Page 11 - Sands of Time Special Issue on Tata Motors Diamond Jubilee

10 VOL. XVII, ISSUE 2, 2020 VOL. XVII, ISSUE 2, 2020 11

n ThE RighT MAn FOR ThE righT JOb

w the first batch of technicians sent for advanced practical w r. g. Da Costa, general Manager, telCo appreciating
training in the various branches of locomotive the efforts of the employees on achieving yet another
w Sumant Moolgaokar explaining the latest machinery to w l to r: Sumant Moolgaokar, J.J. Bhabha and J.r.D. tata at manufacture to the works of Krauss-Maffei, a.g. with whom milestone.
J.r.D. tata. telCo pilot plant, Jamshedpur in 1965. the Company had a technical aid agreement, 1954.

J.r.D. tata believed that one should build
institutions around outstanding men, and
not the other way around. He strongly FROM THE
believed that a far greater effort must
be put into research and an opportunity
given to our own scientists, engineers and COLLECTION
chemists to prove their worth, if we need to
attain technological self-reliance, essential
to a self-reliant economy. OF THE

Sumant Moolgaokar who returned to India
in 1929 after having studied Mechanical TATA CENTRAL ARCHIVES
Engineering at Imperial College in London, w TELCO - investing in people.
had difficulty in obtaining a job. He
eventually accepted a post with a small
cement company; initially he received no
salary (though housing was generally
provided). It was an unpromising beginning
to a long and distinguished career. When
this firm joined with nine others in 1936 to
form the Associated Cement Companies,
Moolgaokar entered the Tata fold. His first
major achievement was designing and
building India’s first entirely indigenous
cement plant at Chaibasa in Bihar, in 1947.
He was Executive Director of ACC when
J.R.D. identified him and tried to bring him
over to the newly formed Tata Locomotive
and Engineering Company. J.R.D. would say
to Moolgaokar, “How long are you going w Sumant Moolgaokar in the First Tata Excavator
to make the glue that holds the bricks 955 a model cabin.
together?” Though reluctant to part with
the Engineer, Sir Homi Mody, Chairman Sumant Moolgaokar, like J.R.D. laid great
of ACC, eventually gave in to J.R.D.’s emphasis on human relations and on the
persistent request; Moolgaokar joined need for all round development of the
TELCO in 1949. employees. According to him factories are
not built by investments in buildings and
On Moolgaokar completing 25 years of machinery alone. But, investment in men, in
service with TELCO, J.R.D. wrote a brilliant w letter written by J.r.D. tata complimenting Sumant Moolgaokar on employees is more important when building
mail congratulating him on the occasion. completion of 25 years of service in telCo, dated august 1, 1974. an industry.

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