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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Stuck in Delhi in summer with only one change of clothes!!

Next morning, before leaving for continuation of meeting in Air Head Quarters, I handed over my shirt, pant, and banyan etcetera to the room boy of the Guest House and requested him to get them cleaned and keep the set ready within 24-hours because I did not have a spare set of clothes. The room I occupied was air-conditioned no doubt but summer in Delhi can be hot in the open and perspiration made one’s life miserable.
Anyway, in the meeting, a decision was taken that I, along with my Russian specialist, should proceed to Air Force base at Hindon where the aircraft were kept. Once there, we should check up all the available aircraft, note the observations and submit the report to all concerned. We should involve the Air Force personnel in our study.

Obviously, it was a time consuming work of a repetitive and monotonous nature and, for the next 20 days, every morning, I would leave the Guest House after breakfast, pick up my Russian from his hotel and proceed to Air Force Station Hindon.
The car would be provided by the Guest House and the driver was a young man and a very rash driver. He would keep putting on the car’s headlights demanding right of way and keep zigzagging through the heavy traffic of Delhi roads.
After observing his actions for a couple of days, my Russian friend pleaded with me to ask the driver to go slow and not rush. ‘I have a tiny daughter back home in Russia and I want to go back to her in one piece’ – he said. I explained that to the driver and he smiled and slowed down but, that was momentarily – speed was in his blood. (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

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