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Rahul Bajaj came late. He spoke succinctly. He won the audience over with his words, that were evidently direct dil se.By the time he arrive...

Rahul Bajaj came late. He spoke succinctly. He won the audience over with his words, that were evidently direct dil se.

By the time he arrived at the Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch for the second day of Jigar 2000, the audience were done with drumming their fingers in impatience, standing up and hooting for lack of anything else to do. But Bajaj just had to begin his talk, and the restless listeners sat glued to their seats.

Two lines by way of introduction, and journalist Amrish Mishra voiced the questions in most minds. Belonging to the

Bajaj family, has he faced any struggle to speak of ? With that question, he handed the mike over to “hamara Rahul Bajaj”!

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…And the story took off, narrated in Hindi with a spattering of English. Beginning at the beginning, with his birth in 1938 into the family of Jamnalal Bajaj, whom Mahatma Gandhi considered his fifth son. Not a rich family, he said, as Jamnalal Bajaj had not inherited much from his father, and given away a lot to the Gandhian cause.

“I was four when my father died. He left behind a small business, not a whole lot of money (which anyway comes and goes). But most importantly, we inherited his legacy, which is with us till date,” he recounted emphatically.

An average student in his early years at school in Mumbai, Bajaj geared up to reach the top by the time he reached high school. Simultaneously excelling in table tennis, boxing, being elected the house captain. “I remember my schoolmates would ask how I could do well in such diverse streams, and I would shrug the question off, saying I did not know. But I did know. I knew I excelled because I worked hard.”

And that was the core of Bajaj’s short speech. Peppered with anecdotes, he repeatedly reiterated the need for hard work. “WE are human beings, gifted with two hands to work. But those who shirk from work, they are worse than animals. Everyone must work – with their hands or brains – or they are not worthy to live,” insisted this champion of sweat and sheer efforts.

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Continuing with his tale, Bajaj talked about his college years in Delhi, a city he chose deliberately to study in. “Delhi offered a three-year graduation programme then, while Mumbai had four years. To save a year, for time is most important, I packed my bags and pushed off to the capital.”

Working there for four years after his graduation, simultaneously completing his LLB (remember, time is most crucial), he then did a short stint in the USA, returning to home-ground and Bajaj Auto, a small firm then. “Somehow, it did not seem right to me that the boss did not reside at the venue of the factory, and so in 1965, he shifted into the factory colony at Akurdi. Thirty three years, and his decision remains the same – he continues to live at Akurdi. “While others may think I’m off my rocker, I know this is how you can convince the workers of your dedication to your work.”

And this dedication is one of the reasons that has gone to make a small company with a turnover of Rs 2 crore, with almost nil profit into a mega venture of Rs 3,500 turnover and Rs 440 crore profit figures. “We, the 18,000 employees of Bajaj Auto, have made this happen together.”

During the course of his talk, Bajaj also offered glimpses of the special relationship he shared with his father, that saw them sit down and talk late into the night, about life, work, everything. “My father said his blessings were with me always, but I had to try to make it to the top. Without my efforts, his wishes would not suffice. If he had two sons, he would be more proud of the one who may have been blessed with less intelligence, but displayed more diligence and dedication.”

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Veering from glimpses of his personal life to national scene today, he pointed out the progress Indians made abroad, all thanks to their untiring efforts. Something that they may not do here at home, instead looking for cushy jobs that assured them a salary at the end of the month with as little exertion as possible. “Everyone talks of rights, no one of duties and responsibilities,” he said, with feeling.

Rounding off in about half an hour, he got back to the ground rules of hard work plus dedication plus sincerity that could get you success. “Work for your country, society, even yourself. There is nothing wrong in that. It’s a material world. For only if you work for yourself, will you work for others too.”

“…And learn to say no when you mean no. You will not get anywhere by being cowed down by others or flowing with the tide.” As he wrapped up his speech, rapidly came the pearls of wisdom. “It is imperative to have a fire in the belly, to aspire for something, thrive on ambition (not over-ambition, as that could lead to frustration). It all depends on yourself. Learn to be leaders too, along with followers. Leaders who prove their mettle daily, instead of just talking.”

The words came quick and strong, the vociferous champion of sheer work refused to budge from this focal point. If this forceful argument came from personal experience, it seems little wonder that one can’t beat a Bajaj!