The regional preferences: which Mr. Srinivasan, please?

In West Bengal, you could just substitute the name Chatterjee for Srinivasan

February 08, 2015 01:52 am | Updated April 02, 2016 02:57 am IST

Years ago, before I started my own small industrial unit, I worked in a company manufacturing measuring instruments in Pune. While I was there, a trade and industry fair was being held in Madras (now Chennai). As a young engineer, I was entrusted with the task of erecting and managing our small stall at the fair. I was to stay in Madras for the purpose for about three weeks.

Just before I set out, a colleague asked for a favour. He had sent a batch of instruments to a government-run unit making defence equipment in a suburb of Madras, against a trial order placed. He wanted me to find out if those had been accepted. I had no objection. I only asked him for the name of the person I was supposed to meet.

But he did not have the details, and had misplaced his business card. “But he is a senior person by name Srinivasan. He works in either Quality Control or Materials. Believe me, once you go there, you would be able to find him without much difficulty,” he assured me.

After about a week spent in getting the stall erected with local help, I boarded a suburban train one morning to go and visit the sprawling defence equipment factory.

Inside the compartment there were two middle-aged women engrossed in talking to each other pretty loudly, and a dignified-looking South Indian man in a light blue lungi and a starched white shirt, trying not to get disturbed by all the noise.

To start a conversation, I asked him where he worked. And to my great surprise he told me he worked in the defence equipment factory where I was headed for.

Excitedly I asked him for his name, and he said, “Srinivasan.”

I was flabbergasted. I quickly got up and shook his hand with so much excitement that the middle-aged women stopped their conversation, and gave me a strange look. Ignoring them, I told the man it was him that I wanted to meet at the factory, and gave him the background.

But oddly enough, he didn’t look very enthused.

“In which department this Srinivasan works, you said?” he asked.

“I’m not sure; either in Quality Control or in Materials Management,” I told him tentatively.

With a twinkle in his eyes, he said, “My dear fellow, there are six Srinivasans in Quality Control and, I think, 11 in Materials. Which Srinivasan do you want to meet?”

I was baffled, and I really pitied my colleague’s ineptness in not being specific. But in order to hide my own embarrassment and to make it appear that nothing was amiss, I asked him which department he was attached to. It turned out he was with General Administration.

I wanted to ask him how many Srinivasans worked in his department, but didn’t. At that moment, my only focus was on identifying the exact Srinivasan from among the rather imposing lot of 17.

Noticing my bewilderment, my new acquaintance offered to help. After we got down from the train he actually took me to the right person. The Right Mr. Srinivasan was one of the six in Quality Control.

I was of course glad to gather from him the information that the trial batch of our instruments had indeed been accepted. Moreover, he said it would be a good idea to meet his colleague in Materials Management and discuss the next order. He wanted me to go and see him.

“See whom? One of those eleven?” I asked, suddenly.

He was stunned. “I don’t understand what you are talking about,” he said. “And, for goodness’s sake, can you please tell me, gentleman, what is so special about the number 11?”

I realised my stupidity and apologised, saying I was confused. I then asked him for the name of the person I should meet. It was, “S. Subramaniam, Head, Materials Planning.”

Mr. Subramaniam turned out to be a jolly good fellow.

After discussing the business at hand, when we were enjoying a cup of steaming South Indian coffee, I narrated to him my curious pursuit of the Srinivasans. With a mischievous smile he said: “I suggest that the next time you visit our regional office in West Bengal, and I bet you will have the same experience. You would only have to just substitute Chatterjee for Srinivasan and maybe, Banerjee for Subramaniam.

I couldn’t agree with him more, but wondered why he didn’t happen to say anything about my home State of Maharashtra. That State, undoubtedly, has many noble achievements to its credit in this department as well!

Not to speak of other regional preferences.

arwindbondre@gmail.com

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