Our family migration to Bangalore

After permanently shifting to Bangalore the family got adjusted to the new surroundings as well as schools, language, acquaintances, climate etc

Having lived in Trichur from date of birth in 1947 till oct 1960 the place Bangalore was entirely different The city was 3000 ft above sea level and winter months were cold Whereas in Trichur there was no need for warm clothings , in Bangalore it was necessary to wear sweater during winter say from October till Jan next year Accordingly we children took care of ourselves wearing thick cloths or sweater when it was cold

The language spoken was Kannada which resembled much Tamil and thus it was picked up slowly through conversation with others . I got admitted to Seshadripuram High school in 8!Th class and my elder brother Sundaram got admitted in 9 Th standard Alsi elder sister Lakshmi was admitted in 10 Th standard leading to SSLC exam This school had English as its Medium of Instruction We all did not find it much difficult to understand and learn in English Medium although we had learnt in Malayalam medium at Trichur and lad learnt English as a subject

My brother Narayanan got admission in a Tamil medium JAV School , sister Sobhana joined some other school with niece Syamala

The annual examinations were in March 1961,and all of us got pass It is worth mentioning my elder sister Lakshmi got First class in SSLC with high marks in all subjects

our studies at various schools were completed in course of time

Meanwhile sister Lakshmi tried for jobs and got selected as Telegram operator in GPO Bangalore Later she got job in Reserve Bank of India and she helped the family by her salary when all youngsters were studying till 1971 when she was married

After my passing SSLC in 1963 I joined PUC at St Joseph’s College Bangalore for PUC with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as optional subjects

Later I completed my BSc in PMC with a second class in 1967

During school days I had joined Hindi class at Guru Hindi Sijshana Mandir and completed RSgteabasha examination of Dalshina Bharath Prachar sabha My Hindi teacher was Mr Gururaja Rao and others were viswanath ; Prasanna and Premsingh My close classmates were Rukmini,Vinodha,Kalpana,ChNdrasekhar,Anuradha,Ramamani etc I had a good time attending evening class in Middle chool Guttahalli Also in Madhyana exam I got state Rank and was honoured ,

During same periods elder brother Sundaram got first class in BSC and had joined Indian Institute of Science for BE Course 

Younger brother Narayanan had got admission for MBBS and was studying at Bangalore Medical College 

Meanwhile eldest brother Kinthai had left job at HAL Bangalore and joined EID Party Madras and moved from Bangalore with wife and daughter Syamala 

Also eldest Sister Parvathi had come home from Madras and continued living in Bangalore along with children studying 

That was about education of self and siblings are Bangalore 

At Bangalore we were staying in acrented house at H 28 Anneysppa Block ,Seshadripuram for many years till my elder brother Sundaram and family shifted to isn house near Banaswadi in 1986 

Our neighbours whom we remember are 

Dr Mallesu

Dr Nichani

Dr Rukmangadhan

Marappa

Narayanaswsmi Gowda

N s Vasudevan

LIC Hariharan 

Parakkulam Paatti

My wifes's grandparents 

NR Jayaraman

Rajappa

and K V Kalyannaraman etc 

During college days I was in NCC attended two camps at Kanakapura and Vidhyaranya

Among other places nearby were Guttahalli Hanuman temple 

Swastik theatre

Kumara Park

Central Theatre .

