ORGANIZATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: KURIEN HAD THE BEST OF HIS KIND....

Dr. V. Kurien did not have "RAW", "CBI", "ED" or "NIA" at his command, but he had his own means of gathering "Organizational Intelligence ". In fact, everyone, everywhere, does gather "Organizational Intelligence" in his/her way, but, Dr. Kurien had it exemplary in his own way, otherwise it would have been impossible for him to run the Large Organizations he could run for so many years spanning almost for 6-decades.

I will cite a real life case here, subjecting to the disclaimer I am giving below. There are many people may be present in this group would know and guess about this case and also agree with me.

In those days, around 1986-87, GCMMF ( GUJARAT CO-OPERATIVE MILK MARKETING FEDERATION LIMITED, famous dairy brand Amul of India ) had a structure, where the State Level Offices were called as "Depot" and the "Regional " or now "Zonal Offices" were called as a "Branch". There were 5-Branches at Ahmedabad, Delhi, Calcutta ( now Kolkata ), Mumbai and Madras ( now Chennai ). There were a number of Depots (primarily as State Level Offices) under each of these Branches.

Obviously, there were a number of Depots in Eastern India and North-Eastern India under the Calcutta Branch then.

There used to be a Branch Manager in Calcutta Branch then who came from a renowned Multinational Company of his past employment. He was considered as the "Star" Branch Manager of GCMMF in those days. Dr. Kurien was also believing him initially to be a "Star" and GCMMF was highly dependent on Eastern India and North-Eastern India in those days as the 'heavens" for powder markets due to great milk deficit in those harder regions. So, the Branch Manager of Calcutta Branch then was ruling like a "king". He can easily put a "crust" over water like a "Fat Crust" get formed over milk by his lectures. The Depot-Managers then, working in those regions were also believing him like devotees even if some of them were our IRMANs and some were Non-IRMANs, may be they did not know him well, or knew ( I can't say to that extent) as ultimately he was the "Boss" there. But, he was doing a lot of shady activities in the Eastern/North-Eastern Regions very diligently and quietly and he did not know that Dr. Kurien was observing it very keenly through his own "Organizational Intelligence " nobody in GCMMF knew about it that Dr. Kurien was observing him.

After passing out of IRMA in 1986, I was posted in GCMMF, Patna Depot (the State Capital of Undivided Bihar then ). While I was under the Depot Manager then, but also under the control of that Regional Boss " The Branch Manager " of Calcutta.

One day " The Branch Manger " of Calcutta Branch, came on Supervisory Tour to GCMMF, Patna Depot. So obviously we were supposed to be Scrutinized and Supervised, it was hardly within 6-months of my joining there. Six Months is nothing a period in an Organization of the complexity GCMMF (Amul) operations can have. In the evening of that day, " The Branch Manager " called all the Officers of Patna Depot to his hotel room in a plush hotel of Patna of those days. At that time we were 4-Officers including me. We went to his Hotel Room in the evening after completing and closing office work. As I said, I was new, within 6-months of joining and may be he was meeting me for the very first time.

In side his Hotel Room there was a Bed, and 4- Sofa Chairs then. So he sat on one, rest three officers who were older ( by their existence not by seniority ) occupied, so I being new was asked to sit on a corner of his bed closer to them.

Then he calls for some Bottles of Expensive Foreign Liquor. Now the Foreign Liquor flows. Unfortunately I never touched these hard alcoholic beverages by then and even till today during my life time ever. After the Foreign Liquor flowed, his lectures also flowed for the disciples. I was just listening and watching helplessly sitting on one corner of his Bed of the Hotel Room. It went on and went on until Mid-Night or so. He had reserved some Table in the Hotel's Restaurant ( it was very crowded and demanded then as Hotels there were only few ) for dinner but Foreign Liquor was only flowing and no dinner on sight. I was really very hungry and tired by then after the whole day's of working hard and that to on a day a "Super Boss" is touring. So unintentionally, I just dozed off ( I admit in public ) it was not a crime anyone can imagine, it was just human in a circumstance beyond even human control. I just realized it fast and got back to normal. But, it was a so called offence, according to the said "Branch Manager". We came home almost as I remember around 1.30 AM. The Branch Manager went back to Calcutta by the Flight in the morning.

After that, the Agony starts. He took my dozing off as an issue and continued an issue and tirade out of it, telling a lot of people who also told me (he had said that I slept on his Bed of the Hotel Room while they were doing the so called meeting while the Foreign Liquor was flowing like Ganges and it was uncivilized, while I had just dozed off naturally while still sitting) and tried to harm me a lot by career and in various ways for almost a year. But Dr. Kurien was observing his shady activities around Eastern India and North-Eastern India, he (The Branch Manager) was not knowing it. While Mr. BM Vyas came visiting Patna Depot from Anand (Head Office) after a couple of months, before he came, I was sent on leave to my home in Odisha, I was not even knowing or not told regaring the visit of Mr. BM Vyas. I convey my gratitude to Mr. BM Vyas ( Former MD of GCMMF ) as I came to know later that he had asked people and Depot Manager there " Why Biswal was absent while he was visiting Patna Depot from Head Office ". Mr. BM Vyas was only Manager-Commercial then at GCMMF Head Office at Anand.

Dr. Kurien used to visit Kolkata ( Calcutta then ) quite often then. It was known.

One day, Dr. Kurien called " The Branch Manager " to Anand and called to his Office. What Dr. Kurien discussed with him, others obviously would not know, I do not know, but; " The Said Branch Manager" returned from Anand and did not come to the Office again.

Truely, Dr. Kurien had exemplary Organizational Intelligence, he had his own way, those who are exposed to him would recollect, I salute for his intuitions and Organizational Intelligence, without that he might not have achieved the greater height of success in his efforts that he could.

( Disclaimer - Only the name of GCMMF has been used for academic example not to offend anyone, the name of Mr. BM Vyas is used with due respect as evidence for academic purpose, no one other has been named -disclaimer ).

( This is a Tribute to Dr. Verghese Kurien in his Birth Centenary 1921-2021 )

[ Dr. V. Kurien or Dr. Verghese Kurien, is popularly known as the "Milk Man of India " for his contributions to the Dairy Development ( steering the White Revolution of India with a world famous project named as "OPERATION FLOOD" in India benefiting millions of Farmers ( Dairy Farmers of India ), men and women. He started his career with "Amul" the World Famous Dairy Organization of India, was the Founder Chairman of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF, or Amul by popular brand name), he was the Founder Chairman of National Dairy Development Board ( NDDB )of India, and also the Founder Chairman of IRMA ( Institute of Rural Management, Anand ) of India, besides a host of other Organizations very popular in India those operated under his command and popular globally. This year 2021 is being celebrated as the Birth Centenary Year of Dr.V. Kurien 1921-2021 by various Organizations/ Institutions he had founded or was associated with. I am placing some articles in my Blog here in memory and honour of him].  

About the Author : Dr. Nimain Charan  Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology), M.B.A. and Ph.D.(Management Area ) by qualifications and he has 35+ years of work experience in both  industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University (with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad). Dr.Biswal is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organisations in Senior/Top Management Capacities at Board level as well as Managing Director and CEO. He is a management expert covering extensive areas from management in agriculture, industrial management, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.