The day I was offered the premises to set up the kitchen, it was a bit off track having visualised the professional kitchen where in you stick to books not to deviate from the norms for the drains, square feet space for every staff lighting, equipment placement, all were over the window!!!! As and when the equipments started arriving and simultaneously the groceries and perishables began to get dropped in!!!! The brigades of Chefs were there to off load the materials.
The chief Coordinator the Reverend Father of St. Bede’s school was giving me the final orders with the respect to timings when he needed the food to be dispensed!!!!I turned around to the chef to be ready for the dough to prepare the parata!! He looked at me with a puzzled note???! When I said again he hurried to a corner and was preparing a dough mixture with a kilogramme of flour… I was losing my cool, I just yelled at him to open the sack of flour to mix the dough with the 100Kgs as we had to prepare the parata for 6000 people... The number he heard he was not sure, again approached me and asked to repeat the quantity, while I repeated it he camaflouged his reaction, smiled at me and walked back. I was tethered between the committee, the organisers, Fathers of the church, as it was a national convention; each state had a representation each with a delegation of around 250 contingents. Then the number of state was 22 and 9 Union territories. I was asked to cater to 6000 people in total.
I was getting too exhausted and commissioning all to the event- Manpower, Materials, it was indeed a herculean task...
I was looking around the make shift kitchen- The primary Class section was given to us to set up the kitchen, The class room was made as store room where we dragged all the furniture to a corner made room to store the commodities, the classroom had just one filament bulb!!! There was no time to complain about facilities...
After off loading the materials it was almost an hour, I turned around to see the status of the dough for parata, it was a bit odd though as the number of staff (40 in numbers who had been specially taken in from Chettinaad) none were in near vicinity!!!! I was bursting with anger as the time was eroding off... Then I saw my nephew Shanmugasundaram hurrying up towards me and very coolly stated that the chef team none of them are there in the premises... I had a wave of chillness running down my spine... Bala and Bhaskar were around and I looked around for Raja!! When I saw Raja I just blasted the situation to him and demanded that all of them be assembled to one point where I could at least brief them of schedule and get the work rolling on!!! For about half an hour... I had no news, by then Singaru who was at Tondiarpet project reported to me, he was already bleached of expression seeing me in 3electrifying mood, he blew the cap off by stating that the team which he had brought in, are not willing to work and they have already left to the railway station – Egmore!!!
Meanwhile, Bharath, another person who had been with me during my toughest days, he was a couple of years senior to me in the college... I was tuting FRENCH language for Bharat,Vanathy, Eswar Reddy, Ravichandran.. And to my credit they did academically pass the paper on their first attempt. (We had a very unique academic system, NON SEMESTER PATTERN WITH 18 subjects each year... It used to be a laborious session while one see’s the examination timetable!!! It would run to pages!)
Then my chef Alphonse walked in, I gathered my steam, asked Raja to settle those chef instantly as it make my pressure on finance more and I turned to my local contacts and friends I was over whelmed to the instant response I got though none had the technical expertise in preparing food but certainly they were physically present!!!
As we were labouring at the kitchen, I heard sudden ruffles outside, the scene was quite frightening, Aravind, son of Dr. R.B. Sriyan, our neighbour at the railway colony was thrilled seeing the crowd and most of them were girls and you can imagine the impulsive reaction for this guy who generally a sober person.. Was trying to half circle the motorbike!!! The floor with sand he missed his balance for his age and height he was overweight just 89 Kgs. The body weight and the bike fell on him he lost balance and he fractured his leg... with swollen knee he was squirming with pain as he was feeling ashamed that he fell in front of the girls. My immediate imagination reached out at Mr.Narayanan Rao his grandfather and his mother; they would certainly crucify me for having put Aravind to this position! I had no strength to take any more beating to my confidence. Bala and Kishor put him an ambulance and took him to the Devaki hospital at Mylapore for treatment and meanwhile the news had reached his house which was at Dr Radhakrishnan Salai... I no time to repent or regret... The food for the 6000 people was more threatening me to get served by 7.00 P.M.
I was just half way through the requirement and the time was 5.00P.M. The reverend Father of the St Bede’s church was approaching me with a tint of concern he was coming towards me!!!
