R.S. Agarwal - Business: The Emami Way

BUSINESS

THE EMAMI WAY

R.S. Agarwal and R.S. Goenka as narrated to Pramod Shah and Jayeeta Ganguly

CONTENTS

W hat does one write or for that matter how does one write the foreword to a book that has been penned by a man who is always thinking forward?

This was the first question that crossed my mind when I was asked to write the foreword to this book that encompasses the business mantras, philosophies and life-lessons of R.S. Agarwal my best friend whom I affectionately call Radulal and with whom I share this inexplicable bond of brotherhood and familial conviviality.

As many of you are aware, I have known Radulal since childhood and we have, well, set exemplary records as life-long friends and also as business partners, but till date I find it very difficult to think of the right set of words that will do justice to the qualities that my dearest friend possesses. Imagine then writing an entire foreword! This was a big challenge for me one which I hope to fulfil without further ado.

Let me start by stating that my friendship with Radulal continues to be one of the most enriching journeys of my life and I am delighted with his latest literary endeavour. I feel that all fourteen chapters in this book bear testimony to Radulals expertise in the field of business and also in the journey called life. It has been written in an easy-to-follow language and style that makes it reader-friendly. The question-answer format makes it compelling and thought-provoking for me and I am confident that the anecdotes will motivate the readers as they unfurl invaluable lessons that are real and awe-inspiring.

The book took me on a nostalgic journey as I revisited the old days and thought about the lessons that life, our trials and errors in the field of business and our myriad experiences have imparted to us invaluable lessons that went on to shape our personal lives and which also enabled us to carve a unique identity for the Emami Group.

It reminded me of the time when Radulal and I started our first venture Kemco Chemicals way back in the year 1968. We were two office-going professionals back then who diligently fulfilled official duties until sundown and then rolled up our sleeves post 6 p.m. to accomplish our dreams.

Time seemed to zoom past us, day and night merged into one as we learnt the A-Z of business. We did everything on our own right from buying the raw materials to joining the small team that manufactured the beauty products, to manually lifting and placing the 40-kilo vats over the ovens to selling the products we did it all. We toiled hard but before long, we lost it all including our capital. From being two enthusiastic entrepreneurs, Radulal and I became losers in the eyes of the world. Although this was one of the most trying times of our lives, we did not give up. We had to re-start from scratch.

Each day brought in new challenges but I did not see my best friend waver even on our worst days. His confidence and faith gave us the strength to interpret the word Impossible as Im possible even then. We stood by one another, gathered funds and started our journey all over again. Emami was born in 1974 and the rest as they say is history.

This book is a gem and I hope that the readers will make the most of this opportunity and learn not just lessons pertaining to business and management, but also life-lessons from the author who is, today, rightly hailed as a visionary par excellence and whom I blithely continue to address as Radulal.

R.S. Goenka

I have known Mr R.S. Agarwal, Founder and Executive Chairman, Emami Limited, for many years now and I must admit that even today I avidly wait for our weekly conversation sessions where Agarwal-ji imparts valuable life-lessons and knowledge in myriad fields that continue to enrich my life in more ways than one.

Towards the end of 2013, during one such session, Agarwal-ji informed me about his dream to write a book on business and management that will be based on the wisdom, the experiences and the first-hand management lessons he has learnt in his life.

Agarwal-ji also stated that the book should be written in dialogue form and in simple language. He wanted this book to be a beacon and a guide for the common man (who wanted to learn more on management), new entrepreneurs as well as those who are already established in the field. He entrusted me with the duty to do the needful and thus began my journey with this book.

During the project, I would attend one-on-one lecture sessions where Agarwal-ji shared his insights on management. He talked about the hurdles that Goenka-ji and he had faced and how they dealt with each problem. He shared the lessons that each experience taught them. I also had to read more than thirty books on management that Agarwal-ji had lent to me from his personal library. It might interest you to note that each book was duly marked at the proper places. I even leafed through some of the books on business and management in my own library. I studied them minutely and after gathering enough knowledge and confidence, I approached Agarwal-ji with the questions for the book.

While writing this book, the following points have been kept in mind:

• We have tried to lay down the fundamentals of business in a language that is simple and easily comprehensible. Allow me to explain why: In every era experts have not only played an important role in their own fields, but have also helped to define and shape society by communicating their knowledge in a language that the common man can readily understand.
  For example, the late Firaq Gorakhpuri was one of the greatest Urdu poets of the twentieth century and an eminent professor of English. In his lifetime, Firaq wrote many books, but the one, entitled A Garden of Essays , meant for students preparing for the intermediate, degree and competitive examinations, became a bestseller. The reason behind its success was that it was written in plain and simple prose that was easy to understand. We too have followed in this scholars footsteps and presented this book in a language that is easy to comprehend.
• It is important to note that although in this book we have used examples from outside India and included quotations of well-known international personalities, a conscious attempt has been made to include stories, myths, memoirs, anecdotes and poems that celebrate India and its earthy flavour. The basic idea is to make the reader feel-at-home so that they can identify with the people, places, culture, situations and problems, and learn from them.
• We see that all great writings in ancient India have been recorded in the form of dialogues. We are a nation rich in the oral tradition. There is no doubt that a person learns more from discussions than from lengthy running matter. Thus, we have adopted the Q & A mode, i.e., the interview format in this book.

I am sure that you are all looking forward to reading the book. I shall now therefore leave you to learn from the master, Mr R.S. Agarwal, who is a legend in his own right.

Pramod Shah

F or years now, I have been toying with the idea of chronicling my experiences in the field of business in a manner that will benefit the lay reader, aspiring entrepreneurs and established businessmen. Although I have no desire to proclaim myself as a know-it-all guru or guide, I do want to share the knowledge and wisdom I have acquired over a period of forty-five years.