A quiet passing

They don8217;t make corporate heads like Lala Bansi Dhar any more. Known to friends and acquaintances as Bansi bhai, he was an extraordinar...

They don8217;t make corporate heads like Lala Bansi Dhar any more. Known to friends and acquaintances as Bansi bhai, he was an extraordinary boss as the head of DCM Chemicals 8212; a major division of the group which was at one time the most profitable. Quiet and gentle, he was accessible to everyone on his staff. He believed in leading his team from the back.

In fact, so heartily did he dislike ostentation and the glare of publicity, that he kept pushing forward the others in the team. You seldom heard Bansi bhai make speeches from public platforms to employees. He was more often spotted playing badminton with his staff. No Holi passed without Bansi bhai celebrating it with his colleagues at the offices and factories.

So well-acquainted was he with each one of them, that he would often greet an old worker by name. His ability to listen to them made his interaction with the people he came across very special. Everyone felt he/she had a unique relationship with Bansi bhai.

If he got involved with his colleagues in his work environment, he brought a similar commitment to the various social organisations he was associated with. While he was, at one point, the chairman of the Association for the Deaf, and worked indefatigably for the cause of those with hearing disabilities, he took time off to help many other smaller groups as well.

Bansi bhai8217;s great concern was education. He was involved in supporting several primary and secondary schools in Delhi and became chairman of the boards of both Inderprastha College and Shriram College of Commerce.

Our association with Bansi bhai and his wife 8212; an eminent medical doctor and truly supportive partner 8212; grew into a true friendship. I remember in 1982, a stress test had indicated a serious health problem and the doctor advised me to go in for hospitalisation. Bansi bhai came to know of this and he and his wife arrived at our home and accompanied us to the hospital.

While going through the admission formalities, Bansi bhai quietly but firmly held on to my bag of belongings. He escorted me into my hospital room and left only after I had settled in. He was the chairman of the company! But then he was that kind of man. A man as human as he was gifted.

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While studying at St Stephen8217;s College, he was a member of the photographic society and an excellent swimmer. These interests he maintained throughout his life, even amid ever increasing responsibilities and hectic work schedules. He also enjoyed bridge and had green fingers, which accounted for one of the finest gardens in the Capital.

Our hearts go out to Bansi bhai8217;s wife, Suman, who was constantly by his side as a friend and companion. His passing, at 74, leaves a void that is hard to fill.