"The first and foremost thing that the army teaches you is to adapt to the conditions around you, and that is exactly what I did. The army training helped me overcome the trauma of the first six months, given the huge departure in core culture, values and ethos”
There’s a saying about how you can take a man away from the army, but not the army away from the man. Major P S Govindachari (Retd.), former officer of the Corps of Engineers is a testimony to this. He may have left the army after a stint of ten and a half years in quest of a corporate career, followed by a dazzling foray into entrepreneurship, with the Rajsriya Group of Industries, along with his very able wife Meera Chari, but the lessons learnt and principles imbibed in the Army have followed him into the corporate world
The Rajsriya Group of Industries (RGI) is an automobile ancillary parts manufacturing company engaged in design, manufacturing and assembly of a wide range of products used in automotive vehicles such as two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passengers cars, and light and heavy commercial vehicles.
Sensing opportunities in auto electrical, the company was founded by Meera Chari in 1977 in a small shed in Chennai, manufacturing wire wound resistors. Later on it shifted to an industrial shed in Arumbakkam. Over the years it grew by identifying emerging potential areas and diversified its manufacturing to automobile and electronic components and sub-assemblies with two more industrial sheds in Chennai. It further diversified into two-wheeler components and sub-assemblies in the year 1994, setting up two factories in Hosur. RGI used to consist of two companies-Rajsriya Enterprises with its plant in Chennai and Rajsriya Automotive Industries in Hosur. While the former takes care of most of the requirements of Lucas TVS and WABCO in Chennai, the latter is almost a dedicated supplier to TVS Motor Co. Ltd., the third largest two wheeler manufacturer in India. The two were later merged to one entity-Rasriya Automotive Industries Pvt. Ltd.
Even as they grew from strength to strength, making exhaust systems for two-wheelers, frames for a number of models of scooters, motorcycles and other sheet metal parts like scooter side panels and front mudguards and even airbrake components for MNCs, they are a fine and sterling example of not only ‘Made in India’ but more accurately, perhaps “Made in the Indian Army.” Consider the insistence on discipline, orderliness, professionalism, simplicity and the never say die fauji attitude and you’ll know what we mean. Read on…
P S Govindachari: Going back to my school days, I was in Lucknow for the most part but did my final year of school in Madras. My pre-university was at Madras Christian College. My father in 1940 volunteered for the Army during the Second World War. In Singapore, he was taken a prisoner of war and treated very badly by the Japanese. He was a part of the infamous March of Death. We never knew anything about his fate for four years after Singapore fell. By chance, when the ship came to Madras harbour with prisoners of the war who were released, my aunt who worked as a volunteer in the harbour spotted my father and gave us the news that he was alive. I remember this vividly even now. Subsequently he retired as Post Master General in 1961.
But this harrowing experience did not dampen my father’s spirit for long. He always said: The army is a very noble profession and he had no hesitation if I wanted to join the Army. My brother went in first, as part of the 12th course of the NDA. He was senior to me. Being the youngest of two sisters and three brothers, his coming back on leave, smartly turned out in his NDA uniform, made a lasting impression on me. I said to myself: What the hell! I can do this too. So I took that exam, did well and got into the NDA (17th course).
Yes, it was tough, very tough but you took it in your stride. It was a big change from the civilian life of course, given the strict discipline, parades and drills. But then the training took into account that the cadets came from different backgrounds and NDA whipped them all into shape.
"The rotten log gave way, I slipped, went down vertically a long way, around a 100 feet or so—but was caught in a ledge wide enough to hold me. What saved me that day was the growth on the hillside that broke my fall. If I had missed this ledge it would have been another 400-500 feet down into the river in which we had already lost a lot of people”
I got my commission having done well in the Indian Military Academy (IMA). I was third in honour of merit and won various prizes in the IMA. I was awarded the “Blue” in tennis and swimming. I was posted to Sikkim in 1961 to replace two officers who had died as part of a bridge building exercise when a footbridge collapsed. As you know, the army is generally called upon for bridge building across hazardous terrain. So off I went to join the team where the Tibetan labors were helping us.
While doing the road construction you have to mark the roads with pegs before you start digging and fill it on the other side. Now I was doing this road setting out as we call it, and it was around lunchtime and I said I would do a few more pegs before lunch. At that time there was a log lying around, I tried to put my leg on it for support. But it had been completely eaten up from the inside.
