THE PROPRIETOR

 Weekends have always been special in Bangalore. The stress and strain arising out of the rat race to prove ‘I AM BETTER’ takes its toll on the mental setup of tender youth, which in return invokes them to have a little ‘CHILL OUT‘in the weekends and anyways the youth loves it, so as I !!  For me, it was like any other weekend until I met this person who gave me the inspiration to write my second story.

I have always had a huge appetite for Odia Cuisines, that takes me mostly to Marathali area in Bangalore which is famous for its Odia restaurants like Dalma, Odyssey  and Maa Tarini etc.  This time I decided to go to a restaurant called Annapurna. I decided to go there not because of choice, but my father wanted me to meet the owner of the hotel.  From looks, the hotel seemed like any other Odia hotel having ethnic hospitality and food. I asked the waiter that I needed to meet the owner Mr. Hemant Patra. Just upon asking the waiter smiled and told me “Please follow me, Sir!!” He took me to the interior part of the hotel where the Owner’s cabin was situated.  The waiter opened the doors and I saw normal looking man sitting on the chair with a smile. I introduced myself giving the reference of my father and at once he recalled my father (You see!! this is one thing I have seen in every SUCESSFUL business man, that they remember people like a pigeon remembers the path it has traveled, something very core of business aspect) and was extremely happy to see me. He offered a seat to me and within minutes he behaved like he has known me for years (Perhaps he may be!!). Anyways I just fall in love with his ability to become familiar so soon (As I also believe to come in the same category ;) ). 

I was very interested to know why my father wanted me to meet him!!  So I initiated the conversation asking “My father told you are one of the most extraordinary people!! May I have the pleasure to know about your life???  ”. He smiled back and told “Your father itself is an extraordinary person!! Why do you want to know a story of a person like me and besides your father is a flattering person (Well I knew that: P)”.  But I opposed saying “I do not want to end up my life hearing one story only...” He was just pleased to hear the last line and replied “You are just like your father (Well!! Am i??). OK! Then if you have made up your mind to be bored for the next one hour, so be it!! ” I was like “Please! Don’t bore me with a conventional story like I came here and worked hard and became rich.” But I resisted and made a satisfying composure that made him to believe that I was interested. And thus he started up telling his biography.

“I came to Bangalore in the year 2001. I was an average student and had a ‘JUST PASS’ Graduation, that was of no use in a city like Bangalore. Still I came here, because in India, when a grown son do not earn, then he becomes the talk of the town!! So I came here with a view that at least I will be far away from the talks. ”  It is like comparing Sehwag with Dravid !! How can you declare someone inefficient by analyzing from one angle only?  Whatever!! It may me but this man was a victim of this stereotyping.I interrupted asking “How did you manage your livelihood?” He replied “My father used to send Rs. 1000 every month which was enough for satisfying one’s belly, but Inside me the money was like a curse for me, Because my elder brother who is only 2 years elder than me was a Chartered Accountant. He was dynamic and I was always being compared to him. Still I did not have any option rather to take the money!” Mean while in my mind I was thinking how disgusting parents can become when they compare two of their sons from the same angle ‘STUDIES and SUCCESS RATIO’. 

He then continued “I stayed on my father’s money for the next one year till when I decided that I had to do something. There was no specified road for me, it was all dark, the city was still not my own city and I was searching for an identity for me.” I was feeling the pain and the intensity of his words. These words can only be said by a person who has suffered hard, yet never complained. He patted me and asked “What are you thinking?” I said “Nothing! Please carry on!” He then told “As I moved on I saw that getting a job on the basis of my studies was near impossible and hence I decided to do something else. So I took a decision that I knew will not be taken by a wise men, but I took it because being WISE was not helping me either. I got one job to supply vegetables to number of hotels from a vegetable Vendor. He paid me a minor sum of Rs. 600 per month.  But it was like my first job and I remember I loved it. ” I was impressed but was also thinking perhaps I would not have taken the same decision. So I decided to satisfy my curiosity by asking “How did you love the job of supplying vegetables?? I mean it was not of your standards!” He smiled back and replied “Sometimes when you observe that your degrees are almost of no use to you and they can’t manage to provide you two times meal, then only you realize standards is something you decide for yourself, it is not predefined rather it is a perception”. His words filled my eyes with blazing emotions that repeated the lines time and again. But I had no time to become a crying child and hence I recovered my composure and told him “And Then?”

