Goutam Sengupta

Glimpses of a Great personality called Goutam Sengupta

During my tenure in BEL I was associated with Government Audit for a long time, even after several years of my transfer from Internal Audit Department. I had the rare privilege of fully involving in the first “Comprehensive Appraisal Report on the Working of BEL” and the related activities like Parliamentary questions, questions from COPU (Committee on Public Undertakings) etc. After my first boss Shri Ramachandra Rao left BEL, I was unofficially reporting to Shri Goutam Sengupta on matters of Government Audit. He was a leader in true sense of the term who motivates and inspires his team, repose full faith in the team, give full freedom to the members, avoid unnecessary interference, take responsibility for his team members’ mistakes etc. Further he was a man of impeccable integrity, honesty, morality, love, compassion etc. He was having full faith in me and used to approve my crucial draft replies within minutes. Since he had abundant confidence in me, I used to take meticulous care to ensure that my draft replies are correct and complete in all respects. With little pride and lot of humility, I would like to state that some of my draft replies to the Comprehensive Appraisal  Report turned out to be the final replies to CAG from the Ministry, despite the fact that the draft was scanned by several luminaries at various stages. There were some other people who make my drafts very colourful by making lot of corrections, additions, deletions, modifications etc with red ink to show the superiority of the Boss.

One day at about 5.30 PM there was an urgent call from the Ministry that a reply to a Parliament question should be submitted by 2 PM next day to enable the Minister to give a reply in Parliament on the subsequent day. I had left the office at 5 PM and there was no mobile in those days and I had no phone connection at my residence also. A frantic search was made for me and Shri Sengupta deputed Mr. Divakaran to search me and give the message that I should come to office next day (Holiday due to Janmashtami). Mr. Divakaran was staying at Amar Colony during those days and earlier I was staying at Sriniwaspuri. He came to the place where I was staying and was told that I shifted my place of stay (Not House as it is not possible for me to shift the house) to Andrewsganj. With the help of some Malayali friends, he located my house at around 9.15 PM and conveyed the message. (One common link which connects Mr. Divakaran and me is that both are football crazy. In addition to that both of our names are synonyms of Sun).

I went to a STD booth to make a call to Shri. Sengupta to inform him that I will wait at the Defence Colony bus stop opposite to Andrewsganj. He quipped “why should you wait? You give your address; I will pick up you from your residence. Be ready by 8 AM”. Many people may not be able to believe that a very senior officer is telling his much junior colleague that he will pick up him from his residence. Next day he reached my place at 8 AM and driver reported me. I went downwards (my house was on 1^st floor) and requested him to have a cup of tea. (I was praying that he should refuse it as I was alone in the house as my wife had gone to Kerala). He declined with dignity which was a blessing in disguise for me.

We reached office by 8.30 AM and proceeded with the work. After 1 hour I was feeling terrible hungry. I told Sengupta sir that I was alone in the house and did not take anything since morning and feeling terribly hungry. (The Pantry boy was asked to come, but he had not come till then) He asked me “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You take the car and go anywhere and have your breakfast. Collect the bill”. The moment I crossed the gate, I saw Raman (Pantry man) coming, so I returned.

Shri Sengupta retired from BEL about 20 years ago. I am still having contact with him. When a colleague came to know about this he asked me “Abhi unse kya kam padthe hai?” (What work you are having with him now?) People who convert personal relation to commercial relation and calculate cost benefit analysis and expect at least corresponding material benefit for all personal, domestic, social, sports, spiritual   matters cannot understand the feelings, sentiments and warmth of personal relations. I will be visiting Kolkata during November to meet Shri Sengupta and to visit IIM.

A big salute to a great Gautom Sengupta. Let his tribe may increase.   

PS: - In this connection, it is not out of point to mention that, I am still in touch with my teacher who taught me in school during the period 1964 and 1965. We regularly talk over phone and meets during my visit to Kerala. He was the first person to congratulate me when an article about me published in the popular Malayalam newspaper Malayala Manorama.