A COMMA IN A SENTENCE
Extraordinary Change in an Ordinary Family Over Six Generations
R Gopalakrishnan
Rupa Publications; 164 pages; Rs 295
For any writer, recording roller-coaster changes through six generations of one family, as well as the attendant social and economic changes in the country over 200 years, in just 164 pages is a daunting task. But R Gopalakrishnan, director of Tata Sons and a respected corporate chief, has done so with ease and simplicity in his book A Comma in a Sentence.
The book traces the history of Mr Gopalakrishnan’s family, who were Vadakalai Iyengar Brahmins from a small, isolated village in Tanjore. It is a story of how the family gradually outgrew this village – a place where the only source of outside news was when someone went to a market – and moved to other parts of the country, especially Kolkata, to seek a new life.
In a sense, the book provides a potted history of India as experienced by one family. Mr Gopalakrishnan narrates the impact of the anti-Brahminical movement in this little village; the dramatic changes brought about by the steam engine train; the birth of the Indian National Congress; how the advent of the newspaper opened up a new world in a secluded village; and the introduction of the postcard, which one could send anywhere in the country.
These accounts are not unique to Mr Gopalakrishnan’s village, of course. Many Indians would have heard similar stories from relatives who lived in other parts of India and in equally small villages secluded from the cities, though the anti-Brahmin movement was unique to the southern region. The fact that most of these experiences are not alien to the average Indian explains why this book creates a certain bond with the reader.
The absorbing part of the book is the author’s explanation of the lure of Kolkata (then Calcutta). Many Bengalis might say he has romanticised the city, but it held greater appeal than Madras (now Chennai) for the educated Brahmin youth of his village because of the strong anti-Brahmin movement. The author also discusses his own successful career, which includes a long stint with Hindustan Lever and experience of working with Ratan Tata, who, he says, is a remarkable “out-of-the-box thinker”.
This is, however, not just a family saga. Mr Gopalakrishnan has a message in his story: that the greatest treasure one can leave the next generation is not wealth but sanskar (tradition), which he imbibed from his forefathers and has passed on to his children. It is worth wondering, though, whether his daughters’ practice of carrying a small Ganesha icon when they travelled or his son meditating alone every day before he left for the office are robust examples of the benefits of this transfer.
Also, many would argue that transfer of sanskar alone may not be enough to ensure the success of the next generation. It may have worked for the writer because he was able to provide financial stability and a good life to his family. Plus, his parents realised the importance of a good education and duly gave him one. But there are many others who might not be as lucky to have the resources to offer their family financial stability or even a good school education.
One of the interesting themes in the book is the author’s take on the evolution of the caste system, which he says has seen many different dimensions. While living in Kolkata in his childhood, the author says he saw the trappings of a new caste system. Many middle-class Indians had started to acquire multiple degrees and were inclined to flaunt their educational and professional qualifications as a kind of social differentiator (for example, Mr Srinivasan, BA, LLB).
The second dimension to the caste system had to do with where you worked. If you worked in one of the old British mercantile houses, you had done well for yourself. People were in awe of you if you worked for companies like Imperial Tobacco, Imperial Chemical Industries, Metal Box or Lever Brothers, to name a few, though the status was still below that of a civil service officer.
The third but most controversial dimension to the caste system, which is seen in the 21st century, resembles the old system. The new Brahmins, he says, are the academics, planners, judges, journalists, professional managers and bureaucrats. The new Kshatriyas are the politicians, land mafia, and black money operators who give protection (older Kshatriyas are unlikely to appreciate this definition!). The Vaishyas remain the entrepreneurs, and the new untouchables are the jobless, landless and the uneducated millions. The question one could ask is why vote-bank politics does not follow Mr Gopalakrishnan’s new caste system and why it is still divided along the old caste lines.
For those who expect one of the country’s most respected management exponents to also offer tips on running businesses, the book won’t be a complete disappointment. He points out that nobody imparts knowledge of soft skills like humility, empathy and ambition. He suggests that people should be prepared to teach these skills from commonplace experiences.
There are other practical tips: for instance, managers should have a good sense of humour at all times and, more importantly, learn to listen (a skill for which there are no courses, though there are many programmes that offer tips on how to be more persuasive). The author points out that for leaders intuition plays a key role in decision making.
All this – and more – is packed into this short book. It would be unfair to expect more.
