MY BOSSES – Part 5 ( RN )

RAMASWAMY NATARAJAN

http://www.dorroliveralumni.org/DO%20History/DO-Tell%20Scans/Stamford/1983%20-%20Sales%20Communicator%20Fall.pdf

( That was the photo of a young, bright  Natarajan, from almost 20 years before I joined Dorr-Oliver)

Natarajan was old and wise : wise beyond his years.  Vexed and harried as he was with some indifferent assistants in his Department, he welcomed me with open arms when I walked in to Dorr-Oliver House in Andheri, Bombay with my job application in February of 1979.  RN never showed any external signs of the additional burden he carried on account of the laggards in his Department, as he worked late in the evenings, filling in the gaps left by his subordinates.  In this he was ably supported by our Secretary Ms. Vilma D’Souza ( VDS).

RN was ever ready to help me, liberally sharing from his vast experience, guiding me to the right files from the archives, educating and training me to meet the Head Master’s ( PSP)  standards of acceptable performance.  Very graciously, he used to cover up for my shortcomings in my early days at Dorr-Oliver, with a smile and a fatherly admonition to be more careful the next time.  His experience was vast, having traveled the length and breadth of the country, selling his wares. I learnt a lot from RN.

After a few months however, when I started finding my feet, I sensed a gradual onset of reticence on RN’ s part to freely discuss technical matters with me.  Maybe in me, for the first time, he feared an upcoming challenge to his hitherto unquestioned suzerainty.  Frequent trips to TRK’s chambers to settle technical arguments with the aid of TRK’s Executive Decision Maker, did not help matters.

RN however gave me free rein to plot and plan the course of my own career in Dorr-Oliver.  I used this opportunity to visit Steel plants, Pulp and paper plants, Sugar mills, etc., which were nominally in the domain of the other divisions of Dorr-Oliver.  Indeed, at times, I even accompanied erection crew and the commissioning team during their tours of duty, in order to learn their art.  I thoroughly enjoyed these trips, which enriched my knowledge no end.

To RN and Dorr-Oliver I owe an eternal debt of gratitude for having moulded my scientific temperament and my career. From RN also it was, that I learnt the virtues of patience and forbearance in the face of extreme provocations.

Dr. Ananth S Kodavasal                                                                                      June 23, 2011

Footnote :

RN was a keen connoisseur of South Indian filter coffee.  On every visit to Bangalore, at his specific request, I would carry back several packets of “Cothas Coffee”.  After I moved to Bangalore in 1986, I have become an addict of the same brand of coffee : Fond memories of RN with the morning brew.