I was busy rolling out the parata from the hot plate!!!! I was in for a different treatment from the Father first and the subsequent has sharpened my logical thinking and situation assessment
The Father quite sternly but with a note of concern enquired, “Sekar how much food have you prepared ?” I said,” Father I have all the rice curry everything ready , all I need is to get these 1500 more parata ready!?” He gazed at the hot plate and quizzically said, in one go you prepare 30 Parata, it takes 10 minutes, now it is 6.00P.M. in another 60 minutes you can do how much more do you think!!!!” I assured father that that not just from here I am organising to get parata from my base kitchen- (I did not have one!) With a defeated look he walked away from me, I again called all my battalion of friends briefed them to amass as much parata from the local restaurants! They were confused but the best part was none had the guts to question me WHY?
To orchestrate a situation that is in crisis, one has to think and should have all hands to act but not to question. I was blessed with such heads around me and ironically considering PICK PACK CATERERS, I was the one who made it and incidentally broke it at the end!
Everyone who had the bike , from Mount Road start to end, Mylapore, Santhome, Adayar, we could gather only 1200 units of parata. I had it ready for service and while the Food Committee organiser came down he was Mr. Narayanamoorthy – Manager of INDIAN BANK, Mylapore Branch, had little soft corner for me seeing the whole episode from one corner, while I mentioned about the shortfall of 20 people food without parata, he looked around and advised his committee members to have the food without the parata, but later at 11.00P.M. I was summoned for an emergency close door meeting with the organisers and the Convention Committee!!! I was not prepared for any such situation
While I entered the hall all I could see was an empty chair in the middle of the room and around 75 people who were all had taken the seat which was placed in a circle. It resembled a sort of the horror movie scene where I was going to be the victim. I did not give up. First I changed the position of my chair by letting it be placed along the circle. The father demanded why I am doing it so. I replied, I need to see ALL. Also whoever has a concern and has summoned this meeting, I need to address them seeing them face to face. There was pin drop silence for a moment. The convention had some issues in offering the event to be hosted at Chennai and also to an Entrepreneur who has no relation to the Religion and the convention. This came to light while one of the volunteer had been probing with my staff and taking data about the company and me where Mr. Xavier was no way related. Also only then I was given a clear picture that the rate that I quoted initially was accepted and Mr. Xavier had already signed the contract portraying himself as Proprietor of PICK PACK CATERERS. I was spell bound inside the room. He had even taken the part payment from the committee!
While Mr Xavier had a second rate revised 10%lesser than my earlier quote had taken and agreed to pay me in 4 instalment 50% on the day starting the service, 25% on the second day 15% on the 4th day and balance 10% on completion . The worst part was Mr. Xavier had taken the 60% payment already from the Organising committee 10 days ahead of the event! The payment to me was to be released but referring the issues he was not willing to pay me and also he did not come to the convention when he came to know about the Committee members probe about the proprietary status of PICK PACK CATERERS. Later he had to present himself, as he entered the place, he squeezed his chest complaining of pain and collapsed on the ground, fortunately he was not hurt, he was taken in an ambulance to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment, but he had shattered all my RESPECT & REGARDS.
The easy solution for me was to raise my hands up, walk out. I was contemplating the consequence, my ethics and logic pushed me to the limit, I encountered those 70 heads of the convention, convinced them that I am capable of successfully completing the catering for the convention. I do not know why did so? I knew that with revised rate that I would just break even!! I would be left with nothing, even to cover my petrol cost, yet my professional ego and confidence in my supporting people (Without Mr. Xavier), my statement being anxiously awaited by those 70 heads at that moment the timing was crucial, I had all- Raja, Muthuganesh, Bala, Baskhar, Zubair all were on the seat edge despite not knowing the actual scene, I had masked my emotions knowing that this project which I had relied to be my saviour is going to be a sucker, came out with deceiving smile, while they all saw my glowing smile all jumped on to the gear to get the service ready for next day breakfast at 6.00A.M. it was 3 A.M.!!!!
Showing posts with label anxiety crushes not only your spirit and your potential. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety crushes not only your spirit and your potential. Show all posts
Monday, 28 December 2009
Sunday, 20 December 2009
All too frequently, anxiety crushes not only your spirit and your potential, but your ability too 2
The concept, attempt to accomplish, the enthusiasm, the contacts and the least thing that I did not evaluate was,!!!- FAITH , TRUST, COMMITMENT and SINCERITY that I demonstrate- that my counterpart too would exhibit!!!
