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Stories have power. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture on our minds. Want to make a point or raise an issue? Tell a story.
-Janet Litherland

I too have a story. Last friday, March 2nd 2012, 18 of us, had an experience of a life time when we met Mr. Suresh Hundre, CMD of Polyhydron group of companies, Belgaum.

He is an unbelievable combination of ambition, humility, success, spirituality, experience, nation loving, value driven, super confident and much more. Having one such quality for many of us will make us feel proud of ourself. Having all of them in ONE man, was never expected by me, yet it was real. Meeting him made me realise, this is exactly the kind of man I was unknowingly searching my entire life. It would have been brilliant to find him within me. However, as a consolation, I found him outside me. I felt blessed.

In the past 25 years, his company has not paid a single rupee as bribe nor generated a single rupee as black money. His group company’s turnover is about 125 crores. He works at a profit margin of about 40%. For every working hour, he pays an income tax of Rs 50,000/-.

He shares his wealth open heartedly, with his employees. In the last 4 years, every employee has got a bonus of 100%. It was a privilege to share a few hours with him. He is simply incredible.

With a wry smile he shared, ‘Earlier, we too would take shortcuts and save a few hundred here, a thousand there by cheating and other malpractices. One incident changed my life forever. One IT inspector, understood the fudging of our records and filed a case against us. He was utmost corrupt. We were relaxed for we thought since he was corrupt he can be ‘managed’. He, however, had other plans in his agenda. The IT officer wanted a promotion. For that he needed to file this case to prove his abilities. With sympathy in his voice that corrupt officer told me, normally he would taken something and we would have settled the matter. You see, if he did that he will not get promoted. Once promoted, his share of bribes will go up. Hence, he needed to file a case against us.’ Mr. Suresh Hundre was very angry with the inspector. It was a burning point.

Mr. Suresh Hundre’s wife was an inactive partner in the firm. Many Indian businessmen do this as common practice. Even she had to be present in the court when the hearing was on. For mistakes done by him, his wife was now paying the price and standing as an offender. She was innocent in truth but not in the eyes of law. This burning point became his turning point. He felt a deep sense of shame and vowed to make corrections.

He decided, he will face any challenge, but he will never pay a single paise as bribe and he will never generate a single rupee as black money.

We were 18 of us who were with Mr. Hundre. There was pin drop silence in Mr Hundre’s office. We were speechless. While many of us would have gone through this kind of humiliation, we would have chosen an easy path out. For a few moments our conscience would have troubled us, soon it would be conveniently forgotten. It would have remained as a burning point. For Mr. Suresh Hundre, it became a turning point!

Till now all of us wanted to believe, in our beloved India, doing business without corruption is impossible. We wanted to believe, in our beloved India, becoming successful without corruption is impossible. Remember, he pays an income tax of about Rs 50,000/- for every WORKING HOUR. We wanted to believe ‘Honesty is no more the BEST policy’.

All of us were exposed. Our mental frailties were exposed. Our need for a life of convenience and not a life of principles was exposed.

With a nostalgic look in his eyes, Mr Suresh Hundre said, “It has not been easy. It has been very very difficult. But, it has been WORTH IT”. And he beamed a smile at all of us.

It was a moment that will always be etched in my mind. That smile! It was not a smile of arrogance. It was not a smile that challenged you. It was a smile filled with encouragement. It was a smile that a grandfather has when he shares a naughty childhood secret with his grandchildren and the grandchildren are a little scandalized but in total awe of the grandfather. Ahaaa! To be there in those moments was sheer bliss.

Mr. Suresh Hundre said, “I do not ask any one to follow my path. For, this path is difficult. Walking on this path cannot be forced. It must come from a very deep desire. All that I request is, stop saying it is not possible. Start saying, IT IS POSSIBLE.”

When we bid farewell to Mr. Hundre, I read the back sticker on his Reva, “Just a drop in the ocean.” Yes indeed a drop in the ocean. But not ‘just’ a drop. He is the drop that becomes the pearl. He is that pearl which is the rarest and the most precious.

Thank you Mr Suresh Hundre. You have inspired all 18 of us. My darling reader friends, I believe, through this ‘story’ you too must have been inspired. “It is Possible” !!!

With loads of love, prayers and best wishes,
naren
As I Live…I Learn