If only I had become a doctor

When young, I was fascinated by the aeroplane. Our house was not too far from the airport and some of our neighbors who stayed in our area worked in the airlines. I would see them go for duty in their company buses and longed to be like them. I did choose the aircraft industry but as luck would have it, I went into the aircraft-manufacturing stream. I was in my early 20s, got an appointment in Kanpur and from there moved to Nashik. I have been in Nashik for more than half a century and my son chose to join the IT industry. Today, I sigh and wonder if only I had become a doctor, my life might have been different. This is because today I realize that the medical profession is loaded with money. I hope my friends who are in this profession would agree with me.

Medical profession is a noble one because it is all about healing people and saving lives. Sanjay Dutt proved it in the 2003 Bollywood movie Munnabhai MBBS. It was a blockbuster and one cannot forget the message of Dr. Asthana (Boman Irani). It was that personal feelings should not influence the decisions of the Doctor. However, in the scenario of 2022, one observes that specialization has played havoc with this noble profession. I read somewhere that there are dentists who specialize in the upper set of teeth leaving the lower set for others. A time could come when there could be separate opticians for the right eye and the left or the right arm and the left or the right leg and the left. If only I had opted for this profession in my youth, today I might have been rolling in money. All I would require would be a degree, a suitable location to set up my clinic and contacts among other doctors. That way I could refer my patients to others more knowledgeable than me.

A cat has nine lives, I have many more – 2

This is about another of my near death experiences, also in Kolkata. It was in the 1970s and involved a bus. I did my schooling in St. Joseph's College, an English medium school. My mother tongue is Bengali and my knowledge on it was limited. In college, I faced problems with the language and a pass in it was compulsory for the I. Sc. Exams. The pass mark was 30 percent and I somehow managed to scrape through with 31 percent. This preyed on my mind and I decided to devote some of my time to write in Bengali. I did it on the sly and sent the stories across to a few magazines. And – I struck pay dirt in 1967. That was when I got an employment in HAL Nashik. I was at Howrah Station to catch the train and went to the bookstall to buy some magazines to read during the journey. Believe it or not, one of the magazines had published my story. I needed a breakthrough and this was it.

During one of my visits to Kolkata in the 1970s, I came to know of a magazine that wanted writers. Its address was on the outskirts of the city and I was not familiar with the area. I talked with the locals and got an idea of the locality. I had to take a bus and had to wait for the bus to come along. It was crowded and when I asked for a ticket, I discovered that it was a wrong bus. It had started to move and I tried to get down from the moving bus. I landed on the road and the bystanders helped me to my feet. This could have had serious consequences but I lived to tell the tale of another experience with death.


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Sipping tea and munching biscuits of unknown pedigree on the way to Korwa

This was the occasion when one of the senior officers wanted to visit HAL Lucknow and HAL Korwa to get acquainted with the working methods. And, he wanted me to accompany him because of the personal relationship that I had developed with the senior officers in the sister divisions.
Of course, I will always remain grateful to my Bengali boss who had rated me ‘below average’ in my ACR which deprived me of a promotion. But, because of his rating and my subsequent transfer, I got an opportunity to develop a few qualities that I never knew lay dormant within me. The qualities of being confident, interacting with people of different types at different levels.
I firmly believe that whatever happens in ones life is always for his good and he should accept it. Initially, it may not improve the feel good factor but, in due course, it will prove beneficial.
Anyway, since the officer was in a senior position, I need not worry about transportation. A car picked me up from my quarter, he was already seated in the car. We traveled by road to Mumbai Guest house where we stayed for the night. In the morning, we went to the airport and took the flight to Lucknow – it was an Indian Airlines flight via New Delhi.
We stayed at Lucknow for one day and next morning we left by a car for Korwa. It was a distance of around 140-Km. I had traveled on this stretch earlier by HAL bus and had seen that there are no eating joints worth its name on the route. The only place is Rae Bareilly which is about half way.

