Who am I?

As we grow this blog, I think it is a great idea to share with all what one of our valued clients share with us recently. Here is the unedited version of the article – Who am I?

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As I sit down to write this article on a cold Sunday morning, I look out the window of our home and see snowflakes falling onto the white blanket of snow that already covers the lawn, trees and bushes. It is hard to believe that we are now into the spring season with the temperature only 32° (0°C). I have to keep reminding myself that the warming temperatures of spring will soon be here and I can shed that heavy winter coat that I have been wearing for the past 4 months.

Tomorrow as the sun rises I will travel on my daily 45 minute commute to work. During my drive to work I get a chance to see children waiting for the school bus, view farmers busy at their chores and other people just like me heading to start their workweek. The countryside is a panorama of beautiful scenes of our hills, streams, rivers and valleys. The journey to work is a time for me to reflect and plan for the upcoming day. Upon arrival at our plant, I typically start my day with a short Instant Messenger conversation with Mr. Sandeep Mall of LNM. I am just starting my day and he is now at the end of his workday. We exchange welcomes and then discuss current issues that face us. We conclude our conversation with agreed actions that both of us will be doing until we meet again on-line. My day continues with meetings, phone calls, receiving and sending faxes, and doing many other duties that vary from day to day. I enjoy the variety of work and the various challenges that face us in competing in today’s markets.

As my workday concludes I look forward to the drive home in the sunset. Passing the same scenery but somehow it looks much different now. I arrive home and get to enjoy being with my family for the evening. We have a very busy family with school functions, and recreation that we do together. The time passes fast and it is now time to start a new day.

Who am I? I am a customer of LNM. I have a name, family, concerns, goals, and needs just like everyone reading this. I am not a company, place, or thing to be viewed as having no feelings needs or desires. That is why I enjoy doing business with LNM; I am treated as a person who is valued by the employees of LNM. Together LNM and their customers will achieve new heights as they continue to view customers for what they are; PEOPLE.

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Duane Saxton lives in the North Eastern Region of the Unites States with his wife, Michelle, and their two children Megan and Kyle. Duane has been doing business with LNM for four years.

BUSINESS and CAREER

Let me trace a bit of our family history. Our ancestors belonged to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. They were Diwans under the king of Jaisalmer. It was about 700 years back. They were expert in wrestling and hence the title MALL was rewarded to them. After some bitter altercation with the king, they shifted to a place called JANGLU about 40 km away from Bikaner and later to Deshnok, about 30 km away from Bikaner. Deshnok is famous for Karni mataji’s temple, where hundreds of kabas (rats) freely move around the temple. Karni maa is our kuldevi. Recent history, as told to us by elders in family relates to our life and struggle at and beyond Deshnok. My Great grand father Late Sri Thakurdasji and his elder brother Late Sri Jainaraindasji lived there. Some of their cousins started some business at Calcutta and Purulia. But they were living at Deshnok in rustic way with no job at hand. Once his cousin brother came from Calcutta and brought some fine dhoti (wrap around fabric for men). Thakurdas ji wanted to have one dhoti for himself. He was told to go to up to other part of the country and work hard to earn if he wanted to have fine dhoti etc. That hurt him and he took up the challenge to go to Calcutta and explore the possibilities there. He was just 14/15 years at that time. His elder brother tried to convince him to change his mind and stay back but he was determined. There was no train connection between both places. He had to go to Jodhpur on camel cart. From there, he traveled up to Raniganj by train and then to Purulia again by camel cart. After being established there in Purulia within four years, he called upon his elder brother Jainaraindasji also to join him. That was the beginning of our establishment at Purulia. How strongly determined he was to accomplish his goals!