A terrible thing to happen, given that it was a very steep slope. So the rotten log gave way, I slipped, went down vertically a long way, around a 100 feet or so-but was caught on a ledge wide enough to hold me. What saved me that day was the growth on the hillside that broke my fall. If I had missed this ledge it would have been another 400-500 feet down into the river in which we had already lost people.
I know it sounds dramatic but it’s a true tale. They had to pull me up with ropes, a long and arduous task to be sure. To make things tougher, it was getting dark. With difficulty I was taken to this small MI Room with a small mud platform and a young, inexperienced doctor on duty. As I was laid down, it was discovered that my right leg had been smashed in and broken. Fortunately, there were no other injuries as such. But the doctor said: “Look, your leg is broken and it’s gone in. I have to pull it out as you are three days away from any hospital. By then gangrene would have set in and that’s a threat.”
Though he was not authorized any anesthesia in the MI Room, he had to pull out the leg in order to save my life. I told him to go ahead. He had my men hold me down, and then proceeded to pull out my leg, while I cursed him in all the languages I knew.
He then put on a temporary plaster. I screamed all night long but he sat up with me. With great difficulty, I was taken to Gangtok, from there to Darjeeling. Please note, it was a tough journey sans any stretchers. Instead they suspended cloth along two poles to make a makeshift stretcher.
When I reached Darjeeling, they said that I had paralysis in the leg and advised me to go to Lucknow for further treatment. That was another tricky task. There were no helicopters, so I was taken on a stretcher to the train and from there directly to Lucknow. It was six months before I was discharged from hospital. There were no nuts and bolts to speed up the process, unlike today, where you can walk around within a few days.
As a second lieutenant my pay was a modest Rs.299 (in hand after deductions) and I was put on half pay after six months. It took me a year and a half to recover. It left a slight deformity, with one leg two inches shorter than the other leg. Doctors said I would not be able to get back to games but I did. I got okay after a number of surgeries.
I stayed in the army for ten and a half years. I was posted in Bhutan, when I went for a party with my brother-in-law and I was introduced to a Managing Director of a company. He said: they were looking for a marketing manager for their elevator division, and whether I would be interested? I was quite surprised but I said okay.
"I had to leave the Army to join a private enterprise. Though I had never thought of a corporate life before this, I was willing to give it a shot. When the offer came, I said to myself, if I can do well in the Army, I can do well outside. It was a tough decision because I had done extremely well in all the army courses I had attended with straight A grades all through...’’
I had to leave the Army to join them. It took me six months to get my release. Though I had never thought of a corporate life before this, I was willing to give it a shot. When the offer came, I said to myself, if I can do well in the Army, I can do well outside. It was a tough decision because I had done extremely well in all the army courses I had attended with straight A grades all through. But once it was taken, there was no looking back. The company was into the manufacturing of elevators and they had various divisions. Later, I was moved to the auto-electrical division which was making starter motors for heavy vehicles and was made the marketing manager. I was with Best and Crompton for 20 years and it was not easy to change from Army to corporate life-it was an entirely different kettle of fish altogether.
The first and foremost thing that the army teaches you is to adapt to the conditions around you, and that is exactly what I did. The army training helped me overcome the trauma of the first six months, given the huge departure in core culture, values and ethos.
Well, the relationships with your seniors, peers and juniors in the army are vastly different from what you have in the civilian world. The army is like a family, team spirit is strong and carries you through the toughest situations. But civvy street, a.k.a the corporate world is a dog eat dog world. There’s lots of back biting, tale carrying and so on. Moreover people are resentful when you immediately join at a higher position.
You go into any corporate set up the fellow will say, why not me? I mean, I have served here for ten years and you get a guy without any background. He’s come from the Army and you have put him up as a marketing manager in this position: how do you justify this? But the top brass was very understanding and the first thing they did for me was to give me an elevator manual. The advice was simple: read this and know your subject, considering this is what you are going to sell.
I worked in the lift-shaft, got to know how to do the erection of the lift and what parts go into lifts and the various things that follow. And then nobody could fool me. Later, I started a branch for the company in Delhi where I was posted for two years.
