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IMPRESSIONS | 139
Dr. Phalnikar Former Chairman and Managing Director of Mysore Kirloskar Limited Pratapbhai was a workaholic by nature. His only recreation was a game of bridge. We would always arrange for it for him in the evenings after the Board meetings whenever he visited Harihar in Karnataka, where I was based
He had deep affection for the Kirloskar family and greatly respected their engineering skills. Once he told N.K. Gurjar, Chairman of the Kirloskar group of companies and brother-in-law of S.L.Kirloskar, "We are not so good in the engineering department at our Udhna plant, why don't you help us improve." It was amazing coming from a person of his stature. He had no hesitation in admitting to the weakness in his company and seeking assistance. Gurjar was open to Pratapbhai's request and formed a committee of four persons - Gune from Kirloskar Brothers, N.K. Joshi, Jayant Gurjar (son of N.K.Gurjar and a partner of the Kirloskars and S.L.Kirloskar's maternal uncle) and I set up a new joint-venture company between the Kirloskars and Batliboi.And Shyam Kirloskar, who was with Kirloskar-Mysore, was deputed to the Udhna factory of Batliboi. Those were days of Licence Raj, and Batliboi had the necessary licenses for radial drilling machines and milling machines. However, things didn't work out and Shyam Kirloskar moved to Kirloskar Oil Engines.
Pratapbhai commanded great loyalty from his staff and the company enjoyed a great reputation under him. There was one Kanubhai Shah, who used to do PR work for Batliboi. He had migrated to the United States with his wife. I knew him because, when I was in Mumbai on some work with Batliboi, he had been deputed to look after me. When I met him in Los Angeles, USA, he told me of an incident. When he had gone to an American company for an interview, he was asked where he had worked in India. He said, at Batliboi. He was then asked, "For how long?"When he said 20 years, the instant response was, “You are hired". They then asked him if he had a wife. When he said, yes, they told him, "She's also hired"! At Batliboi, Branch Managers retired after long service, such was their relationship with the company and Pratapbhai.
The world is his who does his job with compassion - Tiruvalluvar
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