Krishna Kant

Krishna Kant: If Durai Babu was the branch manager of Hakkudu Percept, Krishna Kant was thrust on me and an unwelcome intruder. Percept won the Airtel account for pre-paid cards and the account was huge in terms of billings and a pan-Indian operations. Suddenly Percept with presence in just Delhi and Mumbai were forced to open branches in Bangalore, Madras, Bhopal, Kochi, and just about almost everywhere. I was appointed to do the Madras chores while Krishna Kant was entrusted to manage Kochi; he was working in an agency in Bangalore prior to this and maybe, this gave him an opportunity to go homeward.

Krishna Kant is tall and Dravidian in complexion, his mustache could be seen from miles so thick and so dark, the face was rather square and he had a build of a buffalo. He spoke with the speed of a sub-urban train; reaching peak very quickly and ready to apply abrupt brakes. That staccato speech can be testy to the ears. KK was born-again Mallu and he knew how to promote himself even without subtlety.

Airtel was to have opened their Kochi branch but that did not happen and by which time, Percept had gone ahead and chosen their man. This meant that there was no work for him and he was bundled to Madras to lend a helping hand to me. I was gracious to take him through all the strategy documents and taking him to client meetings never suspecting anything sinister. This man soon got up-to-speed on my activities and then completely took over. He would rush to brief creative even before I could gather my thoughts and even talk to the clients on clarifications. Even the client was genuinely perplexed as to who was the contact person.

It soon transpired that the Kochi branch was not happening for the next 12 months and two senior persons in Madras were too heavy an expense. The way KK manipulated to ensure that he stayed at my cost was politics of a kind I had never experienced; he started relay my every minor shortcoming to our boss in Mumbai even it was so frivolous. Once I had gone to a bar with a friend and I recounted the tale to the folks at office the next day,” I had a nice time at Heritage yesterday and when it wounded it was past midnight. Both of us walked kicking a plastic soda bottle for amusement.” KK twisted this prattle to the boss in Mumbai,” Sathya is dangerous anti-social breaking glasses on the road fare in midnight after a drink”. Such gross distortions and absurdities soon began to pile up and when it was decided to axe one of us, he was the one who survived. I was so flustered by his antics that I wished to engage goons and breaking a few of his bones. I have never felt an intense hatred to anyone before.  

I was made an dummy and powerless “Account Planner” and KK was in-charge of the day-to-day operations of Airtel account; that way he was a lot safer from the firing squad. Unlike how generous I was prior in sharing about the daily tasks and activities, he never bothered when it was his turn at the helm as I drifted to idleness and futility. KK headed the Percept operations in Chennai for many years to affording a Maruti Vesta; there was a lot to talk as how he pocketed commissions from printers and adding more to the monthly pay-cheque.

KK to me was a typical politician; he knew how to squat in someone’s territory and grab that successfully. He spoke as like hustler but his actions were directed in enlarging his importance. I have never detested a Mallu before but after this chastened experience, I am a lot more circumspect of my Kerala neighbours.

     

Verdict: Rajas

Lesson to be learnt: With these kinds, save your ass. Don’t talk at length and keep a safe distance. Each time you shake hands with people like KK, count whether they are in place after each occasion.