I had, therefore, suggested to my companion that we could take breakfast in the Guest House and then leave for Korwa but, he decided to leave by 6am hoping that we could take in some snacks on the way but that was not to be. The complete stretch of road was devoid of any settlement – there were only miles of land with huge mango trees. Fortunately, we saw a tiny tea shop – the owner was just opening the door and, seeing a car stop and us getting out, he hurriedly lit the oven and made some tea for us. We took it gladly along with some biscuits of unknown pedigree.
In those days, there was no mobile phone but, anticipating our arrival, the people at Korwa had kept breakfast ready. And, the first thing we did on arrival was to sit down for breakfast. It was heavenly – bread, butter, omelet and strong coffee. (to be continued …) (Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

My duty takes me to Hyderabad and Golconda Fort

As I have mentioned earlier, HAL Nashik Division was receiving supplies of accessories from sister divisions of HAL and, while Lucknow and Korwa supplied mechanical accessories and specific avionics items, Hyderabad was responsible to supply avionics items.
The supplies were smooth and regular and there was hardly any reason to complain but, problems arose when certain spares were not forthcoming from American suppliers. One may question why Americans should supply items for a Russian aircraft. The reason was that the Indian Air Force had replaced certain avionics items of Russian origin with items of American items and, there were disruption in supplies due to political considerations.

The US had imposed sanctions on defense supplies to India as a result of the Pokhran II nuclear test in 1998, hence I was asked to proceed to Hyderabad to get a first-hand picture.
Accordingly, I left by the Kacheguda Express from Manmad – the train left at 5.30pm and next morning by 9am, I was at Hyderabad. I took a cab to the HAL Guest House and checked in – I met a couple of officers and got the general briefing on the problems and efforts being made by Hyderabad to tackle the problems.
I had some more meetings the next day and in the evening, I went to the office of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation APTDC and booked a sightseeing tour. The bus left by 9am and I had to hire an auto rickshaw to reach the pickup point in time. Of course, I had some time on hand and had a sumptuous breakfast of super-size idi-wada sambhar.
The tour was a good one – it covered all important tourist attractions of Hyderabad like the Husseinsagar Lake with the huge stone statue of Buddha in the middle, Salar Jung museum with the man who came out of his cell to strike the hour, and Golconda Fort which was a marvel of engineering. The tour ended by 5.30pm and I returned back to the Guest House. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommoms.org)

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I am asked to fly to Lucknow at short notice

A team of officers had come from Air Headquarters for a meeting with HAL Nashik. It was a long and never ending meeting that began after lunch and went on till dinner time. The dinner was in the HAL Guest House along with the visiting officers. After dinner, the team assembled in the computer room because the subject was related to computerization and the computer staff including some of the girls had been asked to stay back.
Suddenly, my boss took me aside and told me to pack up and go home. The reason? I would have to leave for Lucknow the next day to obtain the latest status on Lucknow and Korwa supplies for a meeting of the MDs of the two complexes. I would have to fly from Mumbai to Lucknow and my air tickets would be kept ready in the Mumbai Guest House.

Well – when I arrived home my wife was surprised. It was around 9.30pm and she had not expected me so early. I explained to her and then rang up Mumbai Guest House. The Manager had already got the message from my boss and confirmed that the air-ticket would be kept ready.
Relieved, I packed my briefcase and went to sleep. Next morning I left by bus for Mumbai and arrived at the Guest House by afternoon. I rested for the night and the company car dropped me at the domestic lounge of Santa Cruz airport. My flight was an Indian Airlines Mumbai-Lucknow flight via New Delhi.
At New Delhi, there was a halt. Most of the passengers alighted and a few new members boarded – they were for Lucknow. One of them was a burly woman loaded with several bags. Most of the bags contained toys!!
Anyway, when the plane landed at Lucknow, I got out of the lounge and was nabbed by cab drivers. There was a pre-paid booth from where I could get a cab but the counter was empty. The drivers standing around were enjoying my predicament.
Finally one of them came up to me and agreed to take me to HAL Guest House and gave me an official receipt also for me to claim the expenses. (to be continued …)

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Trip to HAL Lucknow becomes a regular affair

My first trip to Lucknow was one of familiarizing myself with a new territory and gaining the confidence of others at not just the working level but, also at senior levels. Trust and confidence can play vital roles in any arrangement and, for this, I will always be grateful to my new boss who made me feel important.
I remember his telephone calls that would come to me by exception and, invariably, the purpose of those calls would be to test out my efficiency.

