Pratap Bhogilal Journey Through Life

Author(s): Rauf Ahmed
Publisher: Bhupendra Singh Anand

Page 61

THE JOURNEY 55
We built up Shree Ram Mills to a position of pre-eminence almost from scratch
Bapaji and Mehta were equal partners in the Managing Agency that ran SRM. Sometime later, Menghraj, Nevandram Bajaj and Dolatram, who were partners in the firm Pokardas Menghraj, approached Bapaji for partnership in Shree Ram Mills. Pokardas Menghraj were into the money-lending business. They were also major dealers in cloth of various mills. Menghraj was a client of Bapaji's in the diamond business. Bapaji wanted time to think over their request and asked them to revert to him after a couple of months. When they did, Bapaji and Mehta agreed to Menghraj's proposal and his partners Nevandram and Dolatram also joined as Directors in SRM with a total 4anna share. Bapaji and P.N. Mehta reduced their holdings from 8 annas to 6 annas each. The deal was struck on condition that the firm of Pokardas Menghraj would never deal in the cloth made at Shree Ram Mills.
In the initial stages, Mehta looked after SRM. Bapaji would attend office only casually. He didn't get involved in the day-to-day running of the Mill. His actions had a bearing on the fact that he trusted Mehta implicitly. I was working part-time at Shree Ram Mills those days even as I was learning the textile business at the VJTI. I took a lot of interest in the machinery Mehta was importing for SRM. As I studied deeper, it struck me that the machinery being imported for the mill was not the best available in the market. When I conveyed this to Bapaji, he just waived aside my observation. In fact, he snubbed me saying Mehta was highly experienced in the business and knew more about machinery than I. If Bapaji trusted someone he would do so completely. He was genuinely peeved when I questioned the quality of the machinery being purchased for the mill. Though I was in sync with Bapaji's principle of conducting business in total faith, I could clearly see that there was no transparency in the purchase of machinery at Shree Ram Mills. Luckily, things got exposed in a dramatic manner one day when Mehta was holidaying in our bungalow in Mahableshwar!
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed - Mahatma Gandhi