P. K. Dutta, DIC, PhD (Lon.) Tel:+912026854287

C-7, Green Acres e-mail: pkd@vsnl.com

Salunke Vihar Road Mobile: 9422301438

P u n e – 411 048

WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY TO SHARE?

Dr.Pulin K. Dutta

The following story I present here for my dear readers of Melange. It made me think,

kept me awake and so I hope you too will find it interesting and useful, because this is

all real and doable.

With the kind permission of Mrs.Meher Pudumjee, Chairperson of Thermax Limited,

Pune, I am reproducing verbatim her version as follows.

Please note the italics are mine.

Meher wrote in the company’s house magazine, “Fireside”, July-September issue,

page 6, “ ….Along the lines of uniqueness and creativitry, Anu

member of the National Advisory Council and a Padmashree)

unusual company in our own city of Pune a couple of months ago.

The company, Associated Manufacturing Company, an auto ancillary was established

by Subhash Chuttar and associates 35 years ago. So what is unique about that?

Mr.Chuttar, father of a mentally challenged son employs people who are mentally and

physically challenged. Today, he has a workforce of approximately 260 people of

which around 58 are so called “challenged”. But after seeing the set up, I ask myself,

“challenged” in what? This company produces no rejection, 100% quality products,

export quality, is managed by one such gentleman and he ensures the quality of every

product coming out of the factory (

the world!).

(her mother andand I visited a veryan achievement of the highest degree, anywhere in

What is more, once they have been taught the skill, they continue their work

irrespective of time – they want to leave only when they have completed their task.

There is no union and once they join and are trained, they stay for life

achievement!)

everyone to see.

Mr.Chuttar is a remarkable person. Thanks to his passion and commitment, he has a

very dedicated team of people, who work with their heart (

another well-known company’s Chairperson)

one is capable of doing. He explained that during recruitment process, he interviews

the parents for 2-3 hours which indicate what the individual is capable of doing; they

also judge their emotions and thereafter decide on which machine to place them. His

team knows each person’s family history

know of do this?)

We were introduced to a boy who insisted he was the boss of the factory and every

time Mr.Chuttar called for a meeting, would sit on his chair, since he genuinely

believed he was the owner and called the shots. Mr.Chuttar in his inimitable humble

style accepts these traits and talks about them with pride, compassion and a great

sense of humour

(another great.Safety and cleanliness are practised and the results are there forwonderful testimony from. I asked as to how they know what each(can any formal examination in any field, you.( just ponder it over for awhile, why can’t we be like him?).

P. K. Dutta, DIC, PhD (Lon.) Tel:+912026854287

C-7, Green Acres e-mail: pkd@vsnl.com

Salunke Vihar Road Mobile: 9422301438

P u n e – 411 048

To incorporate safety on the shop-floor, he and his team have thought through and

installed machines and extra safety devices. For example, machines normally

operated by the feet, in this factory will start only if two workers use both hands.

Similarly, on a machine that requires one operator, he has added a device that

operates the machine only if both hands are used, rather than just one hand and so

on

(reflecting how the management thought through afresh for unusual circumstances).

Anu and I met his son, who with great humility told us that he had been working on the

shop-floor for 20 years and was currently specialising on locks; thereafter, he would

shift to being an operator and then work on a lathe and so on. The question of human

ego immediately came to my mind! Here is the son of the owner, who sees himself as

an ordinary worker. Why is that we have to be mentally challenged to forget our ego,

to treat our co-workers as human beings?

often causing so much unhappiness and gaining absolutely nothing to cherish.

Indeed a very pertinent question for all of us

I would urge some of you to see this factory for yourselves and then think through as

to how we can incorporate far more “diversity” into our workspace. Would be very

happy to receive some of your thoughts and ideas on this

her people for ideas, another uncommon scenario!).

that each one of us has something unique to give. If only we have the patience and

skill to identify what skill sets are good for which application, the outcome can be

remarkable as seen in Mr.Chuttar’s factory

listening, how to go about?)

(The Chairperson askingLet us not express sympathy; but( are our Management Education Institutes

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N.B: “The intention of bringing the above story is to let the dear readers know about it, because Meher’s writing will not be seen in the public domain and also,it is highly unlikely that our media will ever go to see the place to report such a heart warming story, because it is unusually not sensational It inspired me ”…..

Pulin Dutta from Pune.