RADHAMADHAVAM SAREE MURAL BY DEVI SETHUMADHAVAN FOR E- AUCTION

BRILLIANT MANAGER

G K Nair was intent on the job. He was stitching a shirt. I could make out that he was carrying it out well. Surprised, I asked him why he was doing it. The reply was all the more surprising.

“The employee did not turn up.  I thought I would stitch my own shirt as the machine was idle.  I do not entrust the job to anyone else. When I had been employed as the manager of a garment factory in Kenya, I had to be well versed in everything that had been happening there. It was a big challenge. I learned it the hard way. The training was tough. I learned that sweeping the floor in the garment factory was the most important job as the consignments were bound to be rejected for even minor flaws. The MD was unconcerned on the hard grind. He was mad if the orders were not delivered in time. An unsatisfied customer meant loss in millions.”

G K Nair is the Proprietor of Marvel Tailors, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram. He took charge on his return from Kenya. Late Manikantan had built it up assiduously from scratch. Marvel Tailors had been a popular destination for people who looked for quality.

Manikantan was crushed to death at Pazhavangady when an inebriated driver drove the bus on to his motor bike. The sad demise was a blow to all who knew Manikantan. Marvel Tailors lost its momentum. G K Nair is a fighter. He saw a challenge. Fully aware that opportunity never beckons twice, he took up the mantle of Marvel Tailors.  His dedication has brought business back on rails. Marvel Tailors is once again the flourishing venture it had earlier been.

Our son had managed to create a gaping hole on a brand new ‘Peter England’ shirt – dark blue with silver stripes – as he tried to straighten the wrinkles with an electric iron. He felt dejected. It was a costly slip up. I took the shirt to G K Nair to enquire if he could repair it.

No one in our place is prepared to take up repairs. G K Nair was very patient and courteous. He requested me to search for a sticker that matched in color. Fortunately I could find one. He was satisfied with the selection and promised delivery after a week. He was at the stitching machine when I had stepped in.

The job was executed brilliantly. He said he had done it himself. When I asked him how much I had to pay for the service, he was reluctant to fix a price. As I had prodded relentlessly he asked me to pay Rs.40.00 though I was prepared to pay more.  He said he was happy when he could satisfy his customer. He showed me one Rs.50.00 bank note from his pocket. He said the day began with the acceptance of the bank note from a young man who had approached him to repair a frock of his daughter that had been damaged by an electric iron. He had advised the young man to consider the service as a gift to his daughter and refused to accept any payment. The customer understood the time and the effort that had been expended and refused to leave the shop without making payment.

G K Nair said he was coerced into accepting Rs.50.00. He had relented and accepted the amount as it was the ‘Kaineetam’ – the first receipt of the day. People of Kerala consider it inauspicious if they refuse the Kaineetam.  The customer addressed him ‘uncle’ and revealed that he had made a big impact on him.

G K Nair is certainly the most brilliant manager in real life. He has not been to any management school. However the skill he displays places him far ahead of highly learned managerial experts. 

HAUGHTY BANK MANAGER CASTLED

“You are a tailor. I am a Bank Manager. How dare you tell me over phone that you are ringing me up a second time?”

G.K.Nair, Proprietor of Marvel Tailors was stunned. Keeping his cool Nair replied, “My friend, I rang you up to convey that the uniforms of your children were ready. When you had explained the urgency I had given my word that as soon as the stitching was over it would be conveyed to you. I was particular that your children should not be thrown out because they were not wearing the uniform.”

“You don’t know the pressure cauldron I am in during the day. You had no right to tell me that you were ringing me up a second time.”

G K Nair smiled.

“You are a Bank Manager. Will you tell me how many are working under your command?”

“I have eight people who report to me and we have to manage a large clientele who are highly demanding.”

“Look my dear manager; I had been successfully managing a staff complement of two thousand in a foreign land for a very long time. I came back and took up the management of Marvel Tailors because it was floundering after the tragic demise of Manikantan who had set it up and had nurtured it to a highly successful venture. Poor Manikantan was crushed to death when a speeding State Transport Bus had collided with his motor bike at Pazhavangady. It was the fault of the inebriated Bus driver. The business is now gathering steam as I am responsive to the demands of our customers.”