For example – one morning he rang up and gave me the part number of an item. It seems IAF wanted the item badly and they rang up to him and he, in turn, asked me to get the information about its availability. Well – immediately, I set my wheels in motion. I rang up here and there and, within half an hour, I had gathered enough information. I was like Hanuman with the Mount Rishabha, a mountain in which was hidden the herb that would cure Lakshman-ji.
My boss was satisfied and, after testing out my abilities through some more similar cases, he came to rely on my information system. That was a huge boost to my confidence.
Anyway, after my first visit to Lucknow, it became a regular feature once every three months because such interdependency between divisions of HAL was a new concept and there were innumerable hurdles to be sorted out. Therefore, a close follow-up was necessary to smoothen out the bumps.
Therefore, I would book a berth in the Kushinagar Express that originated in Mumbai and went on to Kushinagar, a district in north Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow was on its route and, hence, it was a convenient mode of transport for me. But, the timing was terrible – its arrival time at Nashik Road station was 2.30am and it reached Lucknow at 4am. (to be continued …)

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Getting to know HAL Lucknow

I knew a few officers of HAL Lucknow by name and, once in the Division, my first task was to locate these gentlemen. They must have got information about my coming and I had to get to first base with them. I had heard that people of Lucknow love to have cordial relationships and respect the other man. The popular saying ‘pahele aap’ is their philosophy. ‘Pehele aap’ means you get the right of way.

Anyway, within a few hours, my circle of acquaintances in HAL Lucknow had grown. And, among them was an officer who had, once upon a time, been employed in Nashik. Naturally, he recollected his past days in Nashik and I updated him. He invited me over to his quarters for dinner and, during duty hours, he helped me out in resolving a number of technical issues.
My boss had asked me to provide daily feedback on the progress of follow-up activities and, at the end of the day, I would sit with the HAL Lucknow bosses and prepare my feedback in consultation with them. That way, we maintained the same frequency.
I was at Lucknow for one week and, in between, my Nashik acquaintance took me around in his Maruti van for sightseeing. We took in the British Residency, Bara Imambara, Moti Mahal, and Clock Tower and, of course, Hasratganj, It was important that I build rapport with people who matter in Lucknow because that would help in ensuring continuity of work at both ends. Nashik had to send the accessories to Lucknow for overhaul and return. In case there was delay at any end, the total work plan would get disrupted and that needed to be avoided. Therefore, I had to take on the role of troubleshooter. (to be continued…)

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Landing up at Lucknow railway station at 4am

As I have already mentioned earlier, I had to keep moving out on official duties to different places. When I was I customer services department, I had to go to Indian Air Force bases because they were our customers. Later, when I set up my own department, I had to liaise with sister divisions of HAL. These sister divisions were in Lucknow, Korwa and Hyderabad. They were a part of the accessories complex and were entrusted with the responsibility of supplying new accessories of MiG-27 aircraft and also, servicing and repairing them.
Therefore, since the MiG-27 aircraft would arrive at Nashik for overhaul, we had to remove the accessories and send them to the respective divisions for overhauling and return back to Nashik. Subsequently, these would be fitted on the aircraft during overhaul and handed back to the IAF.
My responsibility was to keep track of dispatch and receipt of these individual units and maintain a continuous follow-up with the respective divisions. And, in order to do this efficiently, I had arranged to develop a computerized system.

For this and other such development activities on computers, I was fortunate to have with me a trainee engineer who happened to be the son of one of my colleagues. The kid was smart and could anticipate my requirements and, accordingly, introduce suitable changes in the system.
Anyway, one morning, I received a phone call from my boss. The time was around 10am – and, when I entered his office, I saw him browsing through a file. He motioned to me to take a seat and, pushing aside the file, looked me in the eye and said – Ghose, you have to make a trip to Lucknow.
When? – I asked him.
Today, he said. Go to the cash section, collect some advance and take the first available train. I want you to get the updated supply status of Lucknow and fax it to me. I also want you to create a man-to-man rapport with your counterparts in Lucknow.
Yes Sir, I said and left.
I went home, told my wife about the sudden development and got a suitcase ready. Then after dinner, I left for the railway station. I did not have any reservation and, therefore, boarded the Punjab Mail. It left at 9pm and reached Jhansi by midnight. Fortunately, there was another train from Jhansi to Lucknow waiting at another platform and I boarded it. By the time I reached Lucknow, it was 4am and I was famished. I took a cycle rickshaw from the station to HAL Guest House and found it in total darkness. Somehow I woke up the guard and walked into a new world. (to be continued …)