It was a very small sector. In fact in the early seventies, the annual demand was no more than 6000-7000 elevators. OTIS was the market leader. Taking them on, especially in the North was a battle, but well, I did get a lot of breakthroughs…
Firstly, know your subject and understand what the customer wants. In the Army, you first understand what the enemy is all about and what his objectives are. Secondly, find out what the customer is most likely to require of you and after that, it is a matter of sitting across the table and negotiating. The army teaches you the art of negotiation, and prioritizing things maturely. You learn to think logically about what is good, average and bad and how to put the whole deal together.
Thirdly, the army gives you a lot of confidence to face people and situations. At the end of the day, confidence is what the customer wants to see: if he’s going to invest in your product, do you have the confidence in what you are selling?
"The relationships with both your peers and juniors in the army are vastly different from what you have in the civilian world. The army is like a family, team spirit is strong and carries you through the toughest situations”
Sometime around 1980-82, my wife had managed to convince my mother to give her 300 sq. feet in the backyard of our house in 1976. She converted that into a small factory to manufacture resistors for trucks and four-wheelers. That is how it started and after that, the company grew. I was still working in Best and Crompton. In 1982 she moved to an industrial estate. In 1990 it came to a stage where she had three sheds and she needed to expand. At this stage she told me to decide what I wanted to do, because the unit was becoming a lot more technical.
At that stage, I was confident I would not lose anything because we were making enough in this company. Plus, I had the confidence to take this forward with my engineering and Army background. I resigned from Best and Crompton in 1990 and when I came into our unit it was a big cultural shock. When you’re the managing director of a company you’ve got a driver, a PA, a secretary and someone to make you coffee. Here there was nothing. I was sitting in the main factory itself and it was a very small office. But that phase of being lost didn’t last long because the Army teaches you that if the job has to be done, it has to be done. I made it a point to learn how to work on the machines, and did not make an ego issue about it. Besides, it was our money and I had to take things forward successfully. I would work eight hour shifts if needed, and if it meant replacing an absent worker, no sweat, really. I took the delays and the little troubles in my stride, because that was what the Army had taught me.
Adds Meera, “I would like to add that when he came over, actually the workers got a little scared. So far, I had been running it comfortably and when he came in they got scared, there was fear. So they went on strike.’’ Yes, says Govindachari, “they went over to one side of the factory and sat down because I had lost my temper and scolded them for poor production and delivery delays.
I told them that if they wanted to go home I would pay them to leave and I was prepared to start all over again with new workers. I also reasoned with them that if the unit did well they will be the first to benefit.
This year we should end up with about Rs.950 crores. We have nearly 2000 employees. When I took over in 1991 we closed our accounts with a Rs.20 lakh turnover and a profit of three lakh rupees that financial year.
They joined me two years back. My son-in-law was in a very senior position in Caterpillar. He was looking after operations for the whole of the East, including Japan, China, India, and Bangladesh. I was hesitant to ask him to join us because he was doing so well; then there is the matter of giving up on the large salaries. But he was sporting enough to agree; in fact he was positive that we could make it work. So two years ago they joined us and contributed in a big way. We are in expansion mode now. Mysuru has a factory, and there is another coming up in Himachal Pradesh. Thank God for them, because they have age on their side and the energy to run around to manage the huge expansions.
Meera: Not yet because it is a very small family.
Govindachari: I know what you’re getting at, because a lot of family businesses hit that crisis, usually in the third generation. However, I am a first generation entrepreneur and that does not apply in our case. Besides, I have already handed over so I don’t think there should be a problem. But in cases where there are other siblings with a stake in the matter, problems do arise.
I have attended a number of seminars on family business relationships. Two things stand out: the need to be professional, and the fact that ownership and management are two different aspects. So it is necessary to understand and get clear guidelines on the difference between the two.
While we have not reached that stage yet, I have seen this happen in a number of family owned organizations. Disputes arise on who should be the managing director; who should be the controlling person and so on. The one thing that I did not want to do was to get into any kind of partnership. It is difficult to debate over who did what, who brought in how much business and so on. Sure, there are partnerships that endure for years, but generally partnership companies run into trouble whether or not they are doing well. And things get worse when the next generation steps in.
"Know your subject and understand what the customer wants. In the Army, you first understand what the enemy is all about and what his objectives are. Find out what the customer is most likely to require of you and after that, it is a matter of sitting across the table and negotiating”
Very much so. I mean we have adapted and localized a lot of things through our engineering. We hardly import stuff, instead we export a little bit. So far, due to the challenging conditions of the Indian market, we did not have the time to export. Besides, the management structure needs attention. Let’s see now where the next generation tackles things.
