not in picture.

[ Always Plan.]

This plan how do you like?

This Plan is for We both at our Farm House in Hosur, Tamil Nadu,52 KM from Bangalore City..

1= 37.80 sq.ft. ,2 = 47.24 sq. ft. , 3 & 4 = 28.3 sq. ft. 5 = 86.6 sq. ft. Total = 542.50 sq. ft.

10.200 Metres Length. & 4.800 Metres Wide. 1 & 2 = 5.400, 3,4 & 5 = 5.000 Metres.

[ My Stinct in Kothari Textiles for 9 years.]

 

I had come to Coimbatore from south, now I went from north. The mill that I joined was known as the mill managed by Tata's of south India, Kothari's. The Manager was well known as tough technical technocrat. The mill being a composite mill it was interesting to work. This mill had the highest number of qualified experienced good well understanding technical staff. The administration was handled by competent personal and the layout was good for material transport and supervision. The technical staff were taken from their residences by mill car in all 3 shifts as a security measure. The mill had very good new machines in spinning and weaving and it's cloth also was exported.

My first day was a talk with Asst Manager cum Spinning Master who gave me a simple briefing on the work and my duties and responsibilities as a shift in charge. He was also interested in my work in Bombay and earlier work in Madurai and local Mills. He was all smiles knowing why I left Coimbatore and went to Bombay. He had studied textiles in Bombay and he was a classmate of my Mill Manager which he did not tell but I came to know later. This mill had another sister mills in another part of the city on the outskirts and was known as the best mills in south India for it's yarn quality. The mill was managed by another classmate of my mill who was very independent and he had set up the mill in such a way. it was not followed by any mill and no one tried to follow his system. No one knew his system and technique. This was a mill, where there was no stock of his production. However, my mill never tried to introduce his system or practice. We were No 1 Mill always and his mill was No2 Mills always.

Both mills were controlled by Head Office at Madras and there was a General Manager also who was for consultations only on both mill performance and technical matters. The unit managers were more powerful and took all decisions which were mostly approved.

This mill had 40,000 spindles plus 300 looms and the mill in Bombay had 1,25,000 spindles and 3,000 looms. So it was not a tough job to supervise this mills. I also had a Asst to help me in any work and he was a great help. When I was in day Shift there would one Asst Spinning Master in day shift and another to look after spinning preparatory and spinning were was taking instructions from Spinning Master and he was looking after yarn requirement from weaving and other issues. It was a big job for them I waited for a month and made a black board on weaving requirement of yarn and machines running and their numbers and Production. For Warp and Weft. AS I wrote a board Weg people would not talk with Asst Spinning Master as they have to see the board and go. I would personally go and see there is no yarn shortage and the Weaving Master was happy.

Many Spinning Machines were not set to wind the yarn to give full production. I was knowing this problem so when I was In day shift I worked with Maintenance crew and made them set the machines to give maximum yarn wound fully on the spindles and for this work the Asst Spinning Masters did not say anything. It seems this was the main problem and therefore senior Asst Spinning master may have kept quite.

Weaving Department had BC Cheese Winding automatic Machine as I was aware of the problem of these machines, if yarn quality of weaving warp yarn was bad they will have problem with yarn shortage so I increased the spinning machines and maintained and did not ask the Asst spinning Masters. There was yarn shortage for this for reeling section and all the ladies chewing Vethal Pak (PAN) would come and no one liked their presence. Lot of unworkable cheeses were be accumulated in weaving I would ask Weaving Shift In Charge to allow to take few cheeses badly damaged around 300 kg and take 500 kg and give it to reeling. There were few problems every now and then in spinning or weaving or winding I would tackle these petty problems and never take any body's assistance. After some time the Sr.Asst Spinning Master resigned. His post was not filled but there was a Asst Spinning Master who was in Charge of Spinning Preparatory Department he was asked to look after. The 3 shift was called A shift, B Shift and C shift. I was in charge of C shift. C Shift was supposed to be the worst shift with labour problems and production.

