CASTING A DESTINY The Biography of Chandran Menon By Savita Bhave Translation Nandu Dange © Menon & Menon Pvt. Ltd., Kolhapur No part of this book may be copied, reproduced, adapted, abridged or translated, stored in any retrieval system or other system, or transmitted in any form by any means whether electronic, mechanical etc., without the prior written permission of the copyright holders. ISBN-81-86172-91-2 Based on the research and Marathi biography by Savita Bhave Photo Credits: Menon Group records and Menon family archives Editor: Gouri Dange Cover Design: Nandu Dange Printed at Mudra, Pune Published by Ulhas Latkar Ameya Prakashan 207, Business Guild, Law College Road, Pune 411 004. Tel.: 91-20-25457571. E-mail: [email protected] First Edition: October 2004. Price: Rs. 375/- *** As some tall cliff, that lifts its awesome form, Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm, Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternal sunshine settles on its head. Oliver Goldsmith: ‘The Village Preacher’ *** PREFACE By Dr. Neelkanth A. Kalyani The late Chandran Menon must be counted amongst those rare personalities who possess inborn qualities that go into the making of a successful industrialist. I have had the fortune of interacting closely with him and the privilege of enjoying a close relationship. As a result, I am in a position to know intimately the extent of his vast talents. I can confidently say that Chandran Menon was one of the greatest industrialists that the country has ever seen. It was unfortunate that the relative obscurity of Kolhapur provided him with a rather limited theatre of operations, and he did not get the public recognition that he deserved. This dramatic biography describes the struggles through which a youth born in a small village in Kerala (south India) landed up in Kolhapur, a small town in the southern part of Maharashtra in western India. A true industrialist has an innate drive for creation, and it keeps him constantly on the move. That is what happened with Chandran Menon: on obtaining his technical diploma, he made continuous efforts to find opportunity. One stage of this journey was the Hindustan Aeronautics project of the late Walchand Hirachand. It is probably here that the seeds were sown in him to dream in large format, to combine industrial endeavour with national service. Over a circuitous route of Bangalore - Khadki (Pune) - Jamkhandi, he landed up in Kolhapur. He came to the attention of contemporary industrialists such as Gadre, Kulkarni, Powar, Mestry, Utkur and Hudli. Menon was always willing to help out with technical difficulties that anyone ran into. It was this virtue that impelled the industrial greats, the late Mhadba Mestry and the late Y. P. Powar to encourage Menon to take the plunge into entrepreneurship, and Menon was ever grateful for the favour done him by these mentors and by the City of Kolhapur. The formative years of our generation were charged with the winds of the freedom struggle. The charge lasted not just through our youth but throughout our lives. Chandran Menon was no exception. He visualised his factory not just as an endeavour to help the nation: he dreamed of making it a jewel in the nation’s crown. The following passage out of the draft that he had prepared as agenda for the Panhala camp to decide industrial policy in 1969 is as relevant today as it was then: “The country is going through a tough phase today mainly due to the twin problems of explosive population growth and a backward economy. If we are to pull out of this phase, our foremost focus has to be on reining in the population growth and efficiently using the available resources for a general enhancement in the standard of living of the masses.” Menon came to Kolhapur and promptly went native. He was supported by the industrial greats in the beginning, but he repaid that debt several times over. In the first place, he gave a fillip to the modernisation and professionalisation of industry in Kolhapur. Side by side, he was responsible for the growth and progress of several people and institutions, as can be seen at every stage of the narrative that follows. His feeling that industry was the best field for him, he did not indulge in any unconnected activity. As an industrialist, he rose to every occasion when he felt he was needed, and thus was instrumental in putting Kolhapur on the industrial map of the country. All the talents of a great industrialist were concentrated in Menon, as can be seen at each step of the story of his life. A crystal clear foresight, the ability to act decisively in adverse conditions, the knack of recognizing talent when he saw it, of nurturing it and developing it for mutual benefit are just a few of these. Industrial activity is inherently subject to cycles, and it is worth learning from this book how to bravely turn adversity into opportunity for further prosperity in future. Several interesting and touching incidents bring out the human being in Menon. Basically a rugged, practical man, he maintained his humanity and compassion throughout his life. He was full of fatherly affection towards all his people, a trait typical of first generation industrialists. He never made a fuss of anything, and faced each challenge with a cold level-headedness. A foreigner to Kolhapur, he nevertheless drove his roots deep. In the span of four decades, he had to battle numerous difficulties, overcome several problems. Through all this, whenever he could find the time, he would reach for the stars. He charged through the fields of technology, industrial institutions, innovation, experimentation, exports and a lot more, and left his imprint on each. This chronicle of the aggressive, innovative and courageous industrialist will add to the pride of Maharashtra. The new generation has a lot to learn from this biography, and I would encourage them, especially those in the industrial field, to read it, study it and contemplate on it. I salute the memory of this good friend. *** FOREWORD It is matter of great regret that I did not have the good fortune to meet Chandran Menon - one of the few heroes of my biographies that I never actually met. My colleague and friend in the Walchand Group, Mr. J. B. Patil, is an admirer of my writings, and it was he who suggested that I write the biography of Mr. Menon. He took me to Kolhapur and introduced me to Vijay Menon and Ram Menon. This was 1999, and we did not know then that it would be a Five-Year Plan. Once it was decided, I speedily got to work. I made several trips to Kolhapur, collected reference material, interviewed people concerned. In a whirlwind ten-day tour stretching from one end of the country to the other, I interviewed several people. My respect for the late Mr. Menon rose day by day as I began to accumulate data. The thought of not having had a chance to meet such a towering personality saddened me a great deal. But my growing respect inspired me to forge on in my efforts. I was deeply impressed with the widespread love and respect that Menon inspired in all those who had come in contact with him. The people of Kolhapur showered him with fulsome praise. One of them said casually that Menon’s leap was so powerful that a short spare moment would see him leaping for the sky. That spontaneous remark practically revealed the core of Menon’s inner being. The book was ready in a year. After Mr. Vijay Menon’s clearance, it was handed over to Ameya Prakashan for publication. Matter was fed in, proofs were read and we were at the stage of selecting photographs when Fate intervened. The depression that hits industry periodically set in at the tail end of the century and sucked up the Menon company in its maelstrom. A lock out in the company and the biography of its founder just could just not go hand in hand. The papers were put into cold storage. Three years passed for the depression to clear, and things then began to pick up. The project was revived, and the biography of Chandran Menon is now being published. The journey of the book through to the release was in a way as arduous as the life of Menon himself. But just as Menon’s personality eventually shone through, it is believed that this chronicle of his life will emerge popular and inspiring. This task gave me enormous satisfaction, and if I have succeeded in depicting, through these pages, the Menon who so profoundly impressed me, readers will not fail to be similarly affected. I am deeply indebted to the family of Menon, their friends and associates, Mr. Latkar of Ameya Prakashan and his team, all of whom have played a great role in the completion of this project. I was ably aided in the actual writing by the Bodhe sisters, Vrushali and Shubhangi. Mr. Patil was involved in the project from start to finish. I am confident that this book, which is the fruit of the co-operation of a great many people, will meet with the readers’ approval. — Savita Bhave *** TRANSLATOR’S NOTE This project of translation, the first full-fledged book that I did after a series of piecemeal assignments, has been a refreshing experience indeed. The language of the author is so scholarly as to put up a massive challenge. His research into the personality and history (I can only call it that in view of the way Mr.