The consequence of the loss has literally made me a vagabond since then, I would never forgive myself for having behaved so naive in my business, that gave an opportunity for some one to exploit me and now... I am still trying to negotiate myself to come in terms with facts and reality that.. I am on and off away from all my near and dear ones,
The subsequent flow of events, I had to moblise the materials, Mr. Venkiah Naidu- the person who used to supply commodities in the Officer's colony at Ayanavaram was referredd to us by Mrs. Shanmuganathan , the family which had been in all our family encounters- be it good or bad, they were the one to whom my Mom would lean upon... I had to get little brash with Mr. Naidu during the business transactions for my PICK PACK and I was quite struck while he had forgiven and support me by extending his contacts of other suppliers..from Rice, Oil, Groceries... it was quite heartening!
While I had to source out the suppliers for Meat- Chicken, I had taken the support of my then would be Father In Law Mr. Damodharan from Tamil Nadu Dairy Development Corporation, ass he was working in the ministry of Animal Husbandry department. The Modern Bread factory our neighboring compound for the Catering college!!! The reference from the college to get the bread was easy but later the excess bread return was a new experience ..... The business logic has no relevence to sentiments or consideration!
The contract signing never happened as Mr. Xavier was mediating and ASSUMING " ALL EZ WELL"I started pounding my resourrces and the silver lining to my 5 days started with my imported cooks from Chettinaad! thanks to Singaravel, our the Man dependable - ( Please do not mistake mefor using this phrase that goes to Rahul Dravid - the indian cricketer!!!! but actually that was how Singaru was for our family in all our family occassions from marriage, or any kind of ceremony. I was sweeped off my floor while he mentioned about his experience in organising the functions for Mr.Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan at his village - Soorakottai!!! mobilising the catering staff in lorries and catering to 25000 people.... looked quite convincing as he had been shouldering me in my childhood days at Vallampadugai, Chidambaram where our uncle / grandfather had the M.T.R. Rice Mill where Singaru was the chef with the staff of almost 100 people and while we visit you can add another 40-50 heads to his head count and our vaccation would be for not less than a month!!!! our golden age of Mr Thiruvengadam Pillai family clan!!!!
The dying flame of my business was glowing with my contract with Canara Bank Chennai-circle office with 600 odd staff and the "The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited- Tondiarpet installation with 300 odd staff with catering within the premises was a horrifying experience handling 4 different employee union and its representatives each posing a unique threat to operation, hunger strike . I relentlessly fought the tide to keep me afloat..!
The day Bala declared the shutter down for PICK PACK CATERERS activities I was shatterred. I had none to confide. I pleaded for one chance to revamp my shortfall with catering of THE NATIONAL CATERING YOUTH CONVENTION the maths was a simple straight calculation to raise one hundred thousand rupee where the total billing for tthe event was for around five hundred thousand. I was certain to get that as nett profit after the event!!!!!
The concurrance to cater to that event was given only on the acceptance that I will close all my business attempt after that event... I was afraid to even think that ," If I fail what would be the consequence!"
In a way with all puzzle pieces falling in line gave the confidence:
Singaru joining me at PICK PACK CATERERs as chef, Muthu Ganesh accepted to be next to me!, The suppliers through Mr. Venkiah Naidu, Obviously, Bala - Mookiah and Sons, Aravind, Kutty Bala, Kishore, Zubair, Bala, Bhaskar,Vishwanath, Nataraj,TKSM Shanmugasundaram and his friends from Arts and Crafts college.... I was on cloud 9!!!!!
The consequence of the loss has literally made me a vagabond since then, I would never forgive myself for having behaved so naive in my business, that gave an opportunity for some one to exploit me and now... I am still trying to negotiate myself to come in terms with facts and reality that.. I am on and off away from all my near and dear ones,
The subsequent flow of events, I had to moblise the materials, Mr. Venkiah Naidu- the person who used to supply commodities in the Officer's colony at Ayanavaram was referredd to us by Mrs. Shanmuganathan , the family which had been in all our family encounters- be it good or bad, they were the one to whom my Mom would lean upon... I had to get little brash with Mr. Naidu during the business transactions for my PICK PACK and I was quite struck while he had forgiven and support me by extending his contacts of other suppliers..from Rice, Oil, Groceries... it was quite heartening!