I was told that the mill was working only 2 shifts and when a extra shift was introduced aa the bad workers in both A & B shifts were sent to C shift which was not controllable. After several months it was said C shift is better as I had handled the labour better. What I did was to see people who absented only in 3rd shift were not given leave. They would not bother after 3 days of absenting I would fine them 25 paisa they would not bother again they would absent I would again fine them after my 3rd fine I would inform the Labor Officer to take action and he would suspend them for 1 day they would not bother this would be followed for suspension for 2 days and followed by 3 days and next he would be terminated. Now they would go to labour Leaders and they would go to Mill Manager. Mill Manager who had appointed me was happy that some discipline was enforced and he would drag the issue for months. Finally he would say the leader can enroll another worker but he will not take a worker he has terminated. The leader liked this and a bad worker was eliminated permanently. A new worker would be a trainee and called as substitute. He was paid only if was engaged in place of a permanent worker if there was no vacancy he would go home. All such workers going home usually went out with out informing me or shift Asst but I told them to take my signature on their Card and go. Some times I would select few good workers and keep them extra on some extra work. This had good effect and it made some few bad behavior workers come to me and ask me to give work to his person who was a relative I would agree and he would turn to be a loyal worker. Such labour control technic was in practice in Bombay.

My shift was fully under control, my Asst could manage the shift when ever I was on leave, this was not so earlier when another person would take my place from another shift which was in a day shift. Such was the effect that I could feel it after several months of my work. He did not disturb me in my cabin and used to handle all issues himself independently.

I was in my 2nd year in this mill when a letter from my mother called me to go over to my place as my marriage was to be fixed since there was a proposal and I had to see the girl. Marriage was something that had never thought and planed. I consulted few of my close friends they were all happy. A worker in my mill told me that my future is going to be very lucky. No body told me anything but all were happy. I asked another friend my salary may not be sufficient to be married he said you don't worry about that. I took 5 days leave and went home.

[ I also worked as Project Manager.]

This was a very big composite TEXTILE mill where they manufactured fabrics of fibers grown in India. Their production per day was 1,00,000 lac meters . A separate shed in this unit manufactured "Cotswool" a fabric of cotton and wool bended fabric for Indian Navy and school uniforms and shirting's for local apparel. market, further they did manufacture Woollen fabrics also and this was again a separate unit and again a separate unit manufactured Silk Fabrics. All the units were under One Resident Director.in one state and the Registered office, the Board and Chairman were in another state where again a huge textile mill was manufacturing textile fabrics for India and other countries.

The Resident Director of the unit was a technocrat and we knew each other. He was told by some of his known person that I had resigned from my post as General Manager of a big mill and offered me a job as Mill Manager 'in waiting' as the Mill Manager was about to retire. I had still 6 more years to retire. During the interview he told me I could take over the Mill Manager's position after his retirement after 6 months and in the mean time I would be working as Project Manager since the project was to start immediately and Mill Manager would not be able to complete the project. I trusted him and joined him. I was paid the same salary and grade of Mill Manager. He told me I would be located in Mill Office and can enter the mill anytime either by the main gate or Main Office Officer's Gate with the Key.

I joined duty and my first job was to spend my whole day going round the mill, dep't by dep't and meeting all the Heads of all Dep't after I took rounds with the Resident Director. My ambition was to join the mill as an apprentice after I completed my textile diploma course at the local college SKSJTI in the year 1956. Here I was going round the mill as Project Manager and above all dep't heads including my college mates from degree class.

My job here lasted for a year and I had to quit due to trust deficit with the man who hired me. He also left for the same reason after I left. However, during my stay I completed only a part of my Project Work as my term had a abrupt end. My dream of going round the mill was complete and I joined another Mill as General Manager and worked well again I resigned after about 18 months to join another mill as Managing Director.

Read the history of Binny Mills Ltd by courtesy of The Hindu.

