N Ganesh

N Ganesh

(06.10.1948 -30.10.2022)

We come across many types of people in our lives. There are the ones who believe in dominating anything coming in their ambit. There are others who do not even exhibit their presence. There are some who do small things but boast big. There are some others who confine to disclosing what they did; neither less nor more. Then there are a small group of people who are totally silent about their achievements. Silent to the extent that even their own family and friends do not know the full extent of their achievements. N Ganesh belonged to the last group. Despite reaching to the top most echelons in Tyre Industry, not many in his circles know of his full accomplishments.

Ganesh was born as the fifth of the eight children of C K Nagaraja Rao - Rajamani couple, on 6th October 1948. Those were the early days of Independent India. His was a family of patriots who contributed to the freedom movement silently, ranging from providing logistic support to freedom fighters to sheltering them in disguise as per demands of the times in the freedom movement. He was born on a Chaturthi day, a day earmarked for special devotion to Lord Ganesha. The family had a tradition of naming a child after an event connected with the birth of the child. The new arrival was naturally named Ganesha. Darling of the family as a child, he was born after four daughters, and later became an elder brother to three more arrivals in the family in due course; one younger brother and two younger sisters. 

He had his initial education around Basavanagudi area in Bangalore, where his family lived. He moved on to National College there and played cricket as the school had a great cricket team in those days. B S Chandrashekhar, who later on came to be known as spin wizard, was his classmate. Bright in academics, he got his B. Sc degree from the college. Despite being keen on further studies, as was the case with many youngsters in those days, demands on the family front motivated him to look for a job immediately after completing the college education. 

Madras Rubber Factory, later renamed as MRF Limited, was the first Tyre company in India to manufacture Nylon Tyres. While expanding the activities before this milestone and setting up manufacturing facilities in Kottayam and Goa, the company wanted to build a team of dedicated young rubber professionals for its research and manufacturing wings. It recruited a batch of Technical Assistants and Ganesh who was looking for a job opportunity was picked by them as a member of the team. His devotion to duty and working to completing the tasks unmindful of clock and calendar earned him the appreciation of his superiors. That led to his being specially groomed in R&D segment of the tyre industry. Nylon Tyres to Radial Tyres to Tubeless Tyres and so on, Ganesh's life progression got merged with the progress in the Tyre industry. 

While working in MRF, Chennai, Ganesh identified himself with the shop floor workers and mixed with them freely. He learnt Tamil and got attracted to the rich culture of the area. In an era when TV was not there and movies, music and theatre were the major purveyors of leisure and recreation, he took to watching Tamil movies and theatre. He was a great fan of Shivaji Ganeshan and used to enthral his family and friends by mimicking the various artistes,  His talent for mimicry developed over the years and was a regular source of fun for the next generation.  

Ganesh was deputed for an intensive training program in Rubber and Tyre Technology conducted by Institute of Rubber Industry, London, UK. His efforts were well recognised and he won an award there. When Modi Tyres came up with expanded operations and started their unit in Modipuram near Meerut, UP, Ganesh was offered a position which he accepted and moved to North India. His work culture was appreciated and soon he had an offer from JK Tyres for their new factory in Kankroli, Rajasthan. Ganesh had a major role in the introduction of Radial tyre production of the company.

It was during this time that Ganesh got married to Smt. Sheela on 25th June, 1978. Family life started, but Ganesh's devotion to duty never wavered. He found quality time for the family life and yet did full justice to his duties in the company. He had developed culinary skills already as he was required to stay alone during the earlier days. These skills further blossomed now and turned into a hobby. When in Bangalore on holidays, he would entertain the whole extended family with his variety of dishes in addition to the mimicry skills.

It was now the turn of CEAT Tyres to offer him a senior position in the company's R&D facility at Mumbai. He was closely associated with the setting up of the company's plant at Nashik and was located there as well for some time. He rose to the position of Head of the R&D wing and spent a long period in the Mumbai facility. During all these years he was deputed for study tours and on-location training by his employers at various leading Tyre manufacturers all over the world like Mansfield Tyres, General Tyres, USA, Yokohama Tyres, Japan, and others in USA, Russia, China, UK, Germany, Canada and other countries. He traveled in 18 countries visiting their Tyre factories and exchanging developments in the industry. Those were the days without computers and such visits were crucial for staying ahead in the field. His paper on "Processing of Polymers in Tyre Industry" submitted in 1994 got him wide appreciation.

Though an integral part of the top management and enjoyed the full respect of the top technocrats, Ganesh was most humane while dealing with the shop floor workers. He mixed with them freely and did not hesitate to mess up his fingers and dress with carbon black. Those familiar with the tyre industry know how messy the working environment on the shop floor is. 

One particular incident in one of the factories gives an indication to the extent of his involvement with the workers. Once there was industrial unrest and labour unions went on strike. Militant leaders decided that the executives will be picketed in their cabins. The members of the union agreed to block the cabins of executives and not allow them to get out, except for Ganesh. "Ganesh Sir ko aise nahi karte", they said. The leaders agreed for the exemption but the next step was to block all the cars of executives entering and leaving the factory. This was going on and cars were being blocked. A car came and was duly blocked. Someone in the group shouted, "Ye Ganesh Sir ka car hai, Chod do". Before the leaders realised what was happening, the car was let go.

Ganesh regularly won awards for contribution to quality enhancement, reduction in Turnover Time, reduction of costs for the organisations etc. In recognition of his services to the Tyre Industry, the Industry Association gave him a "Life Time Achievement Award". A close family friend came to know of this from a third source and chided Ganesh for not telling such an important milestone to him. "What is there to tell? I did my duty and they did theirs", was all his reply.

The demands of his profession compelled Ganesh to stay away from Bangalore during his entire professional life. His visits to Bangalore on vacation or for attending major family events like wedding of a sibling or arrival of a new addition to the family etc. were looked forward a great deal by himself as well as his parents and siblings in Bangalore. The very arrival brought with him fun and pleasure to one and all. He and his family"s entire period of presence was for celebration and merriment.

Ganesh wanted a quiet retired life after retirement from CEAT Tyres and returned to Bangalore. But the industry did not leave him. Falcon Tyres in Mysore insisted that he join them as a consultant and help them cut costs as they were in a delicate financial position. He spent about three years with them and than moved on to Bangalore for a quiet life.

Just as he was benefited by the mentoring of the stalwarts in the industry in his initial years, he mentored a host of new quality control experts in his later years. He used to have regular visits and communications from these mentees during his years in Bangalore.

Moving around in the areas of Bangalore where he grew up, visiting his close friends, making dishes in their kitchen as well and having a leisurely breakfast in Vidyarthi Bhavan were his favourite pastimes. Revisiting old Kannada and Tamil movies was another.

A quiet man by nature, he had the many sterling qualities of his mother and most of his action reminded of her. Totally devoted to his family and the extended large family, he was a jewel in the family necklace. Brief illness took its toll and the family got him the best of medical care and provided loving surroundings. The laws of nature had the final say and he left for his heavenly abode on 30th October, 2022.

*****

Ganesh has been missed for a year now. I could not pay my tribute to him last year as I was myself recovering from a long intensive hospitalisation and rehabilitation. His son Chi. Vikram's loving invitation for the "First Year Memorial Functions" coming up this week being held in Sunnyvale, California, USA, has provided me an opportunity to recall the wonderful 44 years of life that we shared in many ways. Dear Ganesh, we miss you a lot!