GST has simplified a lot of matters but it is a very complicated law and one needs to understand all aspects of it. But what the government is trying to do now is to simplify it and make it more industry friendly.
One is that you must choose your product with a lot of care. And you have to put in a lot of hard work in the beginning. A lot of industries are started by very good technocrats but who are usually poor managers and finance managers. And since it is usually a single person doing both financial management and running of the industry, they fail when it comes to understanding and deploying finance. How to finance the company, how to take it forward, how to plan, how to market it-these are challenges that entrepreneurs need to take up. You can make a fantastic product but if you don’t market it properly you will have no one buying it.
Whatever you do, do it well. Honesty will take you places, you don’t need to cheat to get there.
Many a time, I do feel I could have had a great career, especially when I see my batch mates ending up as generals, brigadiers and so on. But the life I have chosen is entirely different, there’s no comparison. And at the end of the day, regret is not of much use. It only gets you into self-pity mode.
Meera: He has not looked back at all, but the nice thing is that he’s in touch with his course mates. He makes that effort no matter how busy he is. So when they meet it’s like the good old days once again.
Behind every successful man is a woman who believes in him. Just so, behind every successful and content woman is a man who supports her and appreciates all the finer qualities she brings to the table. From the army to the corporate world to starting their own company, Major Govindachari (Retd.) and his very capable better half Meera Chari have traversed thick and thin with focus, faith and fortitude
Married for close to 50 years, theirs is a union that combines old world values with a shared vision for tomorrow. Having achieved all that they have together, be it bringing up two children or building their factories, they could teach this generation a thing or two about partnership, adjustment, family and professional success-simply by letting their life and journey speak for itself. Successful, focused and yet utterly in sync with each other the Govindacharis, as a couple, would resonate with both the older generation, as well as the current one. For not only are they advocates for the time-tested values of love, togetherness, respect and good patience, but their ambition to grow is something Gen Z would applaud.
Married for almost half a century, they attest to the fact that it takes patience and fortitude to keep a partnership rich, vibrant and alive. While he is the first to admire her sheer determination, not to forget the fact that she will work hard and do what it takes to achieve her objective, he also points out that for her, “Family has always come first. She has always prioritized the children over all else and attended to their needs.”
On her part, she would root for both patience and planning to keep it all together. “A successful marriage is one based on patience. I don’t have a lot of it but I am organized and plan my day well. Even as I go about my duties, I make it a point to relax with some good music at the end of the day,” she says.
Of course, communication is extremely important. “I am an introvert and a pretty poor communicator. But like she said patience is fundamental to everything. One has to take the good with the bad and carry on,” says he. “Of course, kids these days have little of it-not to forget zero time to talk to each other. The world today has changed beyond recognition, so have the needs and requirements. In our times, the kind of luxuries the youth of today is exposed to, were unheard of. I mean 50 years ago there was literally nothing by way of entertainment-not even a TV. But whatever the age and time you live in, it’s a matter of getting over the pressures you face and not letting them get to you,” he says.
Once again, it all boils down to patience, partnership and acceptance of each others’ little foibles. Making the most of the positives and looking beyond the negatives.
When the children were younger his communication with them was limited. “It used to worry me,” admits Meera. “But I guess he was probably waiting for them to mature a little more. As they grew up a little beyond 10 and 11 years, he began relating better, talking to them about everything.”
Speaking of children, the Govindacharis have two-a boy and a girl, now aged 47 and 43 respectively. While the daughter lives in Chennai, same as them, their son is based in USA. Both have done well for themselves. “While my daughter has finished her MBA from Wales, both she and my son-in law have joined the family business". Having worked in the US, China and Singapore, the exposure to different countries has helped them. After coming to Chennai she is helping her dad with the business and her husband who was in a very senior positions in Caterpillar, USA, resigned and joined us. This was a wonderful thing for us, considering he had a brilliant career ahead-an IIT topper and a master from the University of Chicago.
Evidently, the Govindachari siblings are a successful lot-the credit of which goes to their parenting-the contention that no matter what they take up, they take it up well, and acquit themselves with grace.