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Interaction with Russians for MiG-27 work at different levels

I have had interaction with Russians for quite some time at different levels. It was to be expected because HAL Nashik was manufacturing and overhauling Russian MiG-27 fighter planes for the Indian Air Force. When I had joined in 1967, the Russians with whom I had interaction were from the shop floor – most of them were technicians and specialists in their own trades. Hence, the interactions were of technical nature.
Later, when I was in Customer Services department, the interaction was at a much senior level and involved more of tact and finesse in nit being bunt but conveying our feelings in a manner that would not be offensive.

The term coined for extending customer services to the fleet of MiG-27 aircraft was ‘exploiting’ – why such a term was used and accepted by all the parties namely the IAF, HAL as well as the Russians is still a mystery. As per signed contracts, Russia had to supply some Technical Kits for supporting the aircraft in the field. The end use of most of the items was for maintenance of the aircraft by the IAF. As a part of my involvement, I had to confirm receipt status of items, their completeness and serviceability. Therefore, the interaction with the Russians was clearly defined.
But, problems would arise when the Indian bosses had to liaise with the Russian bosses.
In those days, there used to be 6-monthly review of the status alternating between India and Russia. Therefore, when it was the turn for meeting in Russia, there used to be a mad rush to provide every conceivable information to the bosses before they left. It was the era of telexes and faxes and direct contact meant STD calls taking into account the time difference.
And, in this respect, one of these bosses used to be a terror. He would leave on a Monday and the previous Saturday and Sunday would see everyone on the edge.
In contrast, there was another boss who called over all associated officers after lunch on the Saturday. He would be in his chamber with the last recorded details of the meeting in front of him. He would ask pointed questions on the officers and make notes in the margin. And – it would all be over before pack up. He would leave, a satisfied man – we would go home happy at not having to come back on Sunday. (to be continued ..)

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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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TD in Delhi of three days turned out to be one of 30-days

This was one TD that I would never want to be repeated. It was supposed to be a TD of three days in New Delhi in the month of June – and it turned out to be one of 30-days!!
The work was related to the induction of a new variant of MiGs by the Indian Air Force – the aircraft had been supplied by HAL Nashik and the engines mounted on them were supplied by HAL Koraput. Since Nashik supplied the aircrafts mounted with the Koraput engine, and since the problem pertained to engine, a team was sent to the Air Head Quarters in New Delhi to discuss with them and resolve the issue.

I had to go along with a Russian specialist and it was a TD of three day’s duration. Air passage was authorized from Nashik to Delhi and back and I left with a change of clothes packed in an attaché case.
The outward journey was uneventful. The fight from Nashik to Mumbai took around 45-minutes. We got down at Mumbai, had some snacks and boarded the flight to Delhi. At Delhi airport, there was a vehicle and the driver held aloft a placard with HAL Nashik written on it. Locating him was no problem and we went to a hotel where my Russian specialist would stay.
As for me, I took the vehicle to our Guest House in Asian Games village. From there I rang up our Service Engineer who stayed in Hindon. He was expecting me and our Russian specialist and we decided to meet next morning at Air Head Quarters. I asked the driver to report to me next morning by 8.30am.
But the interaction with the Air Force officers did not turn out as I had expected. A Russian specialist had come from Koraput along with a senior officer of Koraput and they remained silent spectators. I had to take the leading part and knowing that Air Force were our customers and the customer is always right, I had to play a crucial role. I had to ensure that things did not go out of hand. (to be continued …)


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Person goes missing on Temporary Duty – police come to the rescue

Temporary Duty is a part of life in organization like HAL Nashik where the aircraft it produces are in use in different Air Force bases and the customers want some serious problems to be attended to by specialists on topmost priority. Air Force has its own personnel to handle day-to-day problems but when it comes to specific cases like accidents or incidents, they seek specialist technicians from the factory.
These technicians can be from any discipline and, at times, there are many willing candidates who are ready to undertake an assignment to proceed on Temporary Duty.
One such case was the deputation of a technician to Air Force base in Bhuj. It was a simple assignment. He had to carry with him certain special equipment and some chemicals for a repair team that was already there. The individual was new to such work but had volunteered. Therefore, he was given necessary instructions and, once he had left, a message was sent to the Air Force base to keep them updated.

