By Savita Bhave Translation Nandu Dange

have given us full development expenses as estimated by us. Within a weekor so we will be finalising with Ashok Leyland for some important components.Mahindra and Mahindra is slowly becoming as big as Escorts as far as we areconcerned. In this process we have slowly deleted very small customers likeHTL Baroda, Punjab Tractors Ambala, Escorts Tractors Faridabad etc. Tocope up with our customers’ requirements we have taken up a majorexpansion costing Rs.56 lakhs including working capital. SICOM hassanctioned us another Rs.25 lakhs against this expansion, which is expectedto be completed by December this year. By the time you visit us next I willshow you around Menon and Menon which I am sure you will feel is a verydifferent company of which you will be proud of.You will be surprised to know that I am now the Chairman and ManagingDirector of Kolhapur Steel Limited. I cannot be known by this position for thetime being until legal formalities as per the Companies Law are over. But Ihave, taken over the company fully for management and this had to be doneunder very pathetic circumstances. Income-Tax department reopened theassessments concerning the last 8 years. In the absence of proper accountingthere is at present great difficulties cast on the organization. This, many otherirregularities and dis-satisfaction of many workers and staff and even officersare making me struggle hard. I should say that I am slowly but surelysucceeding. This case is very interesting and I will tell you more when wemeet next. Anyway I am sure that my experience with KSL will sharpen mymanagement skills and I will not have to ask you my oId question ‘what ismanagement?’I am dividing my time between Kolhapur Steel and Menon & Menon. Withoutleaving my chamber at both the places I am learning to control the operations.In KSL I am introducing one by one the systems you helped to lay down. Mysense of them sharpened with the experience we gained in Menon andMenon. KSL is on the way to make steady progress. A management culture isslowly being cultivated.I am planning to reach Dusseldorf, Germany to visit the GIFA-79 exhibition,which is held once in every five years and internationally known for foundrymachinery, equipments and latest technologies. Executive Assistant to theDirector-in-charge of Mahindra and Mahindra is accompanying me to discusswith their French Collaborators Peugeot. Mahindra has proposed to us thatwe will make cylinder block and cylinder head for these engines, which will bemade in India by them and so the combined visit. The exhibition is from 9th to15th June ‘79.Rajaram is posting to you separately relevant information on progress ofproduction and other aspects to give you more detailed information regardingour affairs. As soon as I get a little breathing time I will write in detail regardingexport. One factor uppermost in my mind is that stability and cost goestogether. Whenever we machine an item tentatively or experimentally on atemporary basis we are liable to process them on general purpose machineswith general set ups. On the other hand if stability is guaranteed we will beable to adopt the pertinent technology and tool up the components properly