Cocktail In The Rainbow - Chapter - 17

 

Chapter – 17

 

“You are most welcome Sir! Please take your seat.” I said.

“Oh! No problem. Your glasses are empty. Steward! Scotch please.”

Chanakya Nag requested us to keep our glasses on the tray and himself handed over to us two new glasses of Scotch. He took one and poured soda water in all the three glasses.

“Cheers! Sorry Sumanta, I could not talk to you freely during these days from the date of your joining us. I was awfully busy. Nag said and occupied one chair. “Please don’t mind for my sitting on the chair without your permission.”

“Sir, you are at your liberty to sit anywhere.” I said.

Atanu could not complete his story due to sudden arrival of Chanakya Nag amidst us. Seeking our permission Atanu left the spot and mingled in the crowd with his glass of Scotch.

“Why are you standing? Sit down please.” Nag said.

I occupied the chair lying in front of him.

“That’s good! Now you get yourself easy. Sometimes I get fed up with my job of GM. It’s like walking on toe all the time. See those boys. They are really happy. I found somebody reciting Shakespeare and somebody dancing and singing like Elvis Presley. To them ‘King is dead, long live the king’. Nobody bothers for Santanu Majumdar who loved them and fought for them. But nobody fought for him. Had they really loved Santanu, they would have boycotted this cocktail party. Even a fool can guess that Majumdar did not leave the company, he was removed.” Nag paused looking downward.

I was surprised to hear from Chanakya Nag regarding his comments on the departure of Santanu Majumdar from Rainbow. So far I heard from Atanu and Fatik Nandi, Nag was greatly responsible for the removal of Majumdar.

Nag consumed good amount of drinks, but he was not drunk. Probably drinks made him penitent and veracious.

Taking a long sip he said, “How funny! Mandakini also blamed me. She felt that owing to my good relation with Rozario, I could have convinced him to desist taking such an unjust decision. She maintained admiration for Santanu who was my good friend. See the fun! Everybody blamed me, but nobody realised my position as regional GM in Rainbow. I will tell you the story.” He paused for few seconds and continued looking at me. “I don’t know whether you have heard, I used to work for Bombay pharmaceutical company before joining Rainbow as their medical representative. At that time Rainbow did not have any office in Calcutta. Rainbow International used to get their medicines manufactured under loan license by some other medium pharmaceutical company having additional production capacity. Kipling and Kingsley were sole distributor of Rainbow medicines in India. There were only five products at that time. Cough syrup, Vitamin B Complex capsule with Vitamin C, Multivitamin syrup and drops for children and a nerve revitalization tonic. For whole of eastern region there were only two medical representatives. One of them was quite old and used to cover half of Calcutta city, Howrah, West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Another representative was of middle age and used to cover other half of Calcutta, North Bengal, Sikkim, Bhutan and all the northeastern states. After I had joined Rainbow regional territories were shuffled by Gregory Antony who was at that time Field Supervising Officer of the company for all the four regions.”

Chanakya Nag paused for few seconds as he lighted his favourite 555 cigarette and said, “I think, you get surprised to learn that for whole of our country there was only one field supervising officer. Yes! Rainbow’s sales promotional infrastructure was like that. Mr. Anderson was having a very small office in Flora fountain area of Bombay. Because he had to get many jobs, indoor and outdoor, to be done by one person, he recruited a male stenographer cum personal assistant and that man was Mr. Rozario, our MD. Total number of medical representatives was eight, two in each region with one Field Supervising Officer, based in Bombay. In the office, besides Mr. Anderson, there were two other persons, Mr. Rozario, his stenographer and Thomas, peon cum office attendant.

In my previous company I was medical representative for north eastern states with head quarter at Gauhati. In Rainbow besides same northeastern states I got central Calcutta as territory. Obviously my head quarter was Calcutta. My senior colleagues did not like my entry in Rainbow as I could feel they had considered me as an encroacher in their dominion, as if I had occupied a portion of their long established domicile. I tell you the pattern of daily work in Calcutta of one of my senior colleagues under whom I had the field training. He asked me to meet him at the gate of Medical College sharp at 10 a.m.. Yes! He was there waiting for me exactly at the time given to me. Then he took me round the hospital touching half dozen departments and meeting two dozen doctors including professors, readers and lecturers. Entire job was done in two hours. On his request I went to his residence for lunch and rest. We again went out in the evening and visited one dozen medical stores in two hours. Three days’ job was done in four hours! So he advised me take rest for next two days.