But, he did not reach the destination even on the third day. We did not give it much importance because there have been instances of delays in transit due to non-availability of railway reservations. However, when he did not reach even after a week, there was panic – a police report was made and they began investigation.
We could provide the police with only his file photograph, the date he left and his destination. We had no idea of which train he had taken and when. The police had a tough time and had to co-ordinate with the railway police as well as the police of Gujarat and, finally, managed to locate him.
He had been found wandering aimlessly on a railway platform and could not tell the police anything about himself. He had lost his memory. And – the items that he had been carrying were missing as were his belongings.
He had been a victim of thieves who had given him some foodstuff to eat in the train and had made him get down at an in-between station, robbed him and left him asleep at the station. (to be continued …)


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A boss who went out of his way to get me promoted

I had joined HAL Nashik when I was 23-year-old and my whole life was spent in this single organization. But, I never got bored because whenever I felt boredom creeping up on me, I managed to get a change of scenario.
I had joined in the aircraft manufacturing section but, subsequent to a tiff with my boss, I was transferred to the overhaul department.
From manufacturing new aircraft, I went into repairing of old aircraft. And – with this change I landed up in a setup that was ruled by Air Force personnel. The boss was a Sardarji and, he was so impressed with my work that he gave me two promotions within a span of two years!!

Armed with the varied experience that I had gained in the overhaul department, I came to Customer Services department. Here I was rewarded by another promotion. I felt that I deserved another one but my boss, the one with the wig, retired and I felt let down. Anyway, the replacement boss arrived. He was a Squadron Leader and a South Indian. We got along well but, when the time came for promotion, I discovered that my name was not in the list of those called for interview.
Since promotion interviews were held once a year, I was disappointed and disheartened. At that time I was staying alone because my wife and child had gone to Kolkata for summer vacations. Therefore, I took my lunch in the canteen and came home. I wanted to be alone because I knew that if I was on duty, I would have to listen to sympathies of my colleagues.
I, therefore, came home, tuned the radio and lay down on the bed with a pack of cigarettes. Suddenly, the bell rang. I presumed it to be the postman and was surprised when I opened the door and saw my boss. In his hand was a file.
He entered, smiled and opened the file for me to see the contents. It contained a note sheet on which the General Manager had signed – it was an order for me to proceed to HAL Koraput for my promotion interview.
My boss had gone out of his way to originate a note sheet and get it signed by all concerned to ensure that I do not lose the chance of promotion – which I finally got. Unfortunately, this boss got transferred and another Air Force officer took over. (to be continued …)


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A few more must reads -

Nashik Kumbhmela 2015 – a once in 12-years pilgrimage

Trip to Nashik should take in Shirdi and the Ajanta and Ellora caves

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the epic Ramayana

Nashik, a tourist center with links to the Mahabharata

Kumbhmela 2015 in Nashik – guided tours to wineries and vineyards

Nashik transforms from a place of pilgrimage to an industrial hub


Teenage girl of Brighton sat on a needle in a bus and is now getting her blood tested for HIV

Stray dogs attend funeral of Mexican woman who fed them

Nationwide ban on cow slaughter on the cards says Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh

Health tips – lose weight without dieting

Auckland girl sweet talks thief to return stolen mobile phone

Anchovies can boost good cholesterol and reduce risk factors of the heart

I discover the power of my pen

The work in HAL Nashik depended on the availability of materials that used to be imported from Russia and, usually, the work load would be high in the period September to March. Once March ended, the work force would not have enough work load and would idle.
This was the state of affairs in the section where I worked. But, in some other sections there was an excess of workload. Therefore the management would transfer some people on a temporary basis to work centers where there was sufficient workload.
I seized this opportunity and volunteered my services and was transferred to the sheet metal section. It suited me fine because my actual work was in assembly section where sheet metal components were used. The experience that I gained was useful at a later stage.
Anyway, this piece is not about my work but of how I helped out an individual with the power of my pen and my knack of writing.
He was a technician in the sheet metal section and, one day, he came to me with a request. He was from Uttar Pradesh and he wanted a transfer to HAL Lucknow division which was located in his home state.
Such transfers are rare and I explained as much to the young man. But, he pleaded. He said that he had all necessary contacts in the right places and a suitably worded application would do the trick.
He brought a sheet of paper with him and I asked him questions to get a sort of background. Questions that were designed to find out what sort of reason would be most appropriate to put forth in the application to justify a case of transfer on compassionate grounds.
Once the application was drafted, he got it typed out and sent it to the authorities. I treated it as a case of an eccentric person and was surprised when he came back to me within a week. He was all smiles and showed me the official orders for his transfer from HAL Nashik to HAL Lucknow.
I suddenly realized the power of my pen. (to be continued…)

