Publishing business – an escape route from the dull routine

Three of us had taken the initiative to start printing of magazines because we loved writing and wanted to encourage other like-minded Bengalis from all over the country to become a part of our community. We wanted to break the on-going tradition that only the well-connected can see their name in print. My friend and I have had not-too happy experiences with editors of Bengali magazines based in Kolkata – they all had their own groups and it was next to impossible for others to get a toehold in their well protected domain.

This was the main reason for us to move away from the beaten track and do something that would appeal to the masses. Of course, for me, there was another reason – I was gradually getting disillusioned with my job. I wanted an escape route from the dull routine. No, there was no fear of losing my job but, the nature of work had become boring. And, added to that was the denial of my rightful promotion for three years continuously. Every year, my boss would put up some reason or the other and smile an apology of sorts.
The worst part was that he also was a Bengali. That really hurt.
When I joined HAL Nashik, the General Manager was a Malayalee and, the majority of work force was from Kerala. After him, the General Manager was a Punjabi – and people from the northern states increased. Then came the Marathi regime with Marathis getting preference. In between there was a General Manager from UP – obviously, people from those areas got benefits. And then there was the Orissa reign with Oriyas getting into the limelight.
But, when it came to Bengalis, due to some unknown reason, they hesitated to back their own men – and, I had become a victim of my Bengali boss’s indecision. (to be continued …)

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Buying a Premier Padmini of 1978 vintage for Rs 30,000

In those days, HAL gave Rs 30,000 as car loan for purchase of a four-wheeler because it was that period when there were a few models of cars on the roads. Most popular in the four-wheelers were the grand old Ambassador car of the Hindustan Motors and Premier Padmini, the Indian version of the Italian Fiat. The amount of car loan was just enough to cover the cost of a second hand model and, when I became eligible to get a loan, I applied.
The approval of competent authorities used to take some time because there was an annual quota of loans that would be disbursed and, invariably, there would be someone who would try to squeeze in the queue quoting some reason or the other.
As I waited for the approval, I set in motion activities connected to acquiring a car, activities like carrying out a recee of the cars available in the market. To help me in this work I got hold of a Malayalee – he was a master in automobiles and, most of the garages in Nashik had hordes of Malayalee workers. That helped.

Finally, I zeroed in on a white colored 1978 Premier Padmini and settled for Rs 30,000. I paid the owner a token amount for booking. My application for loan had been cleared but imagine my surprise when I came to know that there was an embargo on issue of further loans for that financial year. It was a directive from HAL Corporate Office.
When I checked with my friends in Bangalore, they informed that the orders had certainly come but the local Finance department had decided to pay the loans to those whose approvals had come and then apply the embargo.
Unfortunately, in Nashik, the Finance department was a stickler for rules and, even though my loan had been approved, I could not get the loan amount. I was in a fix because I had already committed to the deal and had to, therefore, arrange the money from alternative sources.
All this happened just before my departure with the Russian specialist to New Delhi and I had to leave the car parked in front of my quarter. I never imagined that my son would take advantage of the ready availability of the car and, on the pretext of warming it up in the mornings, he would take the car out on the road.
By the time I returned from Delhi, he had mastered the art of driving and, later, taught me how to drive!! (to be continued …)

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