[ Back to my Future.]

Having a job on hand I had taken a decision to change or leave a job but now it was a spontaneous decision that I had resigned from a job, it was ringing in my years as to why it happened. My only comfort was if I had said sorry or some sort of an apology perhaps it would have been different. It was hard to comfort myself thinking. Thinking again of my friends where they are I took out my dairy full of notes and any details that may be required several things were written, few things were pasted and few more things including few Rs.1/- currency note were found. I saw a visiting card pasted it was from the merchant who had given me his visiting card in my mill before my trip to Bombay.

A phone call was required to get in touch with him. It was only land lines and no other means to contact a person. I went to a phone booth and gave the number and place to the person in charge of the booth. He saw it and told me it would cost nearly Rs.5/ as it was not a local call. How to spend Rs.5/- for a phone call, better check with a friend whose father ran a hotel, his father was always sitting with a phone at the cash counter in his hotel. He told his father would come home for lunch and at that time he would be sitting at the cash counter and it was possible to make a call but he said only once it can be done. We tried once but it was not connected the line was busy.There was a advocate who would not allow us, there was a LIC manager but he had 3 daughters so it was not possible to go. There was a KEB engineer whose phone would be a gov't phone and private calls he may not permit. So telephone use was ruled out. A Inland letter was better, so a letter was written giving my present jobless state and requested him to let me know any mill where there may be a vacancy.I told everything to my father, he took the phone number and said he will speak to him from his Mill. That was so nice of him. May be he did not like me to stay unemployed.

There were more than 500 textiles mills in Coimbatore and they were small, medium, big and huge mills I was hoping there would be some vacancy and the gentleman at Coimbatore who was visiting many mills almost on all days perhaps would find out if there was a vacancy in any mill and get in touch. On that assumption I was busy tasting my mothers meal and sleeping with out any worry. There was no letter and father did not tell if he phoned or what happened, it was not possible to ask him. There was a option to apply to mill in Andhra especially Hyderabad. My dairy had few mills address, I wrote to 3 mills in a inland letter and waited but still when post man passed our house it was a slap on my face. Experiencing all thoughts days rolled. Father used to come home around 5:00 PM and smiled at me it was like a gift now it will be a job in his mill was my thinking. However just before our meal he said Coimbatore man will be coming to meet you he said. He will be here Sunday morning he said. Thank god I muttered to myself.

On that Sunday Mr.B.H.Shah visited us spent some time told my father he will try to get me a job in a local mill at Coimbatore and told me to send an application to an address and left. Next day my application was sent. With in a few days I got a interview letter asking me to go over to the mills for a interview. It was mentioned that I would be paid to and fro 3rd class railway fare for the journey. it was just a insult for me. A letter was sent that they were calling not a 3rd class technician but a first class technician and requested for a 2nd class fare. They did not reply. I told my father and he kept quite. Next day he told me to go and meet the mill manager and what ever they pay you accept. Oh he has talked to Coimbatore and felt relived. I got the job as a shift in charge a post which carried the designation of Asst Spinning Master which I got after 2 years. I continued in that mill for more than 9 years. That Mill was Kothari Textile Mills Ltd, Spinning & Weaving Mill. I was also joined by 3 of my college friends 2 in my mill and 1 in a reputed mill in town.

[ A short stay with sweet and sour experience.]

My parents were happy that I had left Bombay, I also loved my parents and had wished a home nearer would be better in case a need arises that I may have to visit home for most important functions. Most of the domestic help was my mothers as my brother also had completed his graduation in mechanical engineering and had Joined Mysore Kirloskar at Harihar, which was twice the distance from my place. My sisters were helping my mother and we boys were away,this made me feel uncomfortable. However, everything was going fine. I had a home in the town which my friend left it for me when he joined some mills in Ahmedabad and things were comfortable.