“Well, that is no explanation to your impertinence.”

“Mr. Manager, do you know the meaning of the word ‘management’. When you reach home please look it up in the dictionary. The meaning of the word ‘management’ is to manage efficiently. Perhaps you would have been under tremendous pressure. Never let that upset you. Have a smile on your face no matter what you are being subjected to. Keep a glass of water on your table. When you feel you can no longer withstand the pressure drink the water and sit back. An efficient manager knows how to delegate the work among the staff and get the best out of them. When your staff is at their best you have nothing to fret.”

“Dear Sir, I am sorry I had behaved rudely. I apologize I understand what you have conveyed. It is a lesson I wish I had had a long while back. I’ll never forget you and what you have taught me.”

FLYOVERS ARE NOT FOR KERALA

Rapid industrialization of nations across the world has sowed the seeds of traffic blocks everywhere. Precious time of citizens is robbed by the halts at road intersections for signals.  Traffic planners have closely analyzed the issue. They have come up with ‘FLYOVERS,’ the wonderful innovation of our times. The flyover lets uninterrupted traffic at intersections. There are no signals to hinder the flow of traffic.

When we had visited Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bangkok we had discovered that the planners in those places were highly imaginative quite unlike their counterparts in the state of Kerala in India. The cities have flyovers at almost all intersections. Traffic is smooth. Accidents or collisions are rare. They do not while away their time waiting for signals. The impact in economic terms is terrific. Productivity is never hampered.
FLYOVERS IN DUBAI

Taking a cue from these metropolises Hyderabad and Chennai have gone on a spree to build flyovers.  Though they are a long way off to catch up with their imaginative peers abroad they have at least made a beginning. The little that has happened in these cities has made an impact in the lives of the people who reside there.

Kerala which boasts of a high literacy rate and a high density of population has refused to see the obvious. Archaic views prevail in the minds of the planners and the people. They rue the fact that roads are narrow everywhere in the state. They clamor for widening the roads. Widening the roads means displacement of people. The space is limited and no one knows where the displaced are to be relocated. Traffic is clogged at all intersections. Travel between Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, a distance of 200 km take a minimum of four to five hours for most on the road that is called National Highway 47. The experience is worse for travel up to Kannur through Thrissur and Kozhikode.

Roads certainly require widening. But if only the planners had thought of building flyovers across the length and breadth of Kerala much earlier it would have drastically impacted the lives of  Keralites for the better. Perhaps we have to clamor for sending the experts and the decision makers of Kerala on a study tour to the metropolises of the world and force them replicate the wonderful innovation called ‘flyovers’ in Kerala within a short span of time.

SELIN WOKE UP INTO A PITCHED BATTLE

Selin woke up one day with a running nose. She tried herbal remedies initially. It did not work. She knew she needed medical attention. The family doctor prescribed a few tablets. Though it worked for some time the ailment hit her with renewed vigour. She consulted a leading hospital in the locality. She was put through lab tests and an X-ray. More medicines were prescribed. The ailment persisted through day and night. She could not attend to her teaching job at the school.

Exasperated, she consulted another Physician. He understood Selin faced a critical ailment.He referred her to the Sree Chithra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences at Thiruvananthapuram.

Selin is the wife of Rev. Abraham C Prakash, Pastor at CSI Church, Nedungadappally, (near  Mallappally) Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India.

The referral to the premium institute told them that Selin was critically ill. The doctors put her through tests again. It was painful. They could not detect what was wrong in the initial phase. The tests were repeated. Finally the doctors found out that the fluid coming out of the nose was the fluid from the brain. She was in need of nasal endoscopy  at once. The doctors did not rule out surgery either. 

The rider was that a hospital at Bangalore was the sole place in South India where such procedures are carried out.

Selin accompanied by her husband has proceeded to Bangalore in the available flight to seek treatment.

While doctors do their job with commitment and dedication what really works is God’s touch. Selin needs support from all those who know her and those who do not know her. Financial support can definitely purchase many things. But she does not require it. Selin is in need of your prayers. The unseen hands of God work miracles when a whole community prays for her.