Temples at Malleswaram 

Palace grounds 

Etc Etc 

Meanwhile a memory

My teachers at Bangalore 

Matha pitha Guru deivam 

We remember this line almost every time One of my Maths High School Teacher was Sri TG Narayana Iyengar of Seshadripuram High School . He was my Maths teacher throughout High School 1960 to 63. Standard 8 to standard 10. He stayed next to Subbanna”s house Seshadripuram I think and you may know him He used a particular text book of Aritmetic in all the classes containing Geometry and Algebra also . Other Maths teachers were Sri K Srinivasoorthy and Sri SR Srinivasan and Sri K V Srinivasan ... All were very good teachers .. There was one more DS Narasimhamurthy who did not take any class for me . Incidentally all of them were Bangalore Iyengars generally brilliant people . I used to come across Arithmetic , Algebra and Geometry text books of DC Pavate Dharward university... very good books with exhaustive notes , illustration and examples worked out .In Physics we had a text book by TR Parameswaran Ex DEO Bangalore..It was a very simple and informative book .He was related to me .. I don’t remember many authors except Physics by MA Ramachandra Rao, Integral calculus by Manickavacgagam Pillai and some English guides by Subba Rao or Prahladha Rao Who we’re in St Joseph’s .Their guides were helpful for last benchers including me. In college the Professor who taught me for four years from PUC to BSc was Sri K S Sundaresan . On some days we used to have two classes or hours of KSS .From PUC till final BSC he taught me Maths He must be in Canada now I think ..incidentally he hails from Kalpathi Palghat . Others who taught us Maths were Srinivasan,Gangadharan,Balasubramaniyam and we remember all these gurus My maternal uncles were Maths Teachers or Head Masters in Nurani High School Palghat and were well known .. Somehow I didn’t get their genetic qualities or expertise in Maths .. My elder sister Lakshmi, younger sister Shobhana, brothers Sundaramoorthy, Narayanan , niece Syamala all studied in Seshadripuram High schools under same great teachers .You knew most of them ... I had a desire to pursue masters in Mathematics after BSC but as you Know I was the middleman in a large family ...younger brother was studying Medicine and elder was in Tata Institute Senior to you .. and I had to look for job .. It was again a fate I had got application for MSc Maths from Central College Bangalore but got job earlier Ofcourse I was not a third class BSC or Supplementary with no class but missed First class by say 44 marks in total My calculations in studying was not perfect as I could have concentrated a littlemore and crossed the first class level In Physics practicals I got full marks with good handwriting etc but May be in Chemistry practicals the salts I analysed correctly but named wrongly reducing marks Whatever it is let us remember our Matha,pitha and Guru always

incidentally it happened !!!!

Happy when examinations were cancelled....

It was 1963 March when I had appeared for SSLC examination held by Mysore state Secondary Examination Board.I had papers like English, Social Studies,General Science, Mathematics,Sanskrit, Hindi and Kannada.My school and centre was Seshadripuram High School, Banglore.

After writing English,General Science comprising Physics, Chemistry,Bioligy and Mathematics I was happy the exams will be over soon within a week giving me relief from studying or pretending to be studying in front of parents.My parents were expecting I should get high marks,get a rank,study Medicine, become a Doctor or Collector.It was astonishing for

me to see the morning News Paper Deccan Herald that all the 5 exams held were cancelled since the question papers had leaked out.Ofcourse my parents asked me to recollect the books,guides,notes and prepare well for re exams.For me it was pain to study again from books I hardly opened and studied.The re exams were held ..I appeared again without any more preparation ...but couldnot get high marks.

In my efforts to get admission in a good College,I took my father to the Principal,St Joseph's college, Bangalore.My father requested the Principal to give a seat for PUC and told the Principal that I got less marks since the original examinations were cancelled and reexams held.The good Principal admitted me in the College and I came out of the College with a BSC degree in 1967.Thus cancellation​ of SSLC examination helped me get a seat in St Joseph's College.

I was reminded of it hearing elections to RK Nagar due on 12 th got cancelled by the Election Commission.Ofcourse the troubles for the electorate and the parties must be immense...

After BSC course got into Vicks as a Salesman 

My story at Vicks

++++++++++++++++++++++

I was 19 years old when I wrote my BSc Degree exam at Bangalore in April 1967 .My elective subjects were Mathematics and Physics . I had Chemistry also for two years during the degree course It was not a very serious or wholehearted of study of the subjects for me . I was not much studious or a bookworm With ordinary interest and involvement in studies , I could get a Second class in BSc of Bangalore University.Had I put in a very little more efforts , I would have got a First class as the required marks in eight subjects to reach First class of 60% was just around 60 totally … I had not calculated it and put in much efforts as it was easy to get higher marks in four papers of Mathematics . Among various papers of Mathematics, I was strong in Calculus , Astronomy, Dynamics ,Trigonometry and Algebra Probably had I got a first class , I would have joined some Engineering courses at Indian Institute of science etc and line of profession would have been different . My father had desired I studied Medicine or joined Civil services like IAS.. But fate decided otherwise as I turned out to be a banker .

. After writing the University exams and attempting Practical exams in Physics in 1967,I was just free unconcerned about future and not much concerned or worried about future studies . It was in June that year 1967, I saw a three liner advertisement in the Deccan herald newspaper  of Bangalore reading as under …

Required representatives for an American firm from graduates Apply post pox no +++ Deccan Herald I had an inland letter and thus submitted my application stating particulars applying for the post . Within two days I got a telegram reading Appear interview West End Hotel 12 th June  ., Richardson Hindustan 

West End Hotel was near my School Seshadripuram High school and I went walking to the Hotel from house  by 10 AM wearing a full sleeve shirt , pants and wearing shoes . I was directed to a villa type room where I went and knocked at the Door. Mr J S Mehta the Product Executive of Richardson Hindustan Ltd , Bombay opened the door and invited me inside . He asked me to sit down. He asked me to write and submit an application which I did He made some enquiries in English and was impressed with my power of Expression After interview I came back home Two days later I received a telegram.. Appear Final interview 19 th June Bombay .. Richardson Hindustan Ltd 

With hardly 3 days remaining I told my father about the happenings who asked me proceed to Bombay by train I left for Bombay had my Interview on 19 th June 1967 by R C Seth the Personnel Manager who asked me collect my appointment order after the interview. I collected the appointment order mentioning the post as Sales Representative It was then only I came to know it was the Company manufacturing VICKS Vaporub , Formula 44 Cough Mixture etc .

