The Fighter........

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Sharat was sitting in his office and going through the review report of the last month performance kept on his table. Sharat Kumar is around 45 years and the Managing Director of SWATI group of companies. Now under this banner the group is having a manufacturing unit of pickles, spices and diversified to real estate business. Sharat could know from the bottom line of the reports that in spite of so many problems in national and international level, his business had grown except in real estate. He just relaxed for a moment and called his secretary to inform all the managers across the country for a virtual meeting. The date and time he had given her and asked to get the confirmation on this from all concerned persons. The meeting will be at 11 AM on 3rd of April, two days after from today. His secretary Sarita is very smart and she had taken the note and started to inform all and get their confirmations. By the evening Sarita informed Sharat Kumar about the confirmation of all and the time was fixed. Sharat was happy and asked to make all necessary arrangements for the meeting. He left the office and reached home. He was just having his tea with wife Meena and informed her just casually about his plan for the meeting. But he wanted in this meeting Meena and his son &daughter to be present. His wife Meena was very supporting and understands the pains of Sharat . She assured him that it will be done.

The meeting day 3rd April at exactly 10 AM Sharat reached his office. After 10 minutes his secretary Sarita entered his cabin and informed him that all arrangements were been done perfectly. Sharat thanked her and told her that exactly at 11 AM the meeting will start.

Before 5 minutes to 11 AM Sharat was ready and Sarita was too ready with her note pad. She checked all are been connected including the Directors Mrs Meena Kumar and two kids of Sharat. Now the time was to start the meeting. Sharat started…….

My dear friends and associates. Good morning to all of you and after one year we are going to have this virtual meeting as there was no scope for the conference. I will not much of the time for other matters and start with my one-line observation on our business that we are growing and we will grow. All of you have faith on yourselves and focus on your goal. Friends everything is possible in this world if you have a burning desire to achieve it. For your better clarity let me tell you all about myself. Some of you may know and some don’t, but today let me briefly tell you all.

I have reached this level with lots of fight in my past. I was from a middle-class family and was only child of the family. My father was a farmer and my mother was a house wife. We were having a good life. I was very good in my studies. I had completed my school and 10th class from my village. Then for the better education I was send to this city. I got admitted in the best college here. You might have heard about the cyclone 27 years back, which had destroyed so many properties and taken so many lives. During that cyclone my village was very badly been affected and I lost my parents and our village was completely washed out. That time I was in this city and my 12th examination was just finished. Actually, initially I was not aware of the death of my parents, but knew about the cyclone as it had it’s effect in this city too. After two days of the cyclone, I was able to reach my village and was unable to trace anything. With much difficulty I could find the bodies of my parents and seen so many dead bodies of my village people. I was completely shaken, but with the help of administration was able to finish the cremation of my parents and other villagers. I was standing there and completely been clueless about my future.

Then I was taken from that place by administration to a temporary camp just 5kilometer away from the place. I was unable to sleep in the night. I was not having any known person over there. I was thinking about my future and was in search of ways to lead my life. One evening in that camp I found one old person sitting in a corner and keeping quit. I just reached him and sat besides him. He looked at me and said ,’’I lost every one of my family. You too had lost I think!’’ I replied yes I lost all. But I will live and fight with all the problems. Then I could see a blink of smile on the old man’s face. He told me, ’yes my dear go ahead. Be strong and set your goal, then chase it. Your efforts and attitude will produce the result. My blessings are with you.’’ Then I found he fall down and the authorities came with doctor, he was declared as dead. I stayed in the camp for one month. During my stay there I was engaged to do some work for the camp people and was paid for that by the authorities. After one month I found the amount was two thousand rupees. I left the camp and came to the city by the authority’s vehicle.

I went to my college and on that day the result of 12th was published. I was successful with 85% marks. Then went to my hostel. I packed my clothes and books in my trunk. I took my cycle and left the hostel. I took the T C from my college too. All my friends were feeling sorry for me, even some of teachers were worried about my future. I listened to everybody, but I was only thinking to start working on my plans. I reached the vegetable wholesale market. One of the traders was known to me as he was collecting vegetables from our village too. I reached him. He was feeling very sorry for me. I just told him,’’ Uncle I want to start the vegetable business. I told him to give me vegetables, I will carry them in back of my cycle and will go door to door for selling. ‘’ He looked at me and put his hand on my head and asked,’’ where will you stay? If you don’t mind can stay in the mess, where we four people are staying.’’ I agreed and started my business with a capital of Rs2000/-.

It was a very tough time for me. I got myself admitted in the evening college to complete my graduation. During day time I was doing business till 12 noon and then used to concentrate on studies. Sometimes while selling vegetables, I faced my friends, my teachers and it was giving pain , they used to avoid me too. But I never stopped. My business was growing. After one year with the help of a big trader I got a small place in the market and started doing the wholesale business of vegetables. I used to go different places to finalize the deals with farmers. My business was growing. I also started taking some lands on lease and engaged some labors to cultivate vegetables on my own. After three years I had completed my graduation.

By that time, I was one of the big wholesalers of vegetables. I was thinking to diversify. I came across various hurdles. Still, I was staying in the same mess. I got the loan from bank and assistance from industry department to start a small business of pickles. That was on a profit-sharing basis. The investment was mine. It was successful. I was in that business for five years. Then I had purchased a flat through bank loan. Then met Swati through one of the elderly persons of pickle factory. We got married. My wife too was making pickles. Then to expand the factory I made all arrangements, shifted to a larger place. For raw material I had taken more lease of lands to produce mango, tomato, chilly, etc.

Then I was just focusing on my goal to expand the business and make more and more people self-dependent. Then I added spices to our basket. This real estate business you can say a byproduct. As I was taking lands in lease basis for farming, some lands too came to me to develop and sale for housing purpose. First I made my dream house and then now trying to fulfill others dream. This is a very small story of mine. I struggled, but never accept defeat. I was helpless, but never hopeless. I was not having sufficient money, but I earned it. I was alone to start the business and now you all are with me and this is our business. So friends let us set our goal, give our efforts and we will win and grow. We all are the F I G H T E R S…….

Thank you very much. Wish you all the best. Now any question from your side, please ask. I have fifteen minutes. There was complete silence and slowly one…two…then all together said,’’ Thank you Sir, you are THE FIGHTER and we all will fight and take our group to top.’’

With a big round of applause, the meeting was ended. Sharat was relaxed and happy, he left for his home. He wants to see his children and their reaction. He knows his journey of fight will continue.