While I had to source out the suppliers for Meat- Chicken, I had taken the support of my then would be Father In Law Mr. Damodharan from Tamil Nadu Dairy Development Corporation, ass he was working in the ministry of Animal Husbandry department. The Modern Bread factory our neighboring compound for the Catering college!!! The reference from the college to get the bread was easy but later the excess bread return was a new experience ..... The business logic has no relevence to sentiments or consideration!
The contract signing never happened as Mr. Xavier was mediating and ASSUMING " ALL EZ WELL"I started pounding my resourrces and the silver lining to my 5 days started with my imported cooks from Chettinaad! thanks to Singaravel, our the Man dependable - ( Please do not mistake mefor using this phrase that goes to Rahul Dravid - the indian cricketer!!!! but actually that was how Singaru was for our family in all our family occassions from marriage, or any kind of ceremony. I was sweeped off my floor while he mentioned about his experience in organising the functions for Mr.Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan at his village - Soorakottai!!! mobilising the catering staff in lorries and catering to 25000 people.... looked quite convincing as he had been shouldering me in my childhood days at Vallampadugai, Chidambaram where our uncle / grandfather had the M.T.R. Rice Mill where Singaru was the chef with the staff of almost 100 people and while we visit you can add another 40-50 heads to his head count and our vaccation would be for not less than a month!!!! our golden age of Mr Thiruvengadam Pillai family clan!!!!
The dying flame of my business was glowing with my contract with Canara Bank Chennai-circle office with 600 odd staff and the "The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited- Tondiarpet installation with 300 odd staff with catering within the premises was a horrifying experience handling 4 different employee union and its representatives each posing a unique threat to operation, hunger strike . I relentlessly fought the tide to keep me afloat..!
The day Bala declared the shutter down for PICK PACK CATERERS activities I was shatterred. I had none to confide. I pleaded for one chance to revamp my shortfall with catering of THE NATIONAL CATERING YOUTH CONVENTION the maths was a simple straight calculation to raise one hundred thousand rupee where the total billing for tthe event was for around five hundred thousand. I was certain to get that as nett profit after the event!!!!!
The concurrance to cater to that event was given only on the acceptance that I will close all my business attempt after that event... I was afraid to even think that ," If I fail what would be the consequence!"
In a way with all puzzle pieces falling in line gave the confidence:
Singaru joining me at PICK PACK CATERERs as chef, Muthu Ganesh accepted to be next to me!, The suppliers through Mr. Venkiah Naidu, Obviously, Bala - Mookiah and Sons, Aravind, Kutty Bala, Kishore, Zubair, Bala, Bhaskar,Vishwanath, Nataraj,TKSM Shanmugasundaram and his friends from Arts and Crafts college.... I was on cloud 9!!!!!
Sunday, 13 December 2009
All too frequently, anxiety crushes not only your spirit and your potential, but your ability too1
The aspiration in life drags you to situations that there are no "TEXT BOOK REFERENCES" where one can find solutions are have handy pictures of the consequences... it is, all new phase and untrodden path , we have to navigate ourself..!
While we pursue our attempts with aspiraton of reaching our ambition, meanwhile we get to the point of anxiety then there it goes, the anxiety puts all into peril and non existance - your efficiense, logic, spirit, potential and not the least sense.
The " NATIONAL CHRISTIAN YOUTH CONVENTION" at Chennai in 1991. This was a prestigious event being a national convention and I was fortunate to be one those coveted catering entrepruners at the Madras city. It is said that ,"No matter where you go!!, it is more important, whom you know there!!!." The fraternity- INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT CATERING TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED NUTRITION, and the fold of the cats - Late Mr. Aron Victor , Mr. Rajesh Prakasam, Mr. Thimmaya, Mr. Ramanathan, Mr. Robert, Mr. Srinivasan. these individuals did polish my business career in one way or other. The convention fell onto my lap as Mr. Xavier, brother of Mr. Aron Victor was a prominent member in the church association. The deal which I got embroiled into had left a sour, by which I refrain to get into business till date.!!!!! you may say my anxiety has paid the dividend ....!
