During my time as a departmental head at Tata Steel, there was a fatal accident at the works. I went to meet the widow of the deceased in a remote village. There I saw her young son. I ensured that he got a job as a trainee dental technician, thanks to the cooperation of our dentist Dr Noshir Piroshaw. In another accident in the plant, one of my men lost his hand. I went to meet him, again in a remote village. He was happy to see me and had organized an adivasi dance by the damsels of his village. Later, these young women climbed onto my car, indicating that they did not wish me to leave. This is how a good leader should function.
The teachings of Zarathushtra tell us that in life we will be subjected to all sorts of indignities; our ability to overcome these hardships by continuing to do good deeds will define our future destiny. It is my staunch belief that my ability to stay on this path has resulted first in three promotions in Tata Steel after being initially overlooked, and an invitation from the German chemical and construction giant Lurgi to head their Indian operations in Delhi.
In 1987 we moved to Delhi where I held a very lucrative position with Lurgi India. I was very comfortable there for the first four years, but the next four were not so good and ultimately resulted in my leaving the company. I had, however, secured my financial future and was able to send both my daughters abroad for over a year each as well as purchase the house in which I am living out the final phase of my life.
One of the most stressful times of my life was when I served as president of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman. Several office bearers disagreed with me at very critical junctures whilst I was dealing with an employee I viewed as being recalcitrant. It is only by divine grace that I emerged successful from this.
Researchers have recorded that the most traumatic experience that one encounters is the loss of a spouse. I lost my wife Rati a little over a year ago. All those whom I know and meet tell me that I have weathered the storm well. I have borne this loss with equanimity.
In life I have sought neither wealth nor fame. My bank balance is, by current standards, modest. My true wealth lies in the respect with which I have been showered by most people I have encountered, and, in the ultimate analysis, that is all that matters. I am also content in the knowledge that I have passed on this legacy to my daughters and their children. As I walk into the sunset of my life I look back at all that has happened and acknowledge that the divine presence has always been there to lend a helping hand when I faltered and encouraged me to carry on. YEZAD KAPADIA
Gurgaon
yezad.kapadia@gmail.com