The mill that I joined in the holy town of Nanjangud was 70 KM from Mysore. My work was the same as in Bombay. There was a Dy Spinning Master who was from Rajasthan he was a good technician but Mill Manager and General Manager were non-technical and very new in mill management. The mill was a closed unit with American Machines. There was nothing new, even fire buckets were old. The Manager was given to see production and nothing else. The General Manager was a young man managing god knows what.

Most of the staff were from Rajasthan and they were all staying inside the mills in a makeshift old building. They ran a canteen where all preparations were according to their choice made from pure ghee we only 2 technical staff did enjoy the food and snacks and Masala Tea, Workers canteen was again in an old canteen shed kept in a poor condition. Most of the workers were old workers of the closed mill who joined the mills when it was opened they did the work satisfactorily.

The Manager was a man who could not speak the local language and workers were uncomfortable.

The workers knew we had no powers to do anything but keep looking everywhere and spend time and go. This was working fine and it was only a year or less that the mill was started. The weaving shed was closed but few looms were running.

A old textile Mill in the closest city nearby in Mysore was closed due to labour trouble. It was a Govt Owned Mill which was run by a party from Delhi. They had demanded higher wages but management running the mill did not accept any revision in wages and workers went on strike. Some compromise was made and the mill was started.

My mill workers leaders went to Mysore and they got the agreement copy, they studied it and after comparing it category vice found their wages were lower and working conditions were better in Mysore. They started preparing their demands for higher wages in each category, the news went to my mill management. The mill management secretly obtained the labour agreement and secretly worked out and found they paid low wages but their gross wages paid was higher. They thought the number of workers was more and production was comparatively equal when adjusted . I think the General Manager, Mill Manager and Dy Spinning Master discussed this, when the Dy Spinning Master said he will make 2 machines into one where 50 per cent of workers will be reduced. It was accepted by the General Manager and a trial was started. One spinning machine was dismantled workers were not knowing what is happening they asked me I asked the Dy Spinning Master he told me he is joining 2 machines on a trial only and said about power savings, extra space for new machines that were expected, reduced machine downtime, better machine utilization and production.

I kept quiet for two days and even than one machine that was not dismantled work was slow and he showed no hurry to do the work. I asked him why he is taking time when so much benefit could be achieved. He was a good maintenance man so he took me near the machine and showed that there are these parts that had to be taken out, cut, and machined to join and this work can be done outside only as mill has no experienced machinist to do the job nor is there a machine in working conditions. Even if it can be conditioned, it was not of required width. This he said was explained to the General Manager and Mill Manager earlier but they said they will arrange it so and I am waiting he said. Few days I was keeping quiet and the day I did not find him I enquired in the office they told me he has gone to his village and will be coming soon. He never came. Some fitters removed another machine meanwhile to show work is in progress. I knew it is all a drama to confuse the workers. The Dy Spinning Master knew my background and we were on good terms he would have told me if  he was going on an urgent matter but he did not. The fitters stopped their work and were back to their posts working. The place was a mess with cotton lint, fluff and dust on the machine parts that were dismantled. I tried to make the workers clean but they refused. The fluff on machine parts would fly up in the air as long belts running from ceiling created an artificially dangerous fire hazard. The manager not knowing about this and went around the department turning the other way.

One fine night around or after 12:00 Mid Night there was a fire it spread to the whole of spinning Department. Fire Engines were called they had to come but they came and work intensified and in 3 hours the fire was put out. I was present at the spot and water had flooded the whole department workers started to remove water in Fire Buckets which had holes, somehow the holes were plugged and most of the water was taken out of the department.

The Mill Manager was coming he saw me, it was 4 AM perhaps he came direct to me and said start the machines.I told him there is still some water and it may cause electric shock to any worker so it will take some time to give power and start.