While I discussed the potential and the prospects of this big event - catering for the convention- 6000 delegates, providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for 6 days on the trot.!!! I had never had the least doubt ( i was confident, if given the opportunity, I will certainly execute it!My banker - STATE BANK OF INDIA, siruthozil Branch Nungambakkam, The Divisional Manager - Mr. Shanmugam was one of those ardent patrons... He was so obsessed with my project that he had displayed my project as one of the beneficiaries in the national scheme to support the self employed technocrats , he organised for a run through pictures from start of my day to the end in photographical display , the photographer was literally glued to me clicking pictures.. I was astonished to know that those snaps were exhibited by STATE BANK OF INDIA - NATIONAL EXHIBITION for self employed youth and programmed supported by small scale industry sector banking.!
Mr. Shanmugam advised me to have all proposals as contract in writing as it warrants finance from banking institutions. The situation with the convention organisers was getting little wierd and having my contacts back to my catering college, I was certain to clinch the deal, I began my part in getting back my confidants.. as Raja was there with me, Muthuganesh had left me and I was handicapped, it did take quite an effort for me to rue him back in action for this huge project.. I was getting desperate.. and the time was just diluting away from me.. and meanwhile.. the aspect of documentaion went off the oblivion. The day I presented the samples for the committee members, I was so naive and my faith and trust on Mr. Xavier, brother of Mr. Aron Victor was like Mt. Everest..The sampling was a run away success , the deal for the catering which I had submitted as quote was not discussed and I was quite confused.. in principle I was offered the contract and I was puzzled to have it just by oral declaration and no DOCUMENTATION.. The time factor was booing me at the back of my mind... I decided to plunge myself into act... in that anxiety....
While we pursue our attempts with aspiraton of reaching our ambition, meanwhile we get to the point of anxiety then there it goes, the anxiety puts all into peril and non existance - your efficiense, logic, spirit, potential and not the least sense.
The " NATIONAL CHRISTIAN YOUTH CONVENTION" at Chennai in 1991. This was a prestigious event being a national convention and I was fortunate to be one those coveted catering entrepruners at the Madras city. It is said that ,"No matter where you go!!, it is more important, whom you know there!!!." The fraternity- INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT CATERING TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIED NUTRITION, and the fold of the cats - Late Mr. Aron Victor , Mr. Rajesh Prakasam, Mr. Thimmaya, Mr. Ramanathan, Mr. Robert, Mr. Srinivasan. these individuals did polish my business career in one way or other. The convention fell onto my lap as Mr. Xavier, brother of Mr. Aron Victor was a prominent member in the church association. The deal which I got embroiled into had left a sour, by which I refrain to get into business till date.!!!!! you may say my anxiety has paid the dividend ....!
While I discussed the potential and the prospects of this big event - catering for the convention- 6000 delegates, providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for 6 days on the trot.!!! I had never had the least doubt ( i was confident, if given the opportunity, I will certainly execute it!My banker - STATE BANK OF INDIA, siruthozil Branch Nungambakkam, The Divisional Manager - Mr. Shanmugam was one of those ardent patrons... He was so obsessed with my project that he had displayed my project as one of the beneficiaries in the national scheme to support the self employed technocrats , he organised for a run through pictures from start of my day to the end in photographical display , the photographer was literally glued to me clicking pictures.. I was astonished to know that those snaps were exhibited by STATE BANK OF INDIA - NATIONAL EXHIBITION for self employed youth and programmed supported by small scale industry sector banking.!
Mr. Shanmugam advised me to have all proposals as contract in writing as it warrants finance from banking institutions. The situation with the convention organisers was getting little wierd and having my contacts back to my catering college, I was certain to clinch the deal, I began my part in getting back my confidants.. as Raja was there with me, Muthuganesh had left me and I was handicapped, it did take quite an effort for me to rue him back in action for this huge project.. I was getting desperate.. and the time was just diluting away from me.. and meanwhile.. the aspect of documentaion went off the oblivion. The day I presented the samples for the committee members, I was so naive and my faith and trust on Mr. Xavier, brother of Mr. Aron Victor was like Mt. Everest..The sampling was a run away success , the deal for the catering which I had submitted as quote was not discussed and I was quite confused.. in principle I was offered the contract and I was puzzled to have it just by oral declaration and no DOCUMENTATION.. The time factor was booing me at the back of my mind... I decided to plunge myself into act... in that anxiety....
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