NAFED

Nafed

I joined a big company (Big by name only) during May 1974. It took me 2-3 days, to memorize the name.  The first day of joining, when I was returning from office, I met a friend on the way. He heard from someone that I left my previous job and joined a new organization. He asked me as to where I have joined. I asked him to wait for a while and opened the Dairy and read the name “National Agricultural Co operative Marketing Federation of India Ltd” popularly known as NAFED. My office was at Sapna building and I was staying at Sriniwaspuri which is roughly 700 meters from the office. I used to start around 9.45 and during summer it looks like noon time. 

I was posted in Marketing Department and my boss was Mr. Sanyal a man of around 55 years old. At that time his assistant was one Mr. Gulati who was both mentally and physically sick. Almost daily, Mr. Sanyal used to get firing from his boss as neither he was able to get work from his subordinate nor was he able to do it himself.  Mr. Sanyal was also upset   with the tragic death of his teenage son (Only son) few months ago. Few days after my joining the scenario were changed. Firing totally stopped because there was no work related complaint. When his boss calls him, he asked me also to come along with him. While the boss asks questions/clarifications to Mr. Sanyal, he directs me to give replies.  Subsequently, Mr. Sanyal’s boss stopped calling him and instead used to call me directly. Mr. Sanyal was very fond of me and he used to bring Bengali sweets and other delicacies for me from home. I used to cut jokes, create instant jokes during conversation and used to keep him in good humour.

Working atmosphere at Nafed was excellent. It was like a family ambiance. Though I was posted in marketing department, I used to have lunch with my finance colleagues. The Finance Head, FA & CAO along with all other staff used to take lunch together, an unusual scene. Once my top boss fired me for a strange reason. I was in dire need of money and I asked some colleagues but they were not in a position to help me. When my super boss came to know about this, he scolded me and asked me as why I did not tell him and said “what for I am here, if I am not able help you in dire need?”  Once when I was on leave for 2 days, due to sickness he sent an employee to enquire about my welfare.   

I had decided to leave Nafed primarily because I was interviewed for the post of Accounts Assistant but was offered the post of accounts clerk though my rank was very high in test and interview and another candidate with higher qualification but lesser rank was given the post of Accounts Assistant. Logically, when test and interview is conducted for a post, overall rank is the main consideration and higher qualification should not be of any consequence. Secondly I was posted in Marketing Department and I thought that it will jeopardize my career.

At the time I left Nafed, Mr. Sanyal was on leave as he had gone to Calcutta. When he came to office after the leave he was carrying items on both hands. He reached office at about 10.30 AM and immediately asked “Where is Adithyan?” Somebody told him that I left Nafed.  He was in a shock and whatever items he was holding fell on the floor.  For a while he stood like a statue with tears rolling down his eyes. When I heard this story, I thought of visiting Nafed to meet him. After about 10-15 days, I took a day’s leave (It was very difficult to reach BEL by public transport) to visit Nafed, but before that he had taken voluntary retirement and left for his home town.