Few workers were present in their presence he shouted start the machines. Hearing him shout in dead silence more workers came, when I shouted back, sorry I won't start. There was no one who could start. He stood looking at me, I shouted at workers why are you looking at us remove water near the machines and motors in a local language. He perhaps understood perhaps, but still he was standing. It took a few more minutes when I again shouted start the main motor and run the machine on half belt on one by one. All machines started slowly I could see workers had done a good job. Even the Head Jobber was cleaning as he was in mill quarters and had come. The Mill Manager told me to meet the General Manager in the morning. I told him I will. He told me we are paying you such a high salary you behave like this. I told him do not compare my salary with yours. Where they paid me less behaved better. I will submit my resignation to General Manager and left the Department.

In the Morning I met the General Manager he saw me and asked what had happened I told him everything. He asked me what he should do, he was a young chap I gave him my resignation letter and told him to please accept the letter and left his office.

I went to the Finance Manager and told him to settle my accounts. He was looking at me I sat down and told him I want my accounts settled immediately as I have given my resignation letter. Just then General Manager came. I stood up he said I can sit down and told the Finance Manager to pay my full month salary in their Marwari language and went back to his office.

I got the money came home to put all my things in a gunny bag I paid the borrowed from my Land Lady gave her also my months rent told her I am going for good. She asked me why I told her the weather was not suitable to me and went inside took my things gave the Key to the land lady and came to the Bus Stand and was at home late in the evening.

[ Bombay was also The Textile Capitol of India.]

I and my friend got down at VT now CST Bombay now Mumbai. We had to take a local suburban train as we had to stay in my friends sisters house for a night and then get bunked somewhere till we could get a job in any mill. At that time all mills were making money and profits. Every mill was working with 30-year-old machines mostly Made in England. Few mills showed concern to technology and had installed modern machines of any country other than England as govt of the day did not permit any machine from England as we understood

My friend's sister and her husband welcomed us with hot Gujarati food and we both ate without any shame as we had not taken anything since 12 hours to save money, we were provided with Beds to sleep and we both slept soundly. Next morning after a good breakfast we left for the city of Chimney's and seeing those our hearts were filled with hope that we will work under the shadows of one of the chimneys. My friend had enquired regarding lodging places and had selected a Gujarati Lodge near the local railway station in Matunga. We both settled in the place. The next day I left for my uncle's place in Santa Cruz and landed in his home had settled comfortably. I asked my uncle if I should wait for a job or what?. He said no you will go to any mill every day meet the Manager or MD and tell them you want a job and tell them my name and tell them I have sent you to meet them requesting a job. I asked why can't you give me a letter, he said that is not necessary. For 2 weeks I went daily to any mill Chimney I could see from the local train got down there and met the Managers, they all listened to me some said they will call me if there is a vacancy, Some interviewed and said they need a local mill experienced person. Some wanted an application with my biodata. One mill manager gave me spinning calculations and told me to submit and go but I could not do it and slipped out without making a sound. The Bombay Dyeing Mill Spinning Master said he would take me as a trainee, ONE Mill MD was my favourite cricketer Vijay Merchant who said he is busy and did not allow me to see him for one minute. I was reporting to my uncle every day and perhaps he was fed up. He told me to meet one of his deputy who worked under him, He was a Sizing Master in New Great Eastern Spinning & Weaving Mills Ltd. I met him he told me to meet his brother Mr.Dhandekar who was Mill Chief Engineer in Century Spg & Weg Mills Ltd. He told me to meet Mr.H.P Wadia Spinning Superintendent and he told me to join the mills next day. I asked him for an appointment order. He got wild and said, you want a job or an appointment order. I told him sorry sir I will join tomorrow, he said to come at 11:00 PM shift. I got a shock and was standing he rang a bell and his office peon opened the door Mr.Wadia said to take him to Zenith Spinning Master I slowly thanked him and followed him and met the Spinning Master he was a nice looking man who smilingly said he will take care of everything and I can come at 11:00 PM and tell security that I have called you and meet Mr.Vengsarker in 4th floor at 11:00 PM. I said I will. He said after a few more days the shift will change and I will follow the shift in day shift and that's how it goes. I was happy. I came home and met my uncle.

