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.