 

Myself being successor of such self made and determined person, I was never that strong to fix up my aims and to put sincere efforts to accomplish them. After matriculation, when choice to select out of various stream came, I preferred science, but with no clear vision. Perhaps, I preferred science because smarter and students with high grades used to go for science. Other attraction might be for co education as girls were not at all inclined to take up commerce at that time. More over commerce classes used to be in morning or evening session only and I wanted to be fully occupied. I was asked by my elders as to why I opted for science. We were in trade. And with no industries there around; science should not have been the right choice. I wanted to be an engineer and might opt for a suitable job thereafter. It was a negative choice, according to them. Well, without very clear vision, I took science. After graduating with Mathematics, Physics and chemistry, I tried for law with an eye for expertise in taxation. I discontinued the same following my marriage. I had to join my parental business all of a sudden under some unfortunate circumstances in 1965 immediately after my marriage with no one to provide guidance. Within a year, the tasted old pattern of business crumbled as I could not manage properly without experience whatsoever. All my customers deserted me. Others took advantage of the situation. Our customers used to be from rural villages coming on bullock carts and depended on us for their supplies. As I could not maintain full verities as per their requirements, they had to turn to other suppliers. I started dealing in limited items and with limited urban customers gradually. But it was not my choice of business. In July 1966, I visited my brother in law in Amritsar. He inspired me to install a rolling mill. He wanted me to shift to some bigger city, but that was not at all possible. So he suggested me to set up one steel rolling mill at Purulia with his help. But I could not get success in that venture in spite of all efforts for two years. By the way, I continued my Food grains and oil business but without much likings. 1966 to’ 1969 was the period of famine in eastern and northern India. I could have flourished and earned handsomely out of my business, but morally I could not digest the situation. So diversification to other business was always in mind. In 1967, Bokaro steel Plant was coming up at Bokaro, only 35 km away from Purulia. We formed a company named M. M.& co with two other relatives and got a tender for material handling at Bokaro steel city station. We were in this business for more than two years but could not handle it properly and ultimately withdrew out of it with handsome losses. I could understand that I had to be in my traditional business and hence tried to change it suitably. All such business was having Gaddi type of seating arrangements till then. I introduced table chair and counter system to be more comfortable. To start with I had to face criticism, but ultimately others followed the system in due course. My urge towards industry continued and in between. Paper work for rolling mills, nut and bolt plants and nail manufacturing unit were in hand from time to time. In 1970 during my Bikaner visit I met someone who used to manufacture polythene film plants. I placed order for supply of one unit to be installed at Purulia, but ultimately I cancelled the proposal. In 1973, when I planned to go to US I brought my prevailing business to minimum level as no one was to look after it during my absence. On return from US and by the end of 1973, I joined hands with some other partners in a refractory unit coming up in Purulia, but had to discontinue it when I found the partners very cunning and dishonest. There too I incurred losses. Meanwhile we had started financing business in big way, though I never had job satisfaction with it. We developed financing business at Purulia, Calcutta, Rajnandgaon, and Nagpur etc. Meanwhile we sold some of our non lucrative properties and developed some other properties so as to earn some rental income out of that. Earlier we had business in tobacco, yarn and cloth also during my grandfather’s regime. So I tried to renew that. I started stocking of tobacco leaves at Dinajpur in West Bengal through some contacts, though I never tried to visit the place or to open an office there as some other businessman of Purulia had done.. But my inclination was to consider that if my efforts had desired results. I continued it for three years, but found the contact person there not that satisfactory and also found my moving there not possible. So that preposition was discontinued also, though without any losses. So life was on move with many experiments, but with less satisfaction. I had just one friend around there and a few contacts within family members only. That was not up to my liking. So I instantly agreed to join Rotary, when proposal came in 1974. Earlier I had avoided it in 1968. Rotary changed my life. I would deal on it later. Here I am to write about business ventures only. With no aggressive business in hand, my movement was restricted to pleasure trips only. Even for two years or so, I did not go to Calcutta in between. And just to come out of that situation, I again tried to venture a business in small way. I explored with Bombay dyeing people for an exclusive showroom at Purulia with a mind to develop it into a big cloth business in due course. That opened an opportunity for me to visit Calcutta more frequently. And my mamaji supported and joined me in my efforts there around. We opened the showroom in most fascinating way in 1976 with one of my cousins to be in charge. I used to be there only during evenings and of course, all Calcutta assignments were under me. With Rotary, Bombay Dyeing assignments and Calcutta visits, life changed for good. I got constructively engaged and to my liking to some extent. Some new contacts developed through Rotary and Calcutta business. My time in the evening used to pass off nicely dealing with young customers as Bombay Dyeing was popular with youngsters and young housewives. Rotary provided to invent new friends and ideology. And at Calcutta, new ideas and ventures used to come through mamaji, who was a great entrepreneur even at that age. He always encouraged me for any new business proposals and we became very close. I found a nice advisor and well wisher in him. And I could enjoy love and affection of my nanihal and in particular of my naniji,. And I became a bridge of contact between my mother and her mother, which we all cherished for long. But my dream of developing cloth business could not be fulfilled as my cousin, who was with me in Bombay dyeing business had to quit due to some very unfortunate happenings in his family. And ultimately we had to close our showroom in 1980.So I had only financing business left over and though without my liking, it was convenient for us to continue it. But my efforts to venture new business continued. Life was not that boring now with Rotary and friends through Rotary in hand. In fact, I had the best time in Purulia during that period and will focus on it in my Rotary write up later sometime. Meanwhile I started to explore trading in yarn. We were in this business long back before I joined and my in laws were in this business thoroughly. That made me to visit Bankura every week and Ranchi sometimes and Adoni in AP and some yarn mills in Orissa and M.P. That made me active too. But that was also a dieing business.. During same period jijaji had frequent visits to Calcutta for various reasons and I had to be in Calcutta for Rotary assignments. I also visited his Hyderabad plant and as usual he was always with some ideas for me to explore and come out of my cage to join hands with him. He suggested me to install an induction furnace at Hyderabad and also to have a farmhouse there near Hyderabad for grapes farming. In fact he initiated paper work on induction furnace for me and bought a farming land also. But I could not take a decision considering my base in Purulia and with no other support. Sandeep, my son was there at Nagpur doing engineering at that time and I was anxious for his career. Purulia was to be connected with TV facilities soon. So I explored electronic business prepositions keeping in view Sandeep’s electronic line and ultimately made a contract with Maaegabyte computers to start an academy there at Purulia and bought a computer for Sandeep before his return. Perhaps I was in haste. Purulia was not a matured place for computer business at that time. Meanwhile by chance, it so developed that Jijaji had to initiate for Mall Machine shop, an ancillary for his tractor unit and there after through many steps we are here as LNM Auto Industries Pvt.Ltd. and LNM Exports Pvt Ltd.