In this connection while reaching Bombay VT by train my eldest brother Konthai and his brother in law Appukkuutti had come to the station who took me whom at Sion where Konthai Anna , Manni and Sridhar were staying While going to interview at Haines Rd Mahalakshmi Bombay 11 BC I travelled by a bus double decker from Sion no 167 or so upto Worli Naka and reached Tiecicon   House Haines Rd  Bombay walking It was a wonderful experience. 

After getting appointment order I was asked to be accompanied by another Representative Mr Shetty who took me to a nearby place Phalgar  near Bombay by train Explained to me what is selling booking orders , meeting medical shops , visiting Doctors Etc I learned the needful for the work of a salesman After training and returning to Bombay I was taken to the factory of the Company at Belapur where I could see how all the products were manufactured. Thereafter I went to office I was given advance plus rail ticket to Nagercoil via Madras along with a representative bag to hold all medical products plus the handbills etc and also order formats to book order from shops I left Bombay as scheduled with a box , hold-all, handbag etc being my first trip as a Salesman 

We had our price lists , order books   along with expense statement My emoluments included Rs 250 plus allowance of Rs 16 per day total king around Rs Rs 730 per month It was a good sum during that period Travel by first class was provided .

As salesman visited various places in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka booking orders plus involving in Mass Consumer contact in popularising the products like Vaporub, Inhaler, Formula 44 Cough Mixture , Clearasil , Cough drops etc 

 In addition We were asked to verify advertisements of Vicks in local theatres before showing cinema and were reimbursed the expenses 

Also all other expenses during travel etc were reimbursed 

I could visit Madras almost every month and Bangalore occasionally 

Although I was happy with the selling job , I quit the job on 19 th June 1968 and joined Bank of India Bangalore on 6 th Aug 1968

During return trips to Bombay from tours I could stay at Ghatkopar Raman Anna’s house etc and visit others at Chembur etc 

After joining Bank in 1968 I got a bonus cheque from the Company around Rs 550.

I purchased two minor gold chains total 5 sovereign with that amount 

.

Sovereign price then Rs 100 or so 

Now the price is Rs 53000 per sovereign 

Also from the savings I had made in one year  I could contribute a part towards cash security in Bank while joining 

The company was later bought by Procter and Gamble Ltd etc 

So that was my story of Vicks 

I was known as Vicks Chithappa those days  

While training me for selling and Doctor Detailing I was taught about the contents of the Vaporub etc 

Mainly 

Eucalyptus

Menthol

Salicylic Acid   

Honey 

Etc 

Smog the individuals whom I remember at the Company are 

J S Mehta Product Manager 

PV Dholakiya Sales Manager

S Thakurdas Sales Executive 

R.C Seth Personnel Manager 

Shetty Cashier 

N J Keshwani   Typist

MI Waras Office 

Many other Parsi girls or Gujarati girls were there whose names I didnot know including a Parsi receptionist 

May be I worked in such a Company making medicine for cold , I get cold always 

I used to explain to Doctors while detailing

If the cough is due to cold , flu, bronchitis or irritation out formula 44 is the remedy It has no alcohol content etc 

It was required to visit any Doctors with necktie, shoes polished and neat dress with the visiting card 

While selling Vicks products to new customers the company used to supply us large quantity of triangle end shaped pencils which new buyers liked I used to bring box full of such pencils home and others 

Some samples were given to Doctors during detailing.

But I was never using the Cough Formula Mixture since it had a honey taste and made drowsy .

Now also they have some new products like Vicks Action 500 etc 

Vicks Company is famous all over the world .

When the company was issuing shares initially , they had offered some to employees which I didnot buy But the shares of Procter and Gamble Ltd, Gillette etc are really blue chips  

So that is VICKS

What company owns Vicks?

Procter & Gamble

Richardson-Vicks Inc. eventually moved to New York City, and product lines included NyQuil, Clearasil, Laboris, Oil of Olay and Formby's. Vicks is now a Procter & Gamble product.