SriMurugan

SriMurugan: Again a former boss and the period relate to 2000 where I was web-consultant and SriMurugan the man at the helm of the Chennai branch. Datamatics Staffing Services is a recruitment company headquartered in Mumbai and led by the venerable Bhatia. During the interview, Bhatia felt that I could contribute contents for their website than a recruitment consultant almost creating a position for me on first sight.

The office is on Cathedral Road opposite AVM marriage hall and Saravana Bhavan. The traffic is dense and shrill horns of passing vehicles a regular nuisance. SriMurugan managed a team of 6 people and apart from a trigger hungry, smart mouth he had little to recommend. SriMurugan was in his early 30s, his wife was in JWT and that implied a western lifestyle, and two tiny tots for a family picture.

He was tall and sturdy too, the circular face shone with the brightness of his eyes and spectacles, a rather large nose and puffed-up cheeks. He dresses in nothing less than a Louis Philippe and Colour Plus trousers; shirts in bright colours and those contrasts well on his fair complexion and the gold chain would glisten in richness. The gait is hurried as if a storm an impending storm and he talks in the manner of an excited child.

SriMurugan drove a Toyota even then and residing on Chamiers Road, one of the richest neighbourhood in Madras; surely something he cannot manage on his Datamatics salary. His father was a retired police commissioner and he must have really filled up his pockets. SriMurugan had that politician quality; ever willing to take charge, more than willing to mentor others, and assume a leadership position almost to a grabbing hurry. He is your big “anna”; you can say those ribald jokes and in trouble run to him for cover. But once you cross the man, he’ll ensure your early demise.  

SriMurugan attended many of those meaningless seminars and distributed his visiting cards to every passerby so as to get theirs in return. In fact he demanded those and the acquired cards would go into those folders and come in handy during an executive search. SriMurugan had over 35 folders and he never allowed anyone in the team to come anywhere near them. There were his property and bread and butter.  

Each evening he went to the washroom and spent over 30 minutes decking himself for the evening. The face would be scrubbed of any oil and grime with a Pears soap, then he would powder it to complete the chore. He is an handsome man no doubt and this daily ritual is to go to Boat’s Club direct from the office and drink to his neck with his friends.  

SriMurugan also had the habit collecting paper cuttings of management articles and re-cycled them to Indian Express where his acquaintance manned the weekend desk after re-phrasing them suitably. Those articles on publication would be stuck with pins on the soft-board on the background of his desk thus creating a great impact in the visitors. SriMurugan was miles ahead in smartness.  

Despite all these imperfections, he laughed to a guffaw, knew just the right word to say for the occasion, and drove his cars like crazy and a man of tremendous energy.

Verdict: Rajas

Lesson to be learnt: These characters are the backbone of our society and it pays to keep them in good humour. What’s more, it does not take much effort either.