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My Boss wanted me to become a detective

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A weekend at Bachelor Mess listening to Rabindra Sangeet

After seeing my name in Bengali print for the first time, it was but natural that I pursue this further to improve not just my standard of writing but also to gain acceptance as one who can express his thoughts in his mother tongue.
In the course of my regular duties, I would write – my mind was full of ideas and, coupled with the varied experiences that I was acquiring, I discovered that I could write a couple of pages and end up with a story of sorts.
I would then take it to two of my critics – they worked in different sections and were always ready to give it a look over and suggest changes. Some of the changes I would accept, some I would ignore. Yes, there would be arguments and counter arguments and it was fun. All the three of us were bachelors and that added to the fun.
I remember that one Saturday they asked me to stay over for the weekend in the Bachelor Mess. This was a building that had been built by HAL Nashik near to the factory and was meant to accommodate the male bachelors who had honed service.
Well – it was indeed a memorable weekend. One of the residents had a wonderful voice. He was a Russian language interpreter. After dinner he invited us to a session of songs. Therefore, I and other Bengalis trooped after him to the roof where he sang Rabindra Sangeet (songs of Tagore) – his stock of songs was fantastic and time literally flew.
Anyway, I did my writings in the factory and got them written properly on one side of foolscap paper once I returned to McKenzie Bungalow. Later, I set hem by post to the magazine. I had stated with one magazine and later got a second one added. Both were just names to me as I was to them –and, I decided that next time I visited Kolkata I would drop in on them and surprise them. (to be continued …)

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My Boss wanted me to become a detective

Yes, in those initial days in HAL Nashik, my Boss once wanted me to become a detective and investigate an allegation of corruption against one of the officers in the section. It was an extremely sensitive affair and an embarrassment for me to do the work but I was helpless.
The allegation was that the officer was taking bribes from the workers for booking them on overtime – the overtime meant double payment to the worker for the number of hours he does overtime and he was supposed to give a cut of his earnings to the officer.
The allegation had been sent to the General Manager through an anonymous letter and my Boss wanted me to have a look at the handwriting and identify the person who had written it.
Boss opened the drawer, took out the letter and showed it to me. I was totally confused because there were nearly 250 workers and supervisory staff in the section and anyone of them could have written it. Boss saw the confusion on my face and hinted that whoever had written it would not be any worker because it was written in English – the writing was legible and there were no grammatical errors.
The clues were there but many persons would fit the bill. To me it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. I told as much to him and he folded the letter and put it back in the drawer.
I came out of his office and heaved a sigh of relief but, I became a marked man because the workers had seen me and there was suspicion on their faces. Why should I spend nearly half an hour in the office of my Boss unless something was brewing?
My Boss’s office was on the upper floor and as I climbed down the stairs, I could feel eyes piercing me from all directions. I just ignored them – I had to survive. (to be continued …)

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I go to Deolali for the first time