Of course, as Meera admits, she was a very strict parent indeed-something that her own daughter is not with her own two little girls. “I used to be particular about them rising on time, finishing their studies and applying themselves whole-heartedly to games. I used to accompany both of them to their practice sessions and even sit with their coach. Both were state level table tennis players, apart from playing tennis, badminton and swimming. My daughter would swim 50 to 60 lengths, and I used to encourage her to give her best. My husband being busy with his corporate career, would occasionally join in practice sessions as and when he could. They did well at studies too and were amongst the toppers. I also had a teacher coming home to teach them classical music,” she reminisces. “My daughter, on the other hand says that she won’t be so tough, instead she will be more like a guide, helping out and stepping in only as and when required with her children”.
However, she concedes that today she believes children should be given their freedom. “Nevertheless, I am from the old school of thought who believes in discipline. For example, today when the kids come to the dining table, they pretty much get what they like, but they should be encouraged to try out everything. Sure, there is a lot more money today but I believe it must be valued and earned,” she says. “I guess we are from the older generation and can’t change our thought process overnight. We grew gradually, and everything came with time, and that’s how it should be.”
Major Govindachari believes that children today are exposed to both good and bad things. “If they end up in the wrong company, it could prove disastrous. So it is extremely important for parents to keep a close eye on the children for any suspicious sign of trouble. However, being strict doesn’t work in today’s times, this is a different generation, they would simply rebel.”
Thus, he advocates a golden mean to try and balance the two in order not to hurt them or push them away.” Try to reason with them, appeal to their logic and intelligence. Explaining things is a better way of implementing the changes you want. It is more likely to be successful. If you dominate them too much, you will end up alienating them,” he cautions. “This is something you have to watch out for as a parent. Whatever you do, don’t distance them from yourself.”
"Explaining things is a better way of implementing the changes you want. It is more likely to be successful. If you dominate too much, you will end up alienating them”
Today, they believe less is more, and it’s all about being comfortable with what one has. That wasn’t always the case, though; each stage of life has been different, demanding different approaches.
“In my earlier years, I was very ambitious; I felt I had to earn well to afford a few pleasures for my husband and children, take them out of the country, travel around India as well. These things take money; that’s how I started my little business; it wasn’t about starting an MNC or anything; it was simply to earn these little joys. So that’s how I started it,” says she.
As it went, the company progressed well and grew by the day, and did even better once Major Govindachari joined in. But several nervous moments preceded his joining. “I was concerned that he was coming from a bigger corporate; so how would he cope or feel in a small enterprise,” she shares. Sure, it was tough.
But it all fell into place. Major Govindachari, being a technical brain, was a well-trained and experienced professional with a strong work ethic and clarity of thought. “Everything was common sense, hard work and the ability to judge people,” she narrates.
“For the initial few days all he did was observe things with his typical eye for detail. Then he started making the changes. First and foremost he set up the office and put the right people in place; a good person for HR and a competent secretary for himself. This proved to be an effective practice indeed: organizations develop only through trained and competent men and women. Bit by bit, he started building it up from there. What’s more, we were blessed with very good customers like The TVS Group-our first customer who helped us by sending their quality experts. They used to come and help us out as we grew. So in a way we were blessed also; it’s not just our hard work,” she expresses.
Their relentless commitment coupled with a deeper understanding of people took things ahead. “I do believe I am a fairly good judge of character,” she says. “I am not boasting, but I do understand people from the way they talk and go about things,” she says.
Not the one to ever waste resources, be it money or time, she is focused on taking up a task and activity and giving it her all. As for him, his army training accompanies him everywhere he goes.
The Govindacharis are particular about thanking the good people who helped them on their way. There are employees who have stayed with them for years. For starters, there is Mr. Shivakumar whose relationship has almost been like that of a family member. “We live in Chennai most of the time and he keeps us updated,” they say. He has contributed immensely to our growth.
The daughter and son-in-law are a huge help-calling up on a regular basis to let them know what’s happening. “So it’s a combination of everything that is helping us,” she says. “Of course, as a mother, I am hopeful that our son will return from the US and join us soon.”
Given the backdrop of the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan, Meera believes in talking to companies and the people concerned about the importance of cleanliness, good food, keeping the garden clean and utilizing their resources well.
All this coupled with a sound faith in the power above keeps them positive and upbeat.” We are pretty content with what we have,” she rounds off.
And why not? They’ve both enjoyed an outstanding trajectory with a happy marriage. Yes, the two co-exist.
By Vinita Deshmukh & Kalyani Sardesai