I was taken by surprise to hear from Chanakya Nag that twenty-four calls were made to doctors for detailing the products and twelve calls to medical stores for business only in four hours.

Probably Nag realised my amazement and said, “You get surprised, isn’t it? It’s because you did not work as medical representative. I tell you how it is done. While visiting a department of a medical college, in professor’s room, sometimes you may get more than half dozen doctors, besides the professor. Assistant professor, reader, lecturers, clinical tutors and House surgeons are found very often in professor’s room having meeting or discussion on various matters. If visiting card is sent to the professor, he grants interview to the medical representative of multinational company in no time even in presence of other doctors. Further, due to regular visits for months or years, a senior medical representative develops personal rapport with the doctors. So in single visit, multiple calls are made and in two hours, it is not at all difficult for medical representative to make twenty-four or more calls during his visit to a medical college. He does not bother whether calls are effective or not. He will fill in his call-card for doctors showing exact numbers of calls he is expected to make per day.” Taking a long puff of his half-burnt cigarette Nag said, “So you can easily understand the quantum of Rainbow sales at that time. It was only whirling round the same figures. Not only in eastern region, condition was same in other regions. Exactly in this background the great English gentleman Mr. William Anderson appeared in Indian scene. He appointed young science and pharmacy graduates with one or two year’s experience in the same line in all the regions. Within a short time Mr. Anderson succeeded in procuring licenses from both central and state governments for manufacturing few basic drugs and proprietory pharmaceutical products in the name of Rainbow India Private Limited under quality control of Rainbow International. Three floors, each having area of seven thousand square feet were occupied for registered head office of the company in lofty multistoried building at Nariman Point in South Bombay overlooking Back Bay of the Arabian Sea. A beautiful modern factory was set up in north suburban area of Bombay facing Mahim Creek. In eastern region also sales developed by leaps and bounds. When I got my independent territory, I started visiting doctors according to my own plan. I did not meet the specialists in medical colleges or hospitals. I used to meet them in their chambers, mostly in the night or according to their convenient time and general practitioners in the morning hours. I would meet each house surgeon individually and give them sample and literature. I would enquire from the medical stores regarding inflow of prescriptions from the doctors. Sometimes they used to suggest me to visit particular doctors with samples for easy flow of prescriptions.

Within a short time sales in my territory i.e. central Calcutta and northeastern states shot up by more than hundred percent. Mr. Anderson sent me a congratulation letter followed by letter of promotion carried by him personally to Calcutta. I was made Area Sales Supervisor of Rainbow India for eastern region. My senior colleagues were placed under my supervision. According to my suggestion few more medical representatives were recruited for Calcutta and upcountry towns. Gradually, changes took place in distribution system. Company’s agreement with Kipling and Kingsley regarding marketing and distribution was terminated by Mr. Anderson. Fatik Nandi was brought from Kipling and Kingsley to assist me in establishing a divisional office cum godown for Rainbow pharmaceutical products in Calcutta. I was elevated to the rank of Divisional Manager, in charge of whole of eastern region. I got chauffeur driven company car, fully furnished flat, membership card of most aristocratic club and full liberty in entertaining company’s guests in lunch or dinner in any five star restaurant. So after becoming DM I could take dinner with my family at home hardly for ten days in a month. One day Mandakini, I mean my wife, told me that she was more happy in old small flat which I had occupied on rent in a lower middle class locality in Calcutta when I was medical representative. Frankly speaking, I also agreed with what she had said. I missed badly the delicious food; she used to cook for me.

Chanakya Nag paused for few seconds and said after sipping Whisky, “Progress of Rainbow India under Mr. Anderson was fantastic. Company started expanding speedily in all directions. Four divisions were made four regions and Divisional Managers were promoted to General Managers under whom branch offices were opened at important state capital cities headed by Branch Managers. Besides long range of proprietary medicines and few bulk drugs, company introduced various home products under licence from Rainbow International. A separate division was made for home products under all India control of Phuchkanwala. Antony got all India charge for pharmaceutical products and this poor fellow, I mean Chanakya Nag was made

General Manager, East.”

“Excellent decision of the company! You deserved the position Sir.” I said.