Getting down from 3rd Floor of Zenith Mills in Century Mill compound I saw Bombay Dyeing Mill Compound was next to Zenith Mill. Why not join Bombay Dyeing Mills was in my Mind. When I returned to my uncle's home there were 3 appointment letters. My uncle was also at home. I told him what happened at the Century Mills. He was happy and said to go and join them it is best for you. Drop any other offer you have or you may get. That night I attended the 3rd shift in Century Mills spent nearly 3 years working in Zenith Mills and also observing the working of Century Mills which was situated after the huge weaving shed biggest in India. I also saw every department which perhaps was nowhere else in any mill in Bombay. All the technical Staff of Zenith Mills were very friendly and the Spinning Master and Spinning Superintendents were perhaps no comparison to any mill in south India who shouldered heavy responsibility on any of them and worked so well that made me feel as to what are the expectations of a technical man from the Mill Management.

I had visited my parents twice during my visits they would ask me if I would come down to the south. My father did not like me to be working with him since I had not joined a sister mill of his mill and the man who offered me the job was his boss also in his mill. Century Mill management's another arm took over a closed mill very close to Mysore in Nanjangud and when I applied I was offered a senior job by designation but work was same and I was offered Rs.150/- more. I told everybody why I am going and quit the job and came down to Bangalore. My friend who came with me to Bombay was working in Gold Mohar Mills and he continued in his mills. As I was coming to VT station some tears came down my cheeks. I was thinking it will never be another chance for me to enter another mill. My uncle had left Bombay giving me his FLAT free but I could not manage independently I had to come back to my old guest house and stayed with my friend until I left Bombay. I had learnt a lot in spinning working under Mr.H.P Wadia and Mr.Chemburker and Mr.Dighe and Mr.Chandu Bhave.

[ Fed up I resign and go to Bombay.]

My superior was a qualified person but he did not even talk to me. I had no conversation with him ever since I had joined the mills. My father's superior also a Gold Medalist and Textile Graduate spoke to me as a student. The pocket calculator that he gave me was always in my pocket along with a slide rule which I took from my brother. I was also keeping a screw spanner and a pocket screw driver and tester for any needs if I had to work. Spinning calculations needed calculator and also to find square roots. It needed no note book or pencil even though I carried everything in my chest pocket and Hip pockets. However no one was doing any calculations nor asking me to do. Being from another state was perhaps a handicap but I did not know it, people were nice when I talked. I was feeling lonely in the mill but otherwise I was fine.

We friends, all working in textile mills would meet every week and one of them working in a local reputed mill told us that they had a problem with New Local Weaving Machines and a Xman from Bombay had come and solved all the problems and the weaving efficiency of the machines was continuously much higher than imported weaving machines which are looked after by another Yman also from Bombay trained in the imported weaving machine manufactures but could not get the imported weaving machines give higher efficiency or even the same weaving machines efficiency's. When the Management asked more efficiency in local made weaving machines that Xman challenged the management if the imported machines gave more than his machines, he would pack all the machines and take back their machines and pay back money paid with compensation. I shouted what is the name of that person. When he said I had a shock he was my cousin. I again shouted where is he staying, again it was a shock. The Hotel was next to our MD's House.

He (my cousin)was my father's sisters son and brother of my sisters husband. I went to his hotel in the evening and saw him in his room where he kept the door open and saw him reading a news paper he did not see me, I shouted his name he saw me, dropped his paper and came and hugged me in Bombay style. I told him how I came to know he was in Coimbatore and what he had done he was just laughing. I told him that I would like to work under him. He said if you work under me you will have to shed not tears but blood you are a spinner and I am a weaver you know that in Bombay spinners are considered as good administrators, work hard you will come up. If you want to work here you will not learn anything come to Bombay if you want to work he said. I said I will come to Bombay. He said come and said lets go and have food. The food in that hotel was very costly for me so I tasted my meal with my long tongue and enjoyed. I said see you soon and came to my lodge. That nigh I slept very late. I met my cousin several times and finally he told the management that his presence in the mills would be costing if they are not complaining about the looms and if he is being working in the mill. This was to inform them to give in writing if they have any complaints. And his management informed the mills soon, that if they do not write to them any complaints why they have to keep their Chief Erection Engineer, when all and every loom is working with 96% efficiency.

