[ Govt Mill to Private Mill. ]

I left this well set mill after teaching all about how to run the mill since I had trained the young Boys trained very well and they were all doing good work.

I used to pay wages to all workers men and women on appointed day and there would be gifts to workers who did not absent a single day for work

I left the Mill with out telling anybody.

I had called my wife telling about the change to come for few months and try to admit daughter in a Lady's hostel. I do not know how he did but she did something better and came it was another few months she would go to her masters and finish it in 2 years.

I was trying to work but I was getting this mills which were badly managed by the cotton merchants who were only supplying cotton and when the mill owner could not pay the money they told him to hand over the mill

They did employ good technicians to run the mill but it had to run as they wanted it to run.

When I walked around the Mill No.1 and Mill No.2 workers were starring at me at one place I saw a machine making much waste and told them to stop the machine and remove all the feed and delivered material and cleaned the machine 4 hours with 6 persons from bottom to top. The machine gauges were checked, all parts oiled & greased as required new feed material fixed to produce the required yarn and all driving tapes were checked to same size, ring travelers changed and speed reduced by 300 rpm. The machine which was giving just 93grms/spindle was giving 106grms/spindle.

The News went to the Mill Owner and he said can you make that production increase IN ALL MACHINES I SAID YES.
The next day I went to his office and submitted a report the plan of action to improve the production and reduce the waste and the report said budget expenses for each machine.  I had given details of how I would carry out my job and the requirements including men and machine and money required.   

[ I got a Job through my friend.][ my Son gets engaged with his girl friend staying with us.]

My college mate was working in a large Mill and he was there for number of years as CEO of the mills. I got his phone number and told him my need for a job he asked me to meet a person whom I knew in Bombay (now it is called Mumbai) I met him and he appointed me as Managing Director of a New Spinning Mill in a remote village in Maharashtra. I joined that mill which was half built and the Chairman a stupid fellow gave me all the powers to start the mills as early as possible. It was a interesting job with out any interference from the stupid Chairman or Directors as they were monitoring my working daily. I was working in a remote village 6 KM to a Dhaba hotel from the site of the project so I used to get my horrible lunch of the village folk and I had no choice since going to a Dhaba was as good as going to my hotel and if I go it would take at least 60 minutes or more if I had to use my transport but most of the days the mill purchased Van would drop me and go to the Chairman's personal political or personal work. It would come in the evening sometimes or it would come after I return to my hotel by public transport a Old Bus and sometimes it would come early and I would miss it and walk 7 KM back to my Hotel.

I was 58 years old with diabetes and high blood pressure. Both were normal with my diet and drugs prescribed by my doctor. After coming to my hotel room I would talk to my wife who was managing the hose with my daughter in her final year graduation

My son was working with a software company and his girl friend who was staying with us was a house surgeon trainee doctor. They decided to get married. My mill was working now and I came to Bangalore attended his marriage and went back to my mills. My wife was managing the house well and I had no problem. My hotel Bill payment was not regularly paid by the mills so money at home was going on from my savings which was not much my earlier job was with out pension.I could not plan well for my retirement years but my asset would take care if there was a financial emergency and a financial need if it arises.( It did and I had to sell my house later after several years.)

My daughter completed her graduation in top grade with 1st class with a degree in Archaeology and she was working as a lecturer in the same college where she studied her Pre degree course and also was working as a part time guest scholar to teach archaeology in various schools under a scheme by a reputed news media.She was working very hard and soon she got a job in a .COM company and later in INFOSYS of Bangalore.She must have worked for just under 2 years and was deputed to work in Bank of America at Atlanta she completed her project and joined another Software company and did not return.

My work at that place was OK but I could not see how they would stay in market as they did not know how to keep accounts. I tried to help and translated all files from Marathi to English. The mill was running smooth and my work was to set standards for all work. Quality Assurance, processes controls,maintenance schedules,safety inspections in every machine, good lighting since it was a 24 hours working schedule, incentives to come for work to workmen.The Stupid Chairman who was a congress Neta had diverted mill funds to his own personal projects and it was getting very tight to pay salary to work man. When I had gone to Bangalore he did not pay workman for 4 months.He was a corrupt man I think.

One man running a 10,000 spindles unit manufacturing sewing threads a technical textile unit was a new thing there were several mills but they were all making ordinary yarn from cotton.This news went to another mill nearby and they called me to take charge as CEO of their mill. in a place where things were city like but not a city. The mill had 2 units and I was in charge of both the Mills. After telling the secretary and handing over both my Keys I lefy the place and Joined the next Mill.

