Deliver on your promise and success will follow you

Kewal Krishna Nohria, the chairman of  the largest electrical company, Crompton Greaves in India was here recently to grace the signing of a broad range agreement between Crompton Greaves and the Chowdhury group.  Mr. Noria, 67, is associated with a number of prestigious industry associations, professional bodies, semi-government bodies and educational research institutions in India. He is currently the president of Bombay Chambers of Commerce and Industry and also the president of All India Management Association. Mr. Noria was awarded the Golden Key Award for value engineering,   Vijaya Ratna award, award for life time achievement in HRD among others. One of the most respected figures in the corporate world, he has been heading the operations of Crompton Greaves Ltd, since 1985.  He has been in the professional management field for over four decades now. Mr. Nohria spoke with Sushma Amatya of The Independent recently. Excerpts of the interview:

 Q: Tell us more about the collaboration between Crompton Greaves and the Chowdhury group. What role will Chowdhury group play in your future plans?

A: We have been trading with Nepal for the past 30 odd years; our agents have been selling fans and electrical goods of Crompton Greaves here for a long time. Now that India-Nepal treaty has been signed and there are big plans here for hydropower and telecom, we thought we should try and see what we can do here. To do that we needed a Nepali partner; we searched around and found  Chowdhury group with whom we felt comfortable. The chemistry worked. The group will be exploring the opportunities on behalf of the alliance and help us plan the viability. They will basically be our partners in Nepal.

Q: During the press conference, you said that besides exporting your products to Nepal, the company would also manufacture its components here and re-export to India. How soon do you see it happening?

A: I think we will first have to make a viability study. It may be economical to make small transformers and some of the copper conducters here. We give ourselves 3-4 months time to finish the study.

Q: Do you see Nepal as a good market or a suitable place to open up branches?

A: Nepal is an important market for us. Basically all the SAARC countries are good markets. I do hope that all the countries will be free markets like Nepal and India. One hopes that with the fast changing global trends, all these countries should be a common market. All leading industrial organisations will have to start looking beyond their shores starting with the SAARC countries and then towards the Far East.

Q: Will your Telecom products be able to compete with products from other countries that flood the market here today?

A: We believe that the telecom products that we make are reliable for conditions that prevail in Nepal and India. They are quite cost effective and require less maintenance. We are therefore comfortable with the idea of competing with the international brands.

Q: HMG has plans to reach telecom facilities to all villages by the year 2002. Is there a likelihood of your company being a part of that project?

A: That is exactly what we are hoping. That is why we gifted the TDMA-PMP-MARR  exchange which is suitable for the rural areas. It is a rural C-DOT exchange that has the easy convenience option for installation and dispersal. We hope that the Nepali government will find it to their satisfaction after trying it out. Thereafter, we expect to get business and participate in the project.

Q: You mentioned during the MOU signing ceremony that your company will give priority to hydropower development in Nepal. What kind of projects do you have in mind?

A:   We are thinking of smaller hydropower projects of up to 20 mega watts. We make hydro-turbines, generators and control equipment for that type of plants. Therefore it makes sense for us to look at the small hydro plants. We will be concentrating on that to begin with.

Q: Since when has your company been branching out to other countries?

A: We have been exporting our products for more than 3 decades. But till 92’-93’, we had been taking technology from other countries. We started joint ventures in 93’ and only after that did we start giving technology to other countries.

Q: What impression do you carry about the political situation in Nepal?

A: In democratic set ups like Nepal and India, both have had their share of instabilities. It now looks like both countries are gradually heading towards political stability through trial and error.

Q: In what ways could Nepal improve its infrastructure to attract more foreign investments?

A: The same what India needs to do. They have to improve their physical and social infra structure to reach the international standards. An international organisation that has many options will naturally tend to go where  better physical and social infrastructures exist.

Q: What is the secret behind your company’s success?

A: We believe that if you look after quality and you deliver your promise, success follows you. Maintaining quality and keeping our word have been the keys to our success.

Q: Would you tell us briefly how you started your company?

A: In 1937, Crompton Parkinson of UK wanted to start a small plant in India. In latter stages they made Greaves Crompton as their agents and they created a company called Greaves Crompton. In 1966 they decided that both the companies should merge together and form a public limited company. That is how we formed our company. We borrowed the names and gave ourselves the name Crompton Greaves. Since 1966, we have been having good growth and paying dividends. Over the period, we have expanded our activities and today we are the largest private sector company in India.

Q: What was the major challenge that you faced?

A: The challenge that one has and will continue to face along the way is that one cannot take anything for granted. One has to always be alert and be adaptable to the changing trends, profile of competition, customer requirement and expectations. I would say that the same type of challenge but in greater intensity would be faced by us tomorrow.

Q: What is most important to you today? Work, family, god or something else?

A: Theoretically, one should balance all these but unfortunately, work takes the precedence. It is not fair but it happens.

Q: How do you maintain yourself?

A: I do yoga in the morning and walk a little. I spend my free time with my family; I do not socialise much.