I think the management of the mills thanked them so he soon left.

I continued working forgetting my few IRKS when a Guajarati friend of mine wrote to me that he has closed his weaving shed and looking for a job. I wrote to him to come to Coimbatore as there is a Gujarati Owned Mill with a Gujarati Manager and he will get a Job he visited and got a job. He left to his home town Bangalore (also mine) and wrote to me that it was a small weaving section where there would not be any scope for work and he would find it hard to spend his career so early and would be going to Bombay to find a Job.

The reason he gave me made me think what my cousin had told that I would learn nothing in Coimbatore. why am I wasting my time kept ringing in my ears.

Soon I was to confront the MD of my mill when he visited the Carding Department when every one of the machines was manually stripped of the main parts of the machine from cotton dust embedded in the main parts. I was watching and he the MD was standing and saw every where nothing but cotton fluff and dust he asked me what I was doing when there was so much dirt and fluff. I told him I was just watching the stripping and doing nothing.If you say you are doing nothing come to office and settle your accounts, he said and left the department. I reported to Sr. Spinning Master what had happened. He listened, and told me why did you say anything he knows what happens during stripping, any way see what happens go and meet the Accounts Manager and tell him what happened. What will happen I asked the spinning master. Nothing may happen why can't you meet him it is MD's instructions to settle your accounts. Will he settle my accounts I asked, if MD has told he will, but he will ask you to resign and you have to take my signature and give it to him. He will send it or take it to MD and if MD signs his acceptance he will settle your accounts. I wrote to MD thanking him for giving me an opportunity to work in his mills and accept my resignation due to personal reasons and relive me from duties at earliest ( this was dictated by Spinning Master when I asked him how I should write the resignation ).I went to Accounts Manager and gave him my resignation letter after telling him what had happened he did not say a word but took my resignation letter to MD and came back and told me that he will let me know whether MD has accepted my resignation letter in the morning and I must come at 11:00 AM and meet him. Next day my accounts were settled and I came out of the Mills.

I returned to my lodge and thought of Going to Bombay. I rushed to Post Office and sent a Telegram to my friend that I had resigned and will be coming to Bombay with him. WE both landed in Bombay at 10:00 PM and stayed with his Brother in Law at THANE a small village where the Suburban Railway Station was the only attraction.

[ My Perks & Irks.]

Everything was perfect for a contented spinning supervisor but I was not contented I did not like anything that was practiced or existed in a company which wanted to carry on with 3rd grade technical or administrative heads who had there own standards and not any well managed textile industry of my time and future time also. To me even my dads mills was substandard as they were governed by community and caste who never had any international standard industry in textiles or engineering.

The mill I worked had 2 spinning masters for its size something never existed in any of my friends mills or mills I knew.

The MD of the mill took rounds in a dress banned in textile industry.

The Mill had no canteen, workers had to go out of the gate and eat in unhygienic road side eatery's

It was not a well layout laid or well planed mill it was a weaving mill which put up a spinning unit in limited place in a unplanned layout of all machines.

I wanted to work in a mill like Binny's my home town mills managed by only Englishperson's from UK.

The place I worked was indeed called as South India's Textile Capitol and Manchester of South India in Coimbatore. Indeed there were couple of mills built and managed by people from UK. These mills were captured by the local big cotton merchants and others when all the people from UK left after India got its freedom in the year 1947 and later due to Govt's industrial policy of not to import any textile machinery when no textile machinery of international standards was manufactured in India by Indian machinery makers..