[ I could not sit at home depressed.]

Sitting at home depressed I thought of my friends who were still at their jobs and wondering how they are working as I knew the working conditions of all the mills. I could not show my depression to my son or to my daughter who were just beginning their own professional career so I was going about spending my money towards my daughter education my son had started earning but it was sufficient for his expense and he did not ask us any money even after his friend stayed with us. In fact a small amount my sons friend was paying to us. We lived in my own house which I had built during my service taking a loan from the company. My daughter was still in her graduation class and all the big problems of running the house was taken care by my wife very splendidly.

To avoid depression I converted a Rom as my Studio and started painting which I had stopped. I spent money on Frames, Canvas, Paints, Brushes, Oils, and carpenter who made huge Frames with the Technical Textile commercial cloth resembling canvas. Nearly I did 45 Paints and stored them in my car shed where I had a place made over the top to keep 50 or more paints on steel structure.

My son was staying for some months or more I do not remember but he got another posting in Bombay and he left us with his newly married wife and his wife was doing MD in a reputed hospital. Both of the were doing well.

[ Back from Andhra to Karnataka. ]

[I was unemployed about a year and my daughter was about to complete her matriculation. She completed her metric and joined pre graduation in one of the best colleges in Bangalore at that time. I got a job in one of the reputed big textile group of mills BINNY's as Project Manager with a oral promise that I would have to manage the mill as MILL MANAGER. The mill had a master plan for turn around from profit to loss I completed the OPEN END spinning project and that completed my term in Binny's. The Resident Director who appointed me knew me well and told me to resign as he was told to do somethings by the stupid management which he did not tell me. I came to know later but that was untrue he was a honest man.]

I was down again but a merchant who came to know I was jobless contacted me and told me to meet a Mill MD of a reputed mill in Tamil Nadu at his Madras Office. I met him and he told me to join his mills as he said though I was 54 my technical knowledge was fine and so I went and joined his mill in Tamil Nadu. My Son had landed in Bangalore at my own home and my daughter had completed her pre graduation at BISHOP COTTON and was interested in studying in Poona in Deccan College for a graduate course in Archeology. My wife and myself went to Poona admitted in the college and girls hostel while my son joined a local Soft Ware Engineering Company.

All the tension and stress that my wife endured for several years resulted in her getting surgical hernia which was a surgical closer that she went while in my mills at west Karnataka that had opened up. I came to Bangalore and she came out of APPOLLO Mallays' hospital after another surgery procedure weak and anemic to keep the family fire burning. All expenses were paid by my mills as they liked my work. I returned to my mills at Tamil Nadu.

However, there was my problem with the Executive Director. I was reporting to the MD of the mills. The ED was son of MD who was a graduate in Textiles and he did not like my way of functioning and try to pull my ego several times. It did not work to my advantage as I resigned and even though I was not relived I left the mills after the date of my resignation expired telling that I am going to my home. I joined another mill and after taking charge of that small mill I noticed that MD's son was coming to mills and sitting in my office cum rest room. I got irritated and came back to my old mill but the mill had not appreciated my way of going and refused to accept me. I could not go to the small mill also. That was another DOWN in my professional career.

I was unemployed again.

[ Kerala to Karnataka.]

Even to get a transfer Order after I was told that I am transferred at my Head Office where I was called to give the wrong information that there would be meeting. I was not given the Order and I came to know it is not finalised and I may be retained at a Desk in Head Office. My success was my enemy to all 15 General Managers of the Unit a Govt Of India Managed subsidiary with a Holding Company at Delhi. However, I managed to force the CMD to give me the order or tell me what I should do told him I would wait till 5:00 PM and go back to my Unit. However when I told a college of mine he went to CMD's PA's office and came back with my transfer order. I took the order thanked him and told my Director Technical that I would be joining the New assignment at the place and rushed to my mills in Kerala. There was a New man in my place already to my surprise but who cares. I returned to my state and went to my new place and took charge of this unit which was making a huge loss and no one wanted to buy the product that was made.

My job of cleaning the mess started and it took me to clear the mess nearly a year and the mill started selling all the production for the rates that similar mills were producing the same product. The took up polyester blended yarn, fancy polyester blended yarn, super fine cotton yarn, 100% acrylic yarn and Industrial yarns not produced by any of the mills in our group. This was noticed and Head Office at Delhi and I do not know what happened but it was over 9 years that I stayed in the mills and boosted my ego to every technical person who visited my mills. The feeling was that I had turned the mill to standards in all area of operation and things were going very smooth and I was relaxing. I was made to improve productivity with out any labor problem. I did that also. One of the biggest composite mills in Andhra was in a big mess. I was told to go and take over that mill. My son had 6 months to complete his graduation in computer engineering and he had to be put up in a room and I travelled to new place with my wife and daughter. My son was 20 years of age and my daughter was 12 years. The mill I took over was making heavy loss and besides labor there was huge technical mess in spinning, weaving, processing and printing dept was closed.

