Think Beyond, Stay Ahead

"Nothing works against you but your own incompetence"

Ramesh Chauhan, chairman of Bisleri International on what it takes to create a new market and stay the course

Tushar Mane

In 1962, I graduated from MIT and returned to India to join my father’s business. He wanted me to set up a new soft drink manufacturing plant at this very place [Andheri in suburban Mumbai] that I am sitting today. As a fresh graduate, especially coming out of MIT, you believe you know a lot. But the moment I was handed over the land map and the machinery catalogues, I was all at sea. For the first couple of days I just sat and stared at the maps wondering where to begin: the concrete structure, the assembly line, the workers’ room — all suddenly appeared daunting. However, after a visit to our unit at adjacent Vile Parle, where our old soft drink plant was located, and with some guidance from my father, I got into the groove.