“Thank you Sumanta for your compliments.” Nag said. “But you know my dear friend, service is service. It’s the occupation of a servant. All are same. Even then the servants like us suffer from complexity of status. I find many senior managers carrying air of egoism around them and look down at others as if from the top of lofty tower. Fools! They do not know, tonight they are entertained with Scotch and sumptuous dinner and tomorrow they will be treated with golden handshake, of course without gold. Any way, forget about designation. I am tired of 555, please get me your Filter Wills.”

Having a long suck of the lighted Filter Wills like a hemp-smoker Nag said, “You know Sumanta, sometimes I feel myself to be guilty for departure of Santanu from Rainbow. He joined Rainbow leaving permanent job of Gujrat Chemical Co. only on my persuasion. Again, virtually on my persuasion, though I did not want it, he had to leave Rainbow. Had I not met him accidentally at Kathmandu Airport, I would not have to bear this burden of guilt consciousness.”

Nag bent down his head and paused when I said, “Sir, sorry for my interruption. Please do not injure your delicate sentiments by the recollection of bygone incidents. Let us enjoy this merry get-together.”

“Sumanta, you are absolutely right. But, you know a man feels light-hearted only when he unloads agony from his heart to some trustworthy person. I like you, that’s why I tell you all such nonsense. If you don’t like, I won’t tell.” Nag said.

“Sorry Sir. I did not mean that. Please continue.” I said.

“As I told you I met Sumanta at Kathmandu Airport where he was waiting for the announcement of departure of Calcutta flight. Mr. Anderson, Mr. Rozario, Mr. Antony and myself were also scheduled to come to Calcutta by the same flight. I introduced Santanu to my bosses and in the plane I requested Santanu to sit beside Mr. Anderson.

At that time we were looking for a Divisional Manager for our home products division, started very recently. It was decided by the company to insert advertisement in the newspaper for getting a suitable candidate. Since Santanu was working in Gujrat Chemicals for their non durable consumer products I suggested his name to Mr. Anderson who endorsed it immediately and asked me to request him to join us at dinner at Hotel Emperor Intercon.

So Santanu joined Rainbow. Since Mr. Anderson was happy with him, he got all the benefits of Rainbow DM from the date of his joining the service. Good salary, air-conditioned cabin with beautiful Anglo-Indian secretary, chauffeur driven new car and other parks. Since he had a good rented flat, he did not desire company’s flat. So he was given house rent allowance.

Within a short time Santanu became very popular in the office. Even sales people of pharma division developed love and respect for him. He captivated everybody by his sweet behaviour. That’s why I wondered why he could not win over Rozario. So you tell me Sumanta, if a multinational company’s manager can not win over the MD and other bosses, how can he retain his job? Do you know what happened once?

Nag paused and looked at me. Sipping the rest of the Whisky from his glass in one gulp, he said, “After becoming MD, Rozario visited Calcutta along with Antony and Phuchkanwala. We had conference for the whole day and in the evening gathered in the suite of Rozario at Hotel Emperor Intercon for drinks. After few drinks we went down for dinner in the Banquet Hall and again came back to his suite as Rozario had expressed his desire for playing Rummy. We were seven who participated in the card game. Rozario, Antony, Phuchkanwala, Talukdar, Santanu, Kumar Sengupta and myself. Within a short time we changed to Flush from Rummy as wished by Rozario. Though Santanu expressed noviceness in card game at the beginning, ultimately he won most and worst looser was Rozario. You can easily understand the reaction of our new MD. He could not assimilate his loss. So this was the first offence committed by Santanu. As done by others, he should have packed his cards to allow the MD to win the game.

Second offence of Santanu was heavier than the first one. Though game was over, Rozario was having chats with us. Whisky glasses were still in our hands to give him company. Suddenly Rozario looked at Santanu and said, ‘Well Mr. Majumdar, I understand you are having good number of girl friends. Why don’t you telephone somebody to join us for drinks.’

Santanu said immediately, ‘Sorry Sir! I don’t have any girl friend. You have misunderstood me.’

Rozario said, ‘That’s nice of you.’ Looking at us he said, ‘Ok gentlemen! Goodnight! We will meet tomorrow.’

Next morning entire group left for Bombay. We all saw them off at the airport.”

Chanakya Nag got up from the chair and said, “Ok Sumanta, thank you for your company. Now I will have to announce for dinner. We will meet again.”