In 1990, as a younger reporter with a enterprise journal, I had met a grim trying Venu Srinivasan, Managing Director of TVS Motor Co (then referred to as TVS Suzuki) in his workplace. The corporate was in the course of deep and violent labour unrest and issues had come to a head when a lead bus of the corporate heading to the manufacturing facility in Hosur was set alight and burned down by an armed mob of manufacturing facility employees. Within the bus behind was Capt NS Mohan Ram, President of the corporate, who had joined only a few months in the past, and who the armed mob was gunning for.
The Capt simply managed to flee because the alert bus driver backed away shortly. The MD had given me a photograph of the burnt bus and the journal had revealed the picture with my article on the labour unrest. From that quagmire, the Capt led TVS on a turnaround, settled the labour unrest, presided over a VRS, diminished prices, oversaw the launch of recent merchandise, particularly its bestselling mopeds and new motorbikes, and put the corporate on the street to profitability.
Shut encounters
That was my first ‘encounter’ with the Capt. My second was studying his latest e book, the place I noticed the image of the burnt bus once more, reproduced within the chapter, A Day of Reckoning. A Captain in Company Wonderland is his autobiography of the stints he had in two massive corporates put up his stint with the Indian Navy and later with a defence PSU, Mazagon Docks. Capt Mohan Ram, a naval architect, who specialised within the esoteric discipline of warship design, stop to make the leap within the company sector when he was 48 years outdated. His kids had been in class and school and household financial savings had been meagre, however, there was a security web offered by his spouse, a senior officer of the IRS.
The Capt is an efficient raconteur because the e book bristles with anecdotes and compelling tales of his occasions at Mukand Metal and TVS, bringing to bear his expertise within the Navy on many knotty conditions he discovered himself in, both in vehicle design, dealing with fiery labour unions or in decision-making.
Whereas many autobiographies are inclined to painting the protagonists as women and men of unerring judgement and superior capabilities, as he says, his expertise was completely different as there have been many events when he felt completely out of depth and questioned if he had bitten off greater than he may chew!
Compelling candour
There’s a refreshing candour in his story-telling which makes the e book a compelling learn. “A lack of information of the magnitude of the challenges and pitfalls may need labored to my benefit, enabling me to take fast and daring choices,” he says!
An enormous chunk of the e book is dedicated to his days in TVS, contemplating that Capt spent a few years with the group. He has delved into nice element on the travails of the two-wheeler firm, first riven by labour points after which by market circumstances and the turnaround and revival of the corporate, establishing of a brand new plant in Mysore. The corporate adopted the Japanese TQC early on and went on to win the Deming prize, the primary bike firm to take action.
Both the Capt has an elephantine reminiscence or meticulously stored diaries, as he has recalled many little incidents and feedback and asides which embellish the e book and add to its readability. Like through the peak of the labour bother a hot-headed dissident tells him that “that is TVS and never the Navy and Captain-Shaptain doesn’t work right here!” To which Capt replies in Tamil, “I’m a Captain, will proceed to be a Capt until my funeral pyre is lit. You’ll quickly study what Captain means!” Or, when a wag calls it President’s Rule put up the robust measures Capt put in place as soon as the plant re-opened after a protracted closure. The e book is peppered with many such anecdotes, some humorous, and the Capt has even devoted a chapter to humour within the office.
The e book has a chapter on turnaround administration, an excellent takeaway for any supervisor dealing with a disaster. He has dwelt at size on the components that may make an organization sick and likewise on turnaround dynamics and the substances for a profitable turnaround, given the truth that Capt was a part of some profitable comeback tales.
Take a look at the e book on Amazon
Abou the e book
Title: A Captain in Company Wonderland
Creator: Captain NS Mohan Ram
