Business and work codes

When Birlas had established themselves in trade and the industry some rules were set to induct the boys of the family in the Business Group establishments. The boys had to follow those rules before getting accepted formally. After simple school education a boy had to work in some venture of the group as an apprentice for a year. G.D. Birla and Brajmohan had played important role in setting up the training process. During this period the boys worked under the supervision of the seniors and managers who reported the progress of the trainee to G.D. and Brijmohan. The youngsters had spent their childhood in close care of Brijmohan, so they felt very natural and protected in his company. It was not the case with G.D. Birla.
Laxmi Niwas had got his training in jute trade from Brijmohan. In 1930 Krishna Kumar learnt the ropes of sugar mill. Basant Kumar was taught the business of kerosin and cotton. Birla’s nephews Ganga Prasad and Madho Prasad had received priliminary training in shipping and jute industries respectively. In the training the role of the senior managers was very important. The kind of training that Basant Kumar got from Sitaram Khemka was important in today’s context.
In the training finance and accounting was given special importance. Practical knowledge was imparted in keeping cash book, ledgers, preparing vouchers, bills, accounts, bank reconciliation etc. Also taught was preparing daily progress report, monthly/yearly income-expenditure account to Basant Kumar. Then he was trained in manufacture aspects and the sales in marketing works.
But the most important was the lessons in family tradition, unity of the family, its honour, the status in the community and the legends. Every member was asked to work hard to carry forward the tradition and break new grounds. Thus, the trainee was made aware of the goal of his life.
After the training period the member was given a suitable responsibility according to his assessed capacity. By 1940 G.D. Birla’s three sons and a nephew had taken charge of factories or mills after receiving the training. Only left out was Gajanan for obvious reasons.
Even after being given independent charges G.D. Birla and Brijmohan kept an eye on the performance of every beginner and analysed the progress reports and figures of each unit he ran. The young generation was told to see the advice of the elders whenever new capital investment was planned or needed. Each new venture was discussed and planned thoroughly. One field was forbidden and that was hotel industry because it involved serving liquor and involvement in dance-music events. It was against Birla tradition.
In 1938 Basant Kumar expanded into a new field by founding ‘Birla Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd’ and an enterprise was set up with the help of a Hungarian expert. 2½ lacs rupees was its capital investment. The work has progressed quite a far when Jugal Kishor learnt that in some manufacture processes of that unit animal parts would be used to make harmone based drugs. Jugal Kishor and Basant Kumar mulled over it and discussed the issue for two months. Jugal Kishor finally put his foot down and Basant Kumar had to abandon the project.
In role of a son
It should be interesting to know how G.D. Birla fared as a son. It was not easy for him as he was a very busy man and his parents lived in Benaras in retirement fighting off old age niggles.
His father Baldeodas had gone to Benaras in 1917 with his wife Yogeshwari Devi to spend last days of their lives there misled by an astrologer. He was supposed to die within a year or two. But he went on to live 30 more years and his wife almost 50 years more.
G.D. Birla had great respect for his parents and considered them God equivalents in importance and sanctity. He was an obedient son but did not follow their wishes blindly. He did not agree to marry again when his second wife died inspite of pressure from them. The following events prove how faithfully he served his parents :
❑ Whenever any of his parents fell ill he rushed to Benaras cancelling all his engagements.
❑ During his visits he would sit on a stool near the feet of his mother and ask what she wished. She asked for some charity and it was done promptly.
❑ When his mother died G.D. Birla was by her side. But at the time of the death of his father he was in U.S. unfortunately to his regret.
❑ On some matters he disagreed with his father but his dedication and respect for his father never weakened.
❑ He always cared for his father’s likes and dislikes. Gopikrishna Bajaj was pressing him for setting up a leather factory. His father disliked the leather idea. G.D. Birla informed Bajaj that he would not go against the wish of his father.
❑ For health Baldeodas used to eat apples every day. Fresh apples were rarely available in Benaras. So G.D. wrote a letter to a friend in Manali and arranged a parcel of Kullu apples sent to his father every week.
❑ As his father grew older he gave more care to him and rushed to be by his father’s side whenever he suffered old age niggles. Once for this cause he broke an engagement with Sardar Patel and sent an explanatory letter.
❑ Once his 90 year old father slipped and broke his leg. G.D. stayed with him for quite some time to make him take medicines. Old Baldeodas had lost the will to live and acted like a child. G.D. cancelled all his engagements and appointments of Delhi for that period.
❑ G.D. Birla served his father all 24 hours of the day. When Baldeodas recovered a bit G.D. Birla fell ill due to over working himself in the care of his father. He wrote a letter to Loksabha Speaker. G.V. Mavalankar apologizing for his long absence due his father’s condition.
It amply proved how dedicated he was to his old father. As a faithful son he fulfilled all his duties.

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