                                 ---------------------------------------------------

Selin is available at 09497664302 and Rev. Abraham C Prakash at 09446203323

. 

URAEOTYPHLUS OOMMENI

Dr. Oommen V Oommen strolled by at CSI Christ Church, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram. We were there to attend a wedding. At home as I scanned ‘The Hindu’ newspaper of 12th July, 2012 I was startled to hit upon the smiling face of  Dr. Oommen V Oommen. The caption read ‘Biodiversity Board gets a new chief’.

The Special Correspondent from Thiruvananthapuram wrote on, “ Emeritus Scientist of the CSIR 

Oommen V Ooommen has been appointed chairman of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board. He is scheduled to assume office on Thursday. Already a member of the Board, he succeeds R V Varma as chairman. 

Dr. Oommen retired as the head of the Department of Zoology, University of Kerala in 2009 with 35 years of teaching experience.

He has since served as an Adjunct Professor at the Central University, Kasaragod, and as a visiting professor at the IISER here.

In recognition of his research work, scientists at the Natural History Museum London have named a legless amphibian - Uraeotyphlus Oommeni – after Dr. Oommen.”

Dr. Oommen V Oommen is unassuming.  He never craves for fame and recognition.  Passionate in his research humility makes him   an all time great. He sets himself as an example for all of us. 

NIGERIA - CLUELESS AT LAGOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

NIGERIA  -  CLUELESS AT LAGOS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

The announcement reverberated in the cabin. The BOAC flight from Rome would be landing at Lagos International Airport within twenty minutes. Rekha sat there with trepidation. She had begun the long journey two days ago from Trivandrum. She was alone. She was traveling to join her husband who had left for Nigeria two weeks after their marriage. It took six months to obtain the documents for travel.

She had flown from Trivandrum to Bombay and had boarded the flight to Rome. She had never been abroad and she had rarely traveled alone even within India. She found it a blessing that her baggage was booked for Lagos. She could switch flights with ease. The food served during the flights was not ethnic. It was  not to her liking either.

Rekha hoped Roy, her husband would be waiting for her at Lagos Airport. She knew Roy was employed at a place 500 KM from Lagos. The year was 1972. Access through telephone was non existent. Letters through post conveyed news across. Brief messages could be sent through telegraph. Roy’s father had sent a telegram to him that Rekha was on her way to join him. Though telegrams reached destinations quickly, the place where Roy was employed had no telegraph office. The telegram reached the telegraph office 100 KM from the destination. The onward journey for the telegram was through the postman who visited Roy’s place twice a week. The message reached Roy on the afternoon of the date of arrival of Rekha at Lagos.

Roy knew Rekha would be helpless at Lagos if he was not there to receive her.  He found himself in a helpless situation. He did the best he could. He rushed to Lagos.

Rekha had to resolve a major issue at the baggage claim area. Her baggage had not reached Lagos. The airline apologized profusely and promised to restore her baggage to her without delay.  She found to her dismay that Roy was not on hand to receive her. She did not know what to do. Fortunately a family ( they did not know each other before) who had traveled from Trivandrum to Lagos along with her extended a helping hand and offered to drop her at her husband’s place.  Their destination was 200 KM from Roy’s place. Since there was nothing else she could do she joined the family and they had set off for Roy’s place.

Roy reached the airport in the evening. Rekha was not there. He was clueless. The passenger manifest confirmed Rekha's arrival at the airport. Roy waited there for some time. He did not dare to send a message to his people at Kerala that Rekha was missing at the airport. It would have scared them out of their wits. As he went on enquiring at the airport someone recollected that Rekha had joined a family who had promised to drop her at her destination. Roy drove back to his place at a furious pace.

The family who had  offered to drop Rekha at Roy’s place found the house locked. There were no neighbours. They left a message there and took Rekha along with them to their house.

Roy on his return found the message. It had set his mind at rest. He did not waste a moment. He drove all the way to the good Samaritan’s place and finally the husband and wife were together.

The missing baggage travelled all over the world and it was restored to Rekha after four months. Rekha had a harrowing time as  the baggage contained all her dresses.