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IMPRESSIONS
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to the Bombay Municipal Corporation in the 1950s. My constituency, C Ward, encompassed Kalbadevi, Princess Street, Marine Lines, Patan Jain Mandal etc. There were many Jains in that area and I had many friends among them. I came to know Pratapbhai through Patan Jain Mandal. Pratapbhai is a business man with a philanthropic bent of mind. He has regularly contributed to charity as a duty as Vinoba Bhave had propagated, not for reward or name. I always respected his approach. A significant lesson I learnt from him was to speak to the point. Pratapbhai always spoke to the point, never wasted time in arguments. He was very practical. I got to interact with him when he became a trustee of the Bombay Port Trust as a representative of the industry. He was nominated by the then Bombay Millowner's Association. I was a trustee from the employees' side.
Pratapbhai and I don't meet very often, but whenever we do, it is a pleasure being with him. I always invite him to my annual Paunk (tender light-green millet) parties. I get freshly harvested Paunk from Gujarat. He thoroughly enjoys these parties. I am proud of the fact that years have not diminished his regard for me.
Dr. Shanti Patel, who hails from Kheda Jilla in Gujarat, got involved with the Mumbai dock workers in 1944 and had been a Trustee of Mumbai Port Trust, J.N.Port Trust and President of National Union of Seafarers of India. He has been a prominent social worker as well.
Mr. Sharad Patil Secretary General, Employers' Federation of India I got to know Mr Pratap Bhogilal when I was with the Employers' Federation of India (EFI). I had joined the organization after a long stint with the Standard Chartered Bank, where I had been a Director in charge of Human Resources for the whole of India.
Actually, I had heard about Mr. Bhogilal long before I could meet him. An uncle of mine by the name of Mr. V.G. Patil, who had begun his career as an unskilled worker in Calico Mills, had risen to be the Spinning Master at Pratapbhai's Shree Ram Mills. He used to speak very highly about him.
Giving food is very good charity, however giving knowledge and education is even better. This is because food gives you temporary satisfaction, while knowledge gives life
long satisfaction.
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