An Indecisive Indian

My writings here are more like musings and so forgive me if it is rather disjointed. I am writing from my memory, not some notes that I or someone else kept taking. I have to strain my mind to remember stuff. Lady Macbeth , as she executed her devilish plots, expounded that memory, the warder of the brain, would be in a fume when plastered with alcohol; and here is mine, not plastered at all but in some fume all the time. By June end we knew that transformers were going to transform our delivery schedule negatively. Transformers form a part of the propulsion system of the train with one each employed in one basic unit, i.e., four in total. It was a new design. The model worked out by the manufacturer of propulsion and allied systems was to get the first five transformers from a firm in France and get them to manufacture the rest in, for 2nd rake onwards, in latter’s factory in Baddi in India. One of the five transformers was going to be tested thoroughly in the manufacturers’ premi...

I have been dabbling a lot in soft issues and initiatives, mainly to do with the human resources. Well, that is indeed the most important aspect for any organization wishing and willing to catapult itself from one rung to the next higher one. But for the benefit of my readers, let me dwell today a bit more in the designs and manufacturing issues of train 18. We were nearing the end of the first half of 2018 and, the finer detailing of last minute design modifications, development of sub-assemblies & their endurance testing and manufacturing of shells at ICF were on at maddening speed. In respect of interdependent or interrelated works. Each member of the team wanted the other to do his part quickly and the threatening, cajoling and fulmination in the name of Train 18 were the order of the day. One day a Stores officer confided in me that officers used to try to goad him to faster action in name of the GM earlier; now all levels of officers come and express their urgency in the n...

Before I take this forward, after a small break, let me rejoice in the launch of Train 18 in commercial service. With the Honourable Prime Minister himself launching the train today, in spite of the dastardly act of terrorism in Pulwama a day before, a strong message was sent across the country. The message that India was on a path of growth and confident, proud self-reliance, without any arrogance. And, directly to some extent but largely indirectly, that the innovative spirit and untiring effort does not go unrewarded; I felt very happy and even happier for the team members of ICF. Many friends and journalist enquired as to why I was absent. Well, primarily absent because I was not invited but I am not sure if I would have attended if I was invited. The bottom line is that fruit of our labour was there on road for all to see. Did I not borrow from Shakespeare earlier to say, “ Things won are done, joy’s soul lies in the doing ”, echoing Cressida in Troilus and Cressida? The thing ...