Upon joining my new project, I realized the urgency behind my posting there. The previous Head of Project (HoP) had faced issues with union leaders despite having helped them in the past. They turned against him due to their petty interests and forced his removal taking the advantage of a weak management. Some major critical works were going on that time and removing the head of the project was a very unfortunate decision. It was a disheartening display of ingratitude and selfishness by the Unions. I took over and successfully resolved the challenges we faced, leading to a celebration. However, the union leaders were unhappy with me for not inviting them to the party.
The region faced a serious law and order problem due to insurgency-related issues then, and we lost seven employees to insurgent attacks. Union leaders caused more problems during this time, but a retired colleague volunteered to help us in our effort to restore normalcy. His commitment and involvement were commendable, and I was grateful for his support. This experience also revealed the decipherable nature of some individuals who stepped forward to help in times of crisis, even when my supposed to be friends acted indifferently. The lessons learned from these experiences were invaluable.There was no dearth of genuine friendship because for their love of a common cause and the company which can be seen at the time of crisis.
After almost three years, the union’s influence led to my abrupt transfer. I left with a heavy heart, leaving behind a dedicated team. It was a stark reminder of how human behavior could be indecipherable when friend and colleagues conspired internally and taking advantage of the management’s incompetency and inferiority complexes.
The people are normally a selfish brute and friendship is only for good times . Incompetent people are having inferiority complex leading to jealously and external showbiz of their superiorty but by heart they are afraid of the performers and always have the fear if any one is not giving importance to them .
On transfer , I joined a new project where one machine was under breakdown. The project authority has made and agreement with OEM to restore the machine in six months time . I was surprised and called a meeting of my power house engineers . I convince them that we can do it in less than two months without external support and during the period I stand by my team day and night and the machine restored on 43rd day . All project engineers were happy but I created a team of enemy by doing this at head quarter and those friends taking advantage of a incompetent management harassed me like anything but I got a new group of people whom I had taken care in this journey , my friends ready to obey all my request and helping me to run the project . During this period I completed a bridge over the reservoir which was pending for 11 years. Because of the faith and respect of my team. Friendship is a matter of give and take . If you care your team and work hand in hand they always reciprocate with a helping hand . Few exceptions are always there.
Soon I was transferred to head quarter , Shillong and was given responsibility of heading several crucial departments as head . Due to the authority , I had during that time , all show me respect but I know , most of them are doing so because of the authority I had . Respect can not come due to the authority one have , this is fake . I believed that after my retirement if 5-10% of these people show me the respect , then I was successful in my job otherwise not . Those 5-10% people are genuine people who will fight with their leader when he /she was supposed to be wrong helping the leader to correct his decision. Work whole heartedly without any sweet talks and celebrate with the team on success . Success is always of a team effort and no individual can claimas his own . Only difference that counts is the leadership, whether it is decisive , compassionate and able to guide and take the team together . He is not working directly but got the work done taking the team together to achieve the objective.Soon Nina joined in my Department under me.
The corporation had introduced a system where each department presented their work, progress, and future plans to foster inter-departmental cooperation and provide insight into the corporation’s activities. I had given a critical presentation showcasing my departments works and strategies. It was well-received, and my colleague praised it as the best among several presentations from various departments already given.
After the presentation, Nina , my colleague, who had been a close friend for over 30 years, joined me to return home .We had a routine of commuting together in coming to and going back after work, and we shared a strong friendship which was for more than 30 years now.
She said the presentation was excellent, smooth, and simple, and communicated the message quite well.
She continued, it was the best out of the four-five presentation already done in earlier months by other departments. I came back from Delhi two days back, attending a crucial meeting. Considering the importance of this presentation, I took personal care so that the presentation should be good and carry meaningful communication with other departments and employees in simple language. It was already late as the employees and the senior management officials asked many questions. Most of the officers and Employees needed more exposure to the IT sector, I feel and try to explain in the simplest language for clarity our strategy to expand the IT facilities, the department I was Heading and the subject of that day’s presentation. She, as usual, comes to my office car, as soon as the presentation was over and together we move to her house, drop her,and come to my house. As she is not entitled to an official car then, and we have been good friends for more than thirty years, I used to pick up and drop her from her home to the office and back; sometimes I was late, or sometimes she was, but we go together after the office.