Extraordinary Change in an Ordinary Family Over Six Generations
R Gopalakrishnan
Rupa Publications; 164 pages; Rs 295
For any writer, recording roller-coaster changes through six generations of one family, as well as the attendant social and economic changes in the country over 200 years, in just 164 pages is a daunting task. But R Gopalakrishnan, director of Tata Sons and a respected corporate chief, has done so with ease and simplicity in his book A Comma in a Sentence.
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The book traces the history of Mr Gopalakrishnan’s family, who were Vadakalai Iyengar Brahmins from a small, isolated village in Tanjore. It is a story of how the family gradually outgrew this village – a place where the only source of outside news was when someone went to a market – and moved to other parts of the country, especially Kolkata, to seek a new life.
In a sense, the book provides a potted history of India as experienced by one family. Mr Gopalakrishnan narrates the impact of the anti-Brahminical movement in this little village; the dramatic changes brought about by the steam engine train; the birth of the Indian National Congress; how the advent of the newspaper opened up a new world in a secluded village; and the introduction of the postcard, which one could send anywhere in the country.
These accounts are not unique to Mr Gopalakrishnan’s village, of course. Many Indians would have heard similar stories from relatives who lived in other parts of India and in equally small villages secluded from the cities, though the anti-Brahmin movement was unique to the southern region. The fact that most of these experiences are not alien to the average Indian explains why this book creates a certain bond with the reader.
The absorbing part of the book is the author’s explanation of the lure of Kolkata (then Calcutta). Many Bengalis might say he has romanticised the city, but it held greater appeal than Madras (now Chennai) for the educated Brahmin youth of his village because of the strong anti-Brahmin movement. The author also discusses his own successful career, which includes a long stint with Hindustan Lever and experience of working with Ratan Tata, who, he says, is a remarkable “out-of-the-box thinker”.
This is, however, not just a family saga. Mr Gopalakrishnan has a message in his story: that the greatest treasure one can leave the next generation is not wealth but sanskar (tradition), which he imbibed from his forefathers and has passed on to his children. It is worth wondering, though, whether his daughters’ practice of carrying a small Ganesha icon when they travelled or his son meditating alone every day before he left for the office are robust examples of the benefits of this transfer.
Also, many would argue that transfer of sanskar alone may not be enough to ensure the success of the next generation. It may have worked for the writer because he was able to provide financial stability and a good life to his family. Plus, his parents realised the importance of a good education and duly gave him one. But there are many others who might not be as lucky to have the resources to offer their family financial stability or even a good school education.
One of the interesting themes in the book is the author’s take on the evolution of the caste system, which he says has seen many different dimensions. While living in Kolkata in his childhood, the author says he saw the trappings of a new caste system. Many middle-class Indians had started to acquire multiple degrees and were inclined to flaunt their educational and professional qualifications as a kind of social differentiator (for example, Mr Srinivasan, BA, LLB).
The second dimension to the caste system had to do with where you worked. If you worked in one of the old British mercantile houses, you had done well for yourself. People were in awe of you if you worked for companies like Imperial Tobacco, Imperial Chemical Industries, Metal Box or Lever Brothers, to name a few, though the status was still below that of a civil service officer.
The third but most controversial dimension to the caste system, which is seen in the 21st century, resembles the old system. The new Brahmins, he says, are the academics, planners, judges, journalists, professional managers and bureaucrats. The new Kshatriyas are the politicians, land mafia, and black money operators who give protection (older Kshatriyas are unlikely to appreciate this definition!). The Vaishyas remain the entrepreneurs, and the new untouchables are the jobless, landless and the uneducated millions. The question one could ask is why vote-bank politics does not follow Mr Gopalakrishnan’s new caste system and why it is still divided along the old caste lines.
For those who expect one of the country’s most respected management exponents to also offer tips on running businesses, the book won’t be a complete disappointment. He points out that nobody imparts knowledge of soft skills like humility, empathy and ambition. He suggests that people should be prepared to teach these skills from commonplace experiences.
There are other practical tips: for instance, managers should have a good sense of humour at all times and, more importantly, learn to listen (a skill for which there are no courses, though there are many programmes that offer tips on how to be more persuasive). The author points out that for leaders intuition plays a key role in decision making.
All this – and more – is packed into this short book. It would be unfair to expect more.