Perhaps he noted the wrinkles on my forehead as he told me “Son! I will tell you one thing! Never in life, lose track of your dreams. Situations will be hazardous, but at the end they come only to prove that you are brave enough to achieve your dreams!!” It hit the bull’s eye for which I was looking for. He then continued “Situations remained same for next two years, until I gathered some money and now I was not taking money from my parents, rather I was sending Rs.200 per month. The vendor was deeply impressed by my work. Time covers all wounds, but for me the moment I was realizing that Life is not that bad, the biggest storm of my life hit me with its full force. ”

I was irritated with the feeling “What happened now? I mean you are such a nice person, but God screws up all your plans just in a moment!”  Before I could ask what had happened, he told “I got a call from my father stating that my mother was suffering from cancer!” It was like a thunder stroke for me to listen that, I was astonished as to how did he manage his emotions then?  But to my surprise with a gratifying look he continued “I was shattered, but I had no time to rest. My brother was earning well, but he hardly had any time to take care of our mother and so he asked me to take care of our mother and in return he would pay the expenses. Now, that was like a mountain of responsibility for me. Because, even if I was earning less than my brother,  I had to work more hard. But he never realized it. So I never resisted a single time and took my mother to Bangalore for treatment. My brother paid for the treatment, but to take care of my mother I had to be there with her day and night for which I got very less time for my supplies. The vendor was now agitated and one day he told me not to come to work. I tried my best to convince him, but he seemed to have become a different person. So I decided not to beg him and take care of my mother. ” I could see the self respect that this man restored for himself and more than anything the Love for his mother. I asked hurriedly “What happened to your mother, then?” This time he did not smile at all and said “In spite all my and my brother’s efforts she died three months after she came to Bangalore!” His eyes were numb, and I was scolding God to be that cruel.

He then recovered from his emotions and continued “At that moment I thought it was all over for me. But as the saying in Gita goes every human takes birth to only perform his duties and attain the purpose, I had to recover. So I searched for some other job. There used to be a hotel where I was supplying vegetables. His owner was kind of friendly to me. So one fine day when he heard my problems, he gave an offer to me. The offer that made me what I am today! ” His story was flowing like a river through the mountains, where it was about to meet the sea. I was excited. So I asked “What was that offer?” He noticed my curiosity and continued “The hotel owner was basically a man from Karnataka and those days Marathalli was in its stage of development. He had noticed the large number of people from Odisha flowing into this place and postulated that it was a market to be tapped. But he had no clue about Odia cuisine. Added to that he did not know the ambiance that Odia people like. So in a way I was like a golden duck for him. I also had a lot of contacts with suppliers that made him to believe that I was the only best resort for him. So he offered me to open a new Odia restaurant, in which he will invest capital and I will be in charge of all operations. In return he will share 20% of the profit with me. Inside me I was cursing God till then for taking my mother, but at this moment I could not realize what he had planned for me. It was then I realized Life is like box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get. So I hurriedly accepted his offer.”  For me, I was getting one those sweet chocolates now by hearing his story. 

 He resumed “Life moved on. A small area in Marathali was bought and soon construction got over. I hired two of my friends who were arranging catering for small wedding functions in my village. I felt they were the best because I knew them very well and they were excellent cooks”

I realized he was speaking of Internal Recruitment. It is believed that internal recruitment can many a times increase Employee satisfaction and generate Quality Workplace environment. He continued, “As our restaurant was having a dedicated employee base, our food was of optimum quality (Product Quality Development). Previously we were preparing only small number of dishes that catered to the demands of only few people. So realizing this, my cook friends called some of their other friends who were expert in modern Odia cuisine and hence the demands of greater segment of people were catered (Product Diversification, Referral Recruitment and customer Acquisition). Initially I kept the rates very low in order to ensure that I get a lot of customers (Market Penetration).  Generally, all hotels open only during lunch and dinner time only, I made the hotel to run 24*7. Many-a-times, I slept on the counter itself. It ensured that not even one customer go back from the hotel. In marketing we call it Customer Retention. All this ensured that we get frequent customers time and again (Customer Loyalty) and our food had created an image in the minds of people (Brand Image). The restaurant developed from stem to stem and I could not trace out the time when I crossed my brother’s salary.  ” I was surprised and obviously responded “What!!! you were earning more than your brother! A Chartered Accountant!” He smiled and replied “Yes, now my earnings are more than what my brother earns. In 2009, I took over the restaurant from the owner and I am the sole owner now. ” I realized he may not have done his MBA, but definitely he has practiced it thoroughly.

I was spell bound and deeply moved. I could not believe what I just heard. I saw that man again. He was not the same man for me now. His simplicity added feathers to his repute.  He realized the bubbling in my heart and said “Son!! Remember life is not a race with others; it’s a race with self. Never in life, give up. Stand up and run, coz most of the times we fail not because of others, but due to us only. ” It was dusk now and I had to catch my train to Mysore back. So even if I never wanted to come back, I beg farewell from him with so many lessons.

I dedicate this story to the most close person in my life Mr. Prasant Mohanty (Sorry forget to mention that he is my Papa. Lolzz) who is also a business man. Probably he has not touched the heights of success like the restaurant man, but Papa whatever I am now, is due to you.  So I am your BUSINESS.