My bad luck started and I fell down heavily I was forced to resign as I had violated procedural protocol in ordering spares urgently required and this was taken by the CMD very seriously after I informed him that I ordered parts and got them and followed the procedure. This was not accepted so they forced me to resign and give health reasons for resigning or face action and suspension from service. Workers agitated and sat in my residence and told that they won't allow me to go. I convinced the workers and told them that I would be back but that I could not do.

[ 5 Years was all we needed in Kerala. ]

5 years was gone for me as a General Manager of a Spinning, Weaving, Processing and the New Unit which I started for Printing of any cotton Fabric which gave me immense confidence to manage a large textile mill along with the confidence of success by turning a average mill in to a profit making mill which also gave me some not so pleasing attitude which generated few at the Head Office to dislike me including some directors and so they thought I should be put in my place and sent me to a small spinning mill which was in a mess after investing huge public money by putting up a fake project report and getting funds for 100% expansion of a small textile mill. However to their poor vision my work made this project one of the best product quality spinning mill with 100% production certified by Gov't of India "Bureau of Indian Standards" known as ISI stamped on every Kg of Yarn Package.

However I had to again put up a debate on why the profit was not there. When everything was fine including productivity that was best among other mills of my size. I had to finally tell them that if my mill was making a loss I would put it in profit with retrospective effect in one day if they agree to my plan. No one spoke as I told them in a cocktail party where all directors and GM's of various other 15 textile mills were present including the Chairman of the group who hosted the party after our annual review meeting of all mills.( Of course we had our 2nd round of Scotch. ) I knew what I was talking and our Chairman also knew what I was talking. He was Sober of course.

[My daughter joins a local school ]

My daughter goes to school with her mother to get admitted and the car driver's introduction that she is my daughter was enough and she was made to sit in the class. My son's admission was different those Malayali kids were not like Mysore kids. There play was different and so were the books. I know that they would like the school and get along well. What I wanted to do in 2 years in this mills I took 5 years not because workers were unskilled but there were disputes and labour leaders would go on dragging the dispute with out coming to any reasonable settlement. Workers were good but there was division among them as there were 18 different party's in 18 groups.

Nearly for 5 years I ran the mill producing old sorts that had a good market. I maintained them but produced high value fabrics and fine count yarn which were high of value. I also produced 67/33 PC shirting's and suiting's. Half Voile Sarees printed and Bed Sheets, Door & Window curtains which no other mill in the group was manufacturing. A New Show Room was opened on the High Way which was going by the side of the mills. The mill was making some profit.

Whole town was happy that a sleepy textile mill was producing so many verity of fabrics. Few senior technical officers and few others were jealous but they were good to me and I was good to them.

My children went on securing good grades and were happy. At one time lot of workers happened to assemble in front of my bungalow waiting for their leader to come. We were staying above the office and my daughter was observing them from the open Balcony. Workers did not expect her to do anything they were silent. My daughter knew that they would shout "INQUILAB ZINDABAD" and since they did not say she shouted INQUILAB ZINDABAD. That was a joke whole Mill enjoyed.

All was well but all were not happy something was a mess and I was transferred to another mill.

Since I knew I will have to go we went to KANYAKUMARI to see the two ocean's meeting and SUN RAISE AND SUNSET. We liked the place very much after seeing SUN RAISE my son wanted to see SUNSET when we went there the sun was not setting at the place but far away. My son had determined to see the sunset went off with the group heading to words the place where they could see the sunset. It was getting dark and I was carrying my daughter and my wife was not prepared to go with my son. My son once makes up his mind that's it is done. We called him back but he was gone. It was pitch dark all those who went were not coming and I could not walk on the sad so I sat down and made my wife also sit along with my daughter. Somebody passing by told why are you sitting here SEA SNAKES will come Shortly from the sea. My heart sank I was in deep trouble I started shouting my son's name and and he took his time and came and how he found the way back I don't know. I appreciated his determination to see the sunset ignoring or unknowing the risk was his courage and a self induced motivation I presume. Soon we walked back along with others who had reached our spot and we came back safe. I remember this incident very much.