Mr. Ram Mohan was a boss like no other. He was a man with a “fine balance”—never one to be unduly perturbed when things went wrong or given to exuberance when things went right. In a large public sector organisation, things could go either way everyday and he knew it. He was an even-handed manager of people, pulling up those lethargic and inefficient and praising those who perform and are competent. With an immaculate dress sense and an ingrained habit of being prepared, he made his presence meaningful in any seminar or discussion.
He also had a flexible, pragmatic attitude towards work, an underrated quality. While he would say that we must work within conditions laid down by superiors, he had the good sense to say that instructions are never sacrosanct. They are not edicts “etched in stone,” and when they no longer seemed appropriate at a different time, “breaking” the rules would be healthy.
Though I never directly reported to him, I had to go to him with important files for his instruction. He disposed of matters with a clear idea of what needed to be done. No file stayed with him except when he thought they warranted debate or discussion. Rarely did he return files with evasive comments like “Please refer’ or adverse comments like “unintelligible” and “unclear”. His thinking was why not just call the concerned official, who would be just an intercom call away, for speedier resolution of the problem. If it was handed to a messenger it would take three days to reach the official’s desk.
He was a voracious reader, and was articulate and understood the “power of expression”. He was generally well informed and in addition, his meal-time conversations in our VIP lunch room were laced with humour. After all the shenanigans of our big bosses, having him around was a relief for us. His speech was never hurried, he was patient enough to listen to our views, even voices of disagreement, before making decisions.
As I racked my memory, I recalled so many others who considered themselves powerful and personally infallible, little imagining that power will eventually desert them and we are all flawed, flailing individuals. They fade in the minds of people, while Mr Ram Mohan will always be remembered, with respect and fondness, by all those who knew him, as one who can stand tall, not hiding behind his position of power and privilege.