Magazine of March - 2010 - Rups.net

My first jobVi j aya Ka r n a d, Ch e n n a iIt was the year 1975. I had just got my first job in apublic sector insurance company, a coveted post at thattime. The first thing my friendly colleagues did was toinform me how much leave I could take in a year. Canyou believe it! We had 23½ days of casual leave, 15 daysof earned leave and 15 days sick leave. I wondered howmany days we actually worked If one were to add all thereligious holidays (there were plenty), national holidays,bandhs, strikes and so on.On working days, things were not too different. Myoffice was next to Dalal Street. At around 12 noon, theoffice would suddenly look deserted and one would bemade aware of how much priority personal shares hadover mere office work. Then, of course, there were thenumerous tea breaks.Once, my table was ‘gheraoed’ by the office bearersof the Union. Their grouse was that my ‘Out Tray’ wasalways empty, and this reflected badly on my othercolleagues. Of course, the Union had its uses. It was theone that strong-armed the management into giving me aquick transfer to Chennai after I got married.The style of working in the Chennai office was nodifferent. After nine years of working for this company,I decided to resign due to difficulties at home. That waswhen I was deluged with advice on how to circumventrules so that I could go on indefinite leave withoutrelinquishing my hold on my post. “And who will attendto my work in the meantime?” I asked. “Also, am I notholding up somebody else’s recruitment?” “Why do youbother about that? It’s the management’s headache, notyours,” was the answer.It has been 25 years since I left this public sectorcompany. I sincerely hope things are better now andpeople are more responsible in their attitude towardswork. Of course, with the advent of competition fromthe private sector, they have had to pull up their socks.Let me end with a humorous(?) incident. When Irejoined the office after my second delivery, a colleaguecame to me with a long face and said, “Madam, I am sosorry to hear…”. Bewildered, I asked, “Sorry to hearwhat?” “That you have got a second daughter,” he said.If he only knew how precious both our daughters areto us!SaifarmA Holiday Haven on the banks ofBeautiful Kundalika RiverLet peace and quiet enter your soul as you experience the invigorating air, brilliant Sunrise,Sunset and Starlit Nights. Hear your voice echo across the river.· Stay in the novel twin-dome farmhouse, adapted from the “Pabal Dome” – the Indian-designedtropical “Arctic-Igloo”. Stay cool in summer & warm in winter.· Feel rejuvenated in just a day and feel the tiredness and tension melt away as you bathe in Kundalikariver or take a dip in the crystal clear rain-fed swimming pool.· Watch the rains pour down onto the serene river and the surrounding green hills from the shelter ofthe unique cloverleaf sit-out. Or let the gurgle of the flowing water and the chirping of colorful birdssoothe you. Enjoy the hospitality and delicious, wholesome food.· Situated in the ghats of Mumbai-Goa highway-125 kms from Mumbai.Contact: Gabby & Mukta Gonsalves (nee Mavinkurve) 23801796 or at9869208251 & 9869118763 – 3-5/44 Talmaki Wadiand Gourang Kundapur 26116394 at Vile Parle.Also visit us at www.saifarms.com66Vol. 91, No.3, March 2010Kanara Saraswat