Network Past Issues

Up Close and Personal

Being personal assistant to a legend is never easy, yet it is also an experience to be valued.

This happened one winter. November 1998, to be precise. Dr. Verghese Kurien, who had just stepped down from the Chairmanship of NDDB shifted his office to IRMA. I was told by the Administration Coordinator that I would henceforth be working in Dr. Kurien's Secretariat. I received the news with mixed feelings having heard umpteen stories about my legendary new boss who had the reputation for being a hard task master. I had long known about his strict views on discipline and punctuality and was already trembling thinking of my new assignment.

On the first day I entered the office I was greeted by P.A. Joseph, Dr. Kurien's Executive Assistant who laid my considerable fears aside. Joseph would be taking work instructions from our boss while I would take care of all routine matters of office correspondence and coordinate his travel plans. Joseph, obviously, had more interactions with him than I did. Then Joseph went on leave and I was required to interact with him on a one on one basis. I would enter Dr. Kurien's office with trepidation telling myself, "a mouse entering the lion's den" and hear my heart thudding. In time I realised the deep humility of the man. It dawned on me that me that Dr. Kurien's personality was coconut-like: hard on the outside and soft inside. All that he asked for was that the job on hand be attended to with immediate effect. He also liked to have honest answers sans trappings. If you did not know something required of you, it was best to admit it instead of humming and hawing.

Dr. Kurien's punctuality fixation is well known. He would make a point of being present - meetings included - prior to the time fixed. Those were the days when, during guest programmes arranged by the NDDB, guests would also come thronging to IRMA, AMUL, and other places. Any delay in a guest programme or a meeting would have the programme coordinator come running to Dr. Kurien informing him about it.

Once, during the height of summer, someone from a group of visitors questioned Dr. Kurien about the green lushness of the lawns at the Institute. Dr. Kurien, then IRMA Chairman, looked at the group and solemnly declared, "we don't water the lawns.' As he paused for a second before throwing up both hands in his characteristic style everybody looked on expectantly. "We pour milk, our heart!" The group burst out laughing.

Like his punctuality, his meticulousness had become a byword in IRMA. I recall an incident from when I was working at the Director's office. Draft agenda items prior to Board meetings would be sent to Dr. Kurien who was then Chairman. A board member from the Rural Development Ministry of the Central Government had just been transferred to another government department. He had, as a consequence, ceased to be a member of the IRMA Board. I had forgotten to remove his name from the members' list on the draft agenda before sending it off to the Chairman who immediately crossed out his name. When I mentioned this to Prof. Tushaar Shah, who was then Director of the Institute, he laughed and said, "That is why Dr. Kurien is our Chairman!" The smallest of mistakes did not escape his sharp eyes. There would be no pending correspondence in Dr. Kurien's office. All decisions would be taken immediately and all incoming letters answered with immediate effect.

The Government of India showered him with awards including the Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. The highest Indian award, "Bharat Ratna", kept eluding him, however.

It is said that behind every successful man there is a woman. Inestimable credit goes to Mrs. Molly Kurien who stood behind her husband like a solid rock. Dr. Kurien used to say: "Integrity, Integrity and Integrity." That's the stuff legends are made of. We are all fortunate for having had Dr. Kurien as our Founder Chairman whose vision, mission and guidance made what IRMA is today.