 

I am at a loss to define my business explorations. Is it a story of failures or successes, I don’t know. What I could ascertain is that I got success whenever I put all efforts of my own with full honesty and devotion. Rotary and successful struggle and Mall Machine Shop speaks it. Other business prepositions, I ventured with partners and depended on them. I did not involve fully with them or some business which was not up to my liking. Then family circumstances did not allow me to take initiative so strongly. But I don’t have regret for that. Initially I did what was proper for me to do as per my parents and family priority and later I could take up right decision at right time for Sandeep. I always considered myself as a trustee to all establishments I inherited and not constituted by me. And I have great satisfaction that I could manage it nicely for 35 years without any downfall. Keeping the high ethical tradition of the family. God has been gracious that I could manage the transition adequately from Babuji to Sandeep, from old and tested ideology to modern and updated technology. I might be a weak bridge in between, but luck favored me at all times. And my achievement is the love, affection, respect and regards bestowed by one and all, within and outside family circle, from my ancestors to present generation, from kin to strangers with whomever I had to deal with. During this management period, I always let others feel that I led a retiring life. That’s why when I opted retirement as chairman from LNM Auto, Raman jokingly questioned: Retirement from what? Yes, with all tensions within, of apprehensions of not managing the little kingdom that my ancestors established after great toil and I inherited by virtue of my birth, with high skill, I always appeared to opt for light and soft means, but its gravity is known to me only and that is my reward and asset. I had many sweet and bitter memories, had many high and low moments, had affectionate and insulting situations, faced moments of proud as well as of shame in between, But at the end, I feel satisfied to hand over all in tact to the safe and solid hands of Sandeep. And I am more satisfied and grateful to God as well that all this could be done in presence of my parents. They are lovely parents and great persons and Sandeep, my ward is a competent chain of our family to look after them and their heritance. So I am happy at the end. I will try my best to remove all complications, if any in between so that he does not have any complaint whatsoever in future. And I am indebted to Shobha, Goura and Sangeet for their not at all demanding nature which could make it possible so far.