After landing in Nashik at around 3am, I walked down the road from the railway station with my eyes peeled for a hotel. It was the end of April and after walking some distance, I saw a two storied building with the name of a hotel. I climbed up the stairs and got a room – it was reasonably good one, at least for the night.
Next morning I walked down to the Old Distillery building – that is where HAL Nasik had its offices. It was an imposing building of the British era made of stones and resembling the interior of castles of yore – I expected a knight in shining armor to suddenly step out from behind a pillar to block my way.
I met the people of the personnel department and then the staff of the nearby medial department to clear the formalities. And then, after lunch, I was directed to my section.
It was nothing but one corner of a room where some dummy airframe structures were kept and the employees worked on them – some drilled holes, others countersunk the holes while others riveted the joints. They were all learning and, among them was their teacher. A very serious looking gentleman who had come from HAL Bangalore.
I was introduced to him and he asked me where I was staying. I told him and he directed me to another person who stayed in a nearby place called Deolali – it seems the place he stayed was rented by HAL from a shipping firm based in Mumbai. Well – he took me to his place, I saw it and loved it – the terms were super. The building was three storied and its total rent was Rs 422 which would be divided among the boarders. At that point of time there were around 24 boarders and I became the 25th.
Most of them were Malayalees and there was also a man of all seasons – he stayed in the outhouse with his family and did odd jobs for the residents.
I took a bus, returned to the hotel, paid off my dues and came back to McKenzie Bungalow in Deolali – why a three storied building was called bungalow was a mystery. (to be continued …)

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I finally join the MiG factory in HAL Nashik

The moment I set foot in Howrah station on my return to Kolkata after the interview in Nashik, I sensed something amiss. The picture on every front page of newspapers showed a West Indian batsman who was running on Red Road with his cricket bat raised in the air. It seems the previous day there was some problem in the Eden Gardens while an India West Indies test match was in progress.
In 1966, there was no cellphone and landline connections were few and far between – therefore, I did not have a chance to announce my homecoming in advance – I just had to knock on the door and say I have come.
I had very little luggage and I took a bus and while sitting in the bus, I had time to recall my interview and felt in my heart of hearts that I may not make the grade – but, I must put up a brave face in front of my parents and among my friends, especially those who were my colleagues in Moitra & Company.
I decided to keep a straight face and smile – it can be interpreted in many ways.
Anyway, within a fortnight I was a much relieved man because the offer of appointment had come by post and I now had to wait for the firm appointment letter. I was literally on cloud nine and celebrated the occasion with my friends and colleagues.
I also informed my Principal and he congratulated me.
But, the final letter was getting delayed. January came and went and February was also half way over and the final letter had still not arrived. I therefore wrote a letter to the Personnel Manager and enclosed a self-addressed and stamped envelope for a reply. I wanted to know my fate!!
Well – the reply came. It was brief and to the point. I had been selected for the next financial year and my firm appointment letter would come only after March. It actually came in the middle of April and I boarded the Howrah-Mumbai Mail via Nagpur to enter a new phase of my life. The train fare from Howrah to Nashik, a distance of nearly 1800-Km, was Rs 35 and reservation charges was just 25 paise. (to be continued …)

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My job interview over a cup of coffee

When I came for interview to Nashik in December 1966, I was offered a cup of coffee at the interview. I had been waiting since morning and, when my turn came, it was 3pm and time for tea. Among other interviewees were people who had retired from the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy and, of course, from HAL Bangalore. Most of them were older than me and appeared to be knowing someone or the other already employed in Nasik.
I was the only odd man out.
Anyway, the board members sat on the other side of the table and, while the bearer served them tea, one of them asked me what I would like to have. I replied coffee and so it was.
Then, as I sipped the coffee, I waited for their barrage of questions and was surprised when they asked me a few questions not related to any technical subjects.
One question I remember is – ‘Mr Ghose, you are so young, how can you control a group of workers? (I was 22 years old at the time.)
I replied that I had undergone a trainee Supervisor course in HAL Kanpur and had worked also there for a year. Hence, I was confident of my ability.
What I left unsaid was that the workers in Kanpur were much more aggressive and they carried knives with them which they would take out, if annoyed.
Then another member popped the question – Mr Ghose, you have dressed as if you are going to play cricket. Do you know that you would have to dirty your hands?
I looked at him, gave him a sheepish grin and nodded. I was wearing a light colored shirt, white trousers and a black belt.
My coffee cup empty – so were theirs. I braced for more questions that would be more technical in nature. But – no. They had no questions. My interview was over.
The Chairman of the board handed me a slip of paper and smiled.
Thank you Mr Ghose – our office will contact you further. Please go to the cash department and collect your train fare on the way out.
And – that is what I did. I pocketed the money, went to the hotel, packed my suitcase and came to the railway station. The train was at 11.30pm and I had to pay a porter to push me into a compartment through the window. The train halted for only a couple of minutes and I did not have any seat booked hence, getting pushed into a compartment was the only alternative. (to be continued ... )

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