My son came on vacation. We were gossiping after our dinner and I just went to bed.But after some time, I felt very uncomfortable. My son insisted on taking me to the hospital, but I thought better. I will go in the morning.
I could not wait, and my son called my driver, who was staying nearby and at nearly 3 am, we were in a hospital. The doctor in the emergency checked up and did some tests, and told me that I had a severe heart attack ,they put me in the ICU. Until then, I was externally alright except for that uncomfortableness. Without any delay, the doctors placed me on the ventilator, and gradually I understood I was seriously ill this time. I do not remember going to a hospital for any treatment except for the annual health check, which was mandatory. The last test was done a few months back at a renowned hospital in Delhi, and there was no heart-related issues reported. I was in Ladakh at 17000 ft for nearly 20 days for some official work three months back without any trouble. But this time, I felt I was not well, and I told my son my feeling. My wife had also reached the hospital, and my other kids were informed. And they took the earliest flight available. Through my colleagues, I sent a message to our CEO to hand over my charge to Nina, who had been under me for a substantial time in my department and knew the job. Accordingly, temporary charge order was issued. All my colleagues including my CEO, visited the Hospital and met my family, as not allowed inside the ICU. Nina also came once during my 14-day stay at the hospital in Shillong.
After my release from the hospital, I stayed two days in my house and all my well-wishers visited me but Nina whom I considered one of my best friends did not visit us or call. In the meantime, I, again, felt breathless, and I was shifted to Delhi by my family. Where I underwent a major heart surgery. And after release, I took a house for two months on rent for the post-operative checkups and all my family was with me. During the entire period, Nina calls my wife once as I cannot use the mobile.
After I was declared fit though very weak, and lost quite a few kg of my weight, and as per doctors’ advice, my CEO allowed me to join- at Guwahati office and take care of my department from Guwahati instead of going to Shillong which was very cold at December and at a high altitude. And Nina was relieved from her additional duty to supervise my office and posted to a project as head. After joining, I talked to her once but have not gotten a warm response. Later also, several times, when I called her, she, on the pretext of some meeting or some urgency, told me that she would call me back, but that never happened. During that time, her project was supposed to go on Live of digitalisation which I was heading, and there was a critical problem there. She called me at night, and I helped her to sort out the problem during that night, she was constantly in touch with me till late night and till the problem was resolved.She did not even give me a coursey call, which I was expecting as one of my best friends for the help I was providing even with my illness at midnight. Several times later, my call was not properly responded to, I did not know why she behaved that way. Nearly a year passed, and we did not even have a telephone conversation. Soon, the date of my retirement came, and all senior officers from HQ and the project called me to visit them before the farewell and also wished me best on the day I left the corporation on retirement. However, Nina did not even give me a courtesy call on my last date. I felt extremely bad, as we had been close friends for the last 36 years, and almost every day, we talked or met each other in last few years particularly when she was posted in my office. Practically we were a family sharing everything with her and sharing suggestions from time to time .Visit places on holidays together with my wife or take food in some restaurant together . Since she was staying alone , I always provide my driver to her to help her if anything is needed .But even after a year of my retirement, I did not get the call I was waiting for. The reasons of the silence best known to her only. She was the last official person I met before my incident when I went to drop her at her residence after the presentation. Till then, we had no issues, small or big at least as I know from my side.
This was shocking for me and I could not decipher in which category , I can place this episode .Other incidents atleast I could got a reason for explaining peoples behaviour but in these case , it is a story of total Indeciferability of a friend’s behaviour who was my closest of allys for last 36 years .
Rajat Chandra Sarmah
rajatchandrasarmah@gmail.com
musingofrajat.wordpress.com 