PASSING FROM FATHER TO SONS

Transitioning the Business

Now as I sit to write another blog/my diary today, I feel a bit relaxed. You know why? I have given my readers a quick update through my last few blogs what happened between end of 2016 and the beginning of 2020. As you would see, as lot has happened, most of them was not planned or thought of, but they did change the course of my life, somewhere permanently or even, atleast the way I looked at life till then. There is an interesting observation here. If you are able to do, or achieve in your personal/professional life what you had wished to, you start developing a stupid feeling at times that it will never stop. You think, the pace, the intensity, the passion, the desire, hunger, social justice with which you were driving yourself all these days, will continue exactly the same way. But the truth, my friends, it is not so. Something will happen, which will re-determine the course of your life with all its associated elements which makes you stop/take at least a detour.

I had seriously felt ‘contended’ perhaps for the first time in my life, after my Memoir released on 3rd February 2018, with so much of pomp and show and with the attendance of my friends from all over the world, to be with me that was a deep sense of satisfaction for the journey I had undertaken, my sons, Romit-Rahul, introduced me to that great audience in a very emoting way and I was simply HAPPY.

But destiny had different plans and my Femur bone fracture on October 31st. in New Jersey on my date of travel back to India, subsequent surgery next day and the rehab which followed was not only time consuming but also very painful. This pain and recovery, allowed me to spend a lot of time in USA, with myself on the Hospital bed and thereafter in India after December 3rd,when I returned, to relook at myself.

One very significant decision which I took was professionally telling myself that this is the time to hand over the business to my sons, operationally, fully, so that they are in control. My role can only be when they want me to and not the other way round. For a startup first generation entrepreneur, hugely ambitious and at a time when after all these years of struggle, time to not look at your bank balance before the salary day has come, you decide not to be involved in any form of P&L was a major call for me and Rahul-Romit, saw this as a huge opportunity for them to grow and excel in life. And why not? All these years, they have learnt the tricks of the trade from their Dad, both nationally and globally and were totally ready. The transition got completed and my staying in my recovery bed, really helped them. I had promised my full family over a family dinner, when everyone was present, no matter what I do from today, I will not be controlling the P&L of any of our Group businesses. People who are in business will understand the seriousness of this decision made by me that day. So, if at all, Philanthropy was the only thing left totally on a spirit of giving if I do ever. A big, big relief for me and 2018/19 became that fateful year.

So, people within the organisation and also outside saw, it is not BDG, calling the shots, but it was Rahul-Romit. It took them 3 months to sink in and for me to practice, what I had preached. For every first-generation entrepreneur’s life, this is a major event, and interestingly it all happened, informally, internally with no lawyers, accountants, admin involved. Everything went smooth.

I felt like patting myself on my back, to say, ‘Well done, Bikram!’