 

It was tough to move from Purulia to Faridabad, but I could make a beginning. One would think, I broke the tradition of children following their parent’s career. Dynamic succession is very normal, in particular in Marwari Community. My great grand father broke that norm for betterment, my grandfather flourished that to establish our set up at Purulia, Babuji nourished that and I laid foundation of diversification. It is considered a virtue to belong to a long and illustrious lineage. The logic is very simple. You are what your surroundings make you, as you grow you also pick up the flavor of the environment around you and indeed skills are better passed this way than through rigorous learning in institutions. But that does not necessarily make dynastic succession healthy or right. Such children will rarely move out of family shadow, they will never be recognized for their own worth as in my case. But I have no regret for that. I could make my parents happy and satisfied and then later could find a suitable platform for younger generation to build up. Young people, now a day instinctively rebel against authority. They want to be different from their parents. It is this that shapes their personalities and creates distinct individualities. And we are satisfied that Sandeep could build that for himself on the little platform I could built.

WHAT DOES LNM STAND FOR?

On one sunny morning, citizens of Athens were amazed to see their great philosopher wandering on the streets with a lantern in his hand in search of some precious thing. He seemed to be very desperate as if some valuables had lost and to find that is question of life and death for him. If he would have been an ordinary person, people might consider him to be insane, but he was a great philosopher. On inquiring, he hopelessly told that he was in search of human beings. People around were shocked that he did not consider them as humans. He further explained that he could see a cobbler, a smith, a businessman, a courtier, a dancer, and so on around, but not a human in true sense.

Friends, through this story, I want to impress upon you, not to consider LNM as a machine shop or a production center only. It’s not only a place where CNCs and VMCs operate with whispering sound, where we work in airconditioned atmosphere, where systems are monitored through ISO and ERP, where computers make it a paperless and voice less environment, where we all work for our bread and butter, where its blue all around with no red spot anywhere, where quality in production is the top most priority, where timely payment is commitment, where customer gets a one-stop-shop facilities, where expansion and upgradation go on continuously, where challenges have been met successfully, so far.

It is something more than that, it is more lively and vibrant and let us pledge to make it a place, where work is considered to be like worship, where we begin and end our day smilingly greeting JAISRIKRISHNA, where we try to earn for country and self, where quality of human resources matches quality of production, where oneness prevails in sharing happiness and sorrow amongst all without any prejudice, where smiling faces welcome everyone, where everyone cares for others, where spirituality and honesty drive every action, where ‘love and to be loved’ principle co-exits amongst management and coworkers, where fellowship and friendship spring out all around, where regards and respect flourish in between, where sentiments and heart overwhelm mind and intelligence, where family members of all feel have their faith -and the list goes beyond the ability to express health-felt emotions.

It was a small dream project to begin with. With fulfilment of every dream with everyone’s dedication and God’s graciousness, we continue to dream bigger. Sky is the limit - not for monetary achievement, but for value based targets and let us pledge for more dedication to usher towards new goals, together.