To work under 2 people heading my side of the mills was not possible and practically difficult. Once the spinning master no.1 rejected a store item with out giving any reason as he was on leave and no.2 spinning manager refused to give information with the result the supplier of the item came to me when I was in 1st shift and requested me if I could tell why the item was rejected. I took him near the machine and fixed the item after stopping the machine and started the machine. The part was wobbling on the spindle and he saw it and asked me how to fix it. I stopped the spindle pressed the bobbin hard and left the spindle it was not wobbling. I told him to take 5 spindles from the mill store take back all the bobbins engage 5 workers and tell them to press 100 bobbins and send for trial the 100 bobbins to mills when it can be approved. He was so happy he gave me his card and told me if I need a help he would be happy to help me. I never met him for any help, but I remembered his name and his company.

I had no hand on experience I could not work in maintenance department to get and in fact there was no body looking after Maintenance exclusively by qualified persons only fitters with out knowing how to read the manuals and maintenance books sent along with machines, it was so in many mills which was managed by a cotton grower or seller who managed the mills by the fact they were Bosses surrounded by Yes Sir, Yes Sir Men every where in the mills. This was known as yes sir yes sir Management.

The only few perks I had were of no value and it was just going out anytime for a coffee break as there was no canteen. If any one comes in search of me I would be informed and I could meet them though I could not show them the mills officially. I could go out to a bank or post office any time on informing the security.

I had the worst irk when after my 3rd shift coming to hotel getting sleep the restaurant opposite to my lodge played local songs loudly and disturbed my sleep playing the same song daily. I was not sleeping in the mill even during recess hours.

I had the worst experience when I was on duty in 3rd shift the spinning jobber came and reported that machines were not working properly I remembered once the spinning master telling the jobber for the same complaint to increase the pinion half a tooth in all machines. The jobber told me that he will have to count the actual number of teeth fixed on the machine and since it was new machines he was not knowing where is the pinion on the machine I must come and show it. I was also not knowing but I know he was testing me. I told him to get the key to wheel room and I will wait for him to come. He left and I dragged the testing boy to dept asked him to show the pinion on the machine. I saw it and came speedily and sat in the room testing the bobbin which showed it was true but not to that extent. The jobber came with the key and we both went to the spinning department. I saw all the machines and told him to check the test report and tell me if we can change the pinion 1/2 tooth he said he will see and come after he left I also followed him as he entered he also saw me. The test recorded book was seen it showed no need to make changes. I took him to the dept and asked him to read the hygrometer readings in all the 4 hygrometers it was OK only in One and 3 showed high temp I asked them to open alternate windows we waited for 30 minutes the breaks were reduced I told him change the wheel and I will sign the book. He changed the wheels in another 45 minutes I asked the workers they said working is good they said. I spent all my time there and kept the jobber also he sat in one corner and I sat in one corner I suddenly got up and came to wrapping room. The jobber also came. I told him dept is OK let's go for a cup of Tea I said he agreed and from that day nothing was not bad.

The incident about a jobber challenging me was not the first. In my previous mill when I was a trainee I was counting the number of teeth in the gear box of a machine under cleaning when the spinning department Jobber passing by stopped and started asking me why I was counting, oh that you wont know I said, he said tell me what is that I don't know. It's called break draft I said. Oh that I will know by not doing what you are doing. I cleaned my hands and gave him my note book and told him to calculate he said I don't need paper and pencil. This was most challenging I asked him showing 2 rollers tell me the break draft. He said close your eyes if I say it correctly what will you give, I said whatever. I don't know what he did but after a second he told me it was 1.25. Oh that is the standard I want actual I said, he said actual may be 1/16th or 1/8th more not less it does not effect the break draft so much. That was a shock. I asked him what was it he demanded he said bring me a Packet of 7 o clock Blade to morrow if you can. I gave him and asked him how he could say it. He demonstrated it. None of my friends could not tell me how to calculate that way.

I did learn from shop floor workers many more such things. The Textile Advisor from JAPAN Dr.T. Hanada who taught me many tips on trouble shooting problems.