LATE MR. D P KAUL RETD.AS REGIONAL MANAGER-HIMALAYA
Ravi Speaks:
Hey friends, Happy Day to you all!
Today I am reproducing my article written on 28th Sep’2020. Once the old memories pass through the mind-certain very special people remind you of their indelible memories which have impacted enormously in your personality development. I recall my maternal uncle today with very high reverence in this reproduced article.
“My Uncle Was Blunt & Bold But Witty In His Pharma Profession”
Originally written on September 28, 2020
Article updated-12.04.2023
It was because of my Maternal Uncle Mr. D P Kaul-who retired as the Regional Manager in Himalaya long back in the mid-nineties- that I came into this profession of pharma-selling. As already reported in one of my earlier blogs he had recommended me for Himalaya. Those days the people in the Himalayas would be selected purely on the recommendation basis and not on the normal written test and other formalities etc. He had settled quite a few young aspiring people mostly the Kashmiri Pandits in this pharma profession. He served for the whole tenure in Himalaya as was very common with the earlier people. He was a very popular personality amongst his people in the profession. Till 1978-79 he was based at Srinagar and after that, he shifted his family to Jammu. He used to cover the areas like Himachal, J&K State, and even Amritsar till he retired.
My childhood having been spent at my maternal home mostly-so I grew in the atmosphere-where I had seen pharma around and specifically Himalaya being discussed now and then at our place. Therefore, as a result of this fact, I have imbibed some of his traits naturally-which I realized of late. But still, I could not reach anywhere near his personality since he had a great art of befriending the people around and he was known for his wit so much that people would give examples of the same. Certain happenings where his real personality traits would be reflected very clearly are being discussed in today’s blog.
He was a real brave and bold personality and would never get bothered by small things-which a normal person gets entangled into very easily. He was understood very well by his big-boss-Mr. B R Vyas-who was a Gujrati and was a great personality himself. Their understanding of each other was such that a third person would get puzzled to see that level of understanding. I remember I was in Srinagar as I used to spend my Summer Vacation in the valley with my maternal uncle- I got the news that his GM sales had come from Delhi. This was already known to him but still, he had not met him till late. I was told to go and search him at different places where the probability of his presence would be maximum. I went to the Distributors of Himalaya and then to one of his friends’ place but could not find him. It was already 5.00 PM and I decided to go to the Hotel where the GM had checked in and would tell him that we had been searching for Mr. Kaul and so far, could not convey the message to him. I thought that he might have gone to some nearby interior and would be back by the evening. But when I entered the room of GM even further late in the evening, I found my uncle with a pillow in his lap lying on one of his sides on the bed laughing with his GM. I heaved a sigh of relief after finding him there. His GM told me that he was sure that he might have got stuck somewhere and would come accordingly. He further added that I got bothered unnecessarily for all this.
Every year in the summers some important figures from the top management would come to Srinagar for a summer break. Once while I was also there- the head of the company operations-who was a lady- Dr. R. M. Captain came with her foreign-friend Ms.Maya-Hooghwell to Srinagar and they had to go to Leh-Ladakh in a jeep from Srinagar. My uncle’s boss-Mr. Vyas was also there along with them. When all the arrangements were done-these four people went to Leh in the early hours from Srinagar. While traveling in the way there was a little rainfall and their luggage was tied on the top of the jeep with a thin cover. Suddenly-madam Captain said to Mr.Kaul-“See it is raining and my luggage is there on the top”. The reply from Mr.Kaul came abruptly-“ Don’t worry madam-My luggage is also there on the top”. After listening this madam did not talk even a word. Had there been anyone else he would have immediately stopped the vehicle and taken out her luggage from the lot as if the rest of the luggage was inferior and meant for getting drenched-thereby obeying the command of the great lady. With due respect to the elderly lady-it came abruptly from her mouth which she might have realized after listening to the abrupt witty reply of Mr.Kaul. He used to do this quite often. While even in his normal working also he used to take such bold and witty steps without really bothering about the repercussions of the same later.
Another such witty reply which had become very famous those days had happened on the same tour while on their way back to Srinagar in the same jeep. It happened so that during the daytime Madam liked one puppy very much and wanted to take it to Bombay wherefrom she had come. She was already having a variety of dogs at her residence and was very fond of their collection. After the puppy was selected and purchased-it was being handled by Mr.Kaul and his GM Mr. B R Vyas. They took it to their hotel for the night because the next day they had to come back to Srinagar. The puppy was given to the hotel receptionist and the concerned was told to take care of it so that the next morning they took it along in the Jeep. Early in the morning when they went towards the reception of the hotel it was missing there. Both Mr.Kaul and Mr. Vyas got disturbed and started asking around for it. The hotel man tried his best but could not find the puppy. It had run away during the night itself-might be to its older home. So, the arrangements for the return journey were finalized and they had to come without the puppy. After they had reached almost half of the journey-suddenly madam-Captain laughingly asked Mr.Kaul –“ Kaul that small bitch ditched you”. Immediately Mr. Kaul replied – “Madam every Bitch has ditched me”. After this Mr.Kaul too must have realized that whatever came from his mouth was abrupt and he could have controlled it. Obviously, after this statement, there was total silence during the travel for quite some time and Madam Captain only started the conversation after a big gap but this time in a happy mood. She was very particular for the rest of the journey in passing the statements-lest the wit of Mr.Kaul would have put her yet again in the tight corner.
After this episode, Mr. Vyas very seriously told Mr.Kaul that she would also teach him the lesson and he at any cost would not have spoken like that with the company executive of her caliber. I still remember after some weeks, Mr.Kaul received a telegram of his promotion to the Regional manager’s post. It might be just a chance/coincidence those days that people like him got to interact with the high command in person since she had come to Srinagar for her break and he could convey about his qualities and seniority as well as his work profile better in person as compared to the people who did not get such an opportunity.
Having discussed some of the above-mentioned episodes in a lighter way-let me conclude that his professional efficiency and experience were his hallmark and he was very bold and blunt for the people who tried to be smart with him-no matter whether they were his seniors even. People in his company knew his abilities very well and for that, he was duly respected and regarded by them. In short, he was a big inspiration for young and aspiring people opting into this line of the pharmaceutical profession.
“Hats Off to him always for his influencing persona-where people like me were lucky to pick up a few learnings of the profession.”
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