Pratap Bhogilal Journey Through Life

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

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PRATAP BHOGILAL - JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE
50s the company was making edible oil. It was my first stint as Director of another company. Mohamed Hussain's wife Gul Bano also had great affection for me. After his death she wanted me to continue as a Director in the company. At the time of Mohamed Hussain's death, his son Azim was studying in the US. He took some time to join the business since he had to complete his studies. During that period, Gul Bano insisted that | should help her in whatever possible way to run the business. After Azim's return to India, I told Gul Bano that I would like to retire as Director so that Azim was free to select Directors of his choice. However, Gul Bano insisted on my continuing as a Director as long as she was around. Finally, a year or so before her demise, I requested Azim to persuade his mother to let me resign. I resigned in 2005 after being on the Board of WIPRO as a Founder Director for several years.
It is great to see the way Azim has taken the company to great heights.WIPRO owes its position and reputation in the IT world to his vision.It had begun as a Private Limited company making vegetable oils, soap and ghee.
Bombay Millowners' Association
The Bombay Millowners' Association (BMA) was among the premier associations in India in the 50s and the '60s in view of the textile industry's pre-eminent position. It was the most prestigious association in Mumbai at the time. I was elected its Chairman from 1960 to 1963. Those were challenging times, especially since a major dispute with the labour union on the ticklish bonus issue had been hanging fire for a while and needed to be resolved on priority.
Negotiations with the Union Leader, Ambekar, had gotten into a deadlock. The Union was demanding Rs. 11 crores by way of bonus for three years as against the Rs. 8.5 crores offered by us. In 1963, I could not attend an urgent managing committee meeting as I had to be in Ahmedabad on some urgent matter that day. When I was having lunch with Kasturbhai Lalbhai, I got a call from Bakhle, the Vice-Chairman of BMA, that the managing committee had decided to refer the bonus dispute to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Y.B.Chavan, for